Advice for a visitor ...?

[littlemissmarz]

Hey everyone

I'm from NZ and have been riding since july last year ... so I'm a relative newbie ... I'm into cross country and freeriding .. not a fan of the uphills :-)

I'm doing a summer camp over in the states and I'm planning to come via Colorado to do some mountainbiking in my travel time. Any advice on trails or bikeparks to try out? I guess I'll probably want something where there would either be a few people around (for safety), or where they do guided tours that aren't too expensive as I'll be on my own.

I won't be bringing my bike (I'll miss her a lot!) so i'll need somewhere to hire from as well. Looks like my train stops in Denver as its main stop ... but I also have the choice of Fort Morgan, Winter Park, Granby, Glenwood Springs or Grand Junction for my colorado stops.

[FBTMILF]

Winter Park has a really good bike park.

[LordOpie]

Winter Park has great xc riding and they rent bikes at the main resort.

good trail info and other resources -- http://trailcentral.com/

I think these guys do bike rentals -- http://greenmountainsports.com/ -- they're on the west edge of Denver, so some trails nearby, see trailcentral.

Glenwood Springs does have good mtbing, but your first time is more frustrating trying to find trails than pretty much anywhere else I've ever been, so I'd skip it. Try the hot springs instead :D

If you want to ride on the west side of Colorado at Grand Junction, search for "Fruita" threads in the lounge.

Have fun! Most more specific questions if you'd like.

[CRoss]

For DH and freeride hit up Keystone and Vail. Plenty of places to rent bikes in the mountain villages.

Glenwood Springs does have some nice trails, Mushroom rock and Prince Creek, that is about it though. Mushroom rock you could spend a lot of time riding all the different loops. Drop me a line if you are in the Glenwood area. I will be working up near Aspen on trails and could show you around if you are in the area. Decent bike rental is scarce in the area, not sure what is available up at Snowmass or Aspen.

[roaddog]

Keystone and Winter Park are really great. Snowmass has good lift accessed runs. Gene Taylor's in the Snomass Mall has bike rentals (Kona I think)

[CRoss]

Snowmass has good lift accessed runs.

:think: I think you are the only person I have ever heard say this:twitch:

Keystone was twice the drive time wise for me last summer. I never thought twice about going to Snowmass instead of Keystone. Hell this summer Snowmass will less than a 1/2 hour away and I will drive the 2 hours to Keystone before going to Snowmass.

[axlvid23]

Both the sport/beg and expert race courses are sick in snowmass and if they keep their lift open to bikes all year long then that place is more than worth-while.

[doc gravity]

I have always heard that they only open the lower lift, so they don't get you up to where the DH starts. The lower lift would only get you onto about the last third of the DH course. The only people I know who live close to Snowmass say they don't ride there, except at MSC or NORBA time. Scott

[CRoss]

The only lift that runs at Snowmass is the slower 2 person lift. So you could ride the very bottom of both courses or the trails with the broken down bridges. Either way half the ride is on the gravel road to the bottom of the lift.

[funkendrenchman]

Both the sport/beg and expert race courses are sick in snowmass and if they keep their lift open to bikes all year long then that place is more than worth-while.

Rumor is they are going to run the Elk Camp Gondola for biking this summer.... what trails this will access is beyond me.

That said, I will be buying a Keystone pass and riding there 2-3 days/week this summer.

[ASX_Andy]

I'm with you. Depending on my work schedule at the bike shop..I will hopefully be up at least 2 times a week at keystone.

[littlemissmarz]

thanks for the advice so far, i'll check out the places you guys have mentioned.
Is there anywhere you know of with a) cheap accomodation b) bike hire and c) decent XC and freeride trails .... all in one place? I won't have a car so either need somewhere where its all pretty well contained ... or easily accessible by bus or something.

or new friends who want to pick me up from where im staying to take me riding every day, haha.

I'm thinking i'll only be in colorado for 4days to a week, so I want to make the most of it. :-)

[littlemissmarz]

oh and the reason i'm looking for freeride and XC ... im not quite downhill level of craziness yet. ... should have started this sport when i was a kid rather than at the age of 27 :)

But I do hate riding uphill, so hence the love of freeride trails. haha.

[CRoss]

I think Summit county would be your best bet. You could ride Keystone(easy trails to hard DH trails), Breckenridge has some lift access trails. There are several shops in the area that rent bikes from XC to DH worthy. They also have a free and convenient bus system that covers the entire county with bike racks. As for a place to stay it is a resort area so inexpensive places could be difficult but it is off season.

[littlemissmarz]

its hard to find info when u dont know anything about an area. i found some stuff on the beckinbridge area ... http://www.luckymountainhome.com/Breckenridge_Bike_Map.asp

and this site http://www.trailcentral.com/trail/trail_state.php?state=CO
which i'll look at when im a bit more awake and my internet is being more reliable.

any other suggestions?

[rky mtn srfr]

its hard to find info when u dont know anything about an area.
any other suggestions?
All good trips start with a map to put it into perspective. From what you've written, I'd suggest Winterpark (http://www.skiwinterpark.com/index.htm) because they have bike rentals, a hostel (http://www.therockymountaininn.com/), lift access, and plenty of trails.

http://www.aspenclassifieds.com/images/ColoradoMap_large.jpg

[Mike Buell]

Keystone isn't on that map but if you were wondering its just south of Dillon

[littlemissmarz]

wow thanks so much for the maps, and the links. you have no idea how helpful they are. things are starting to make sense now :)

winterpark looks pretty good, and that hostel was inviting enough for me to want to definitely stay there :-)

Are any other places as well organised and as well situated with accomodation, transport etc? Places like keystone etc? So far winterpark is winning on my destination choices i'd say.

[sgltrak]

The other areas mentioned are great, but Winter Park is your best bet because it is the only one of those with train service. You should be able to find accomodations and hire a bicycle within a very short distance of the train stop, or at least a short bus ride away.

Check out http://www.epicsingletrack.com