Sleek rental sea kayaks on Dillon Lake; Old Town Heron at left, Northwest Pursuit at right
Not content with merely offering bicycle trips, bike tour companies have developed the multi-sports vacation that typically combines biking with another activity like kayaking or river rafting. Today, multi-sports bike vacations are all the rage. But multi-sports vacations don't come cheap. Yet here again, you can tailor your own bike and kayak vacation at a soothing price almost anyone can afford.
One place to do it has long been Frisco, Colorado about 90 minutes west of Denver on Interstate-70. At 9,100' (2,760m) and ringed by towering Rocky Mountain peaks, Frisco lies on the shores of huge Dillon Lake. This is a real cyclist's town and virtually everyone you meet is fit, healthy and pro-bike.
In this small town, you can walk or bike everywhere. At every intersection on Main Street, cars must yield to bikers and pedestrians. Half a dozen bike shops rent a variety of well-maintained mountain and hybrid bikes. And best of all, Frisco lies at the heart of a complex of paved bike trails--each car-free and ten feet (3m) wide--that connect such famous ski resorts as Vail, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge and Keystone. Additionally, the area is webbed by fat-tired bike routes that climb high into the mountains on jeep roads and single track.
What made Frisco so perfect for a pedaling and paddling vacation was Osprey Adventures, a sea-kayak and canoe livery at the foot of Main Street. I've spent several multi-sport vacations at Frisco, renting a sea-kayak one day for 5-6 hours of paddling on Dillon Lake, then spending the next day biking on one of several world class bike routes. That provides a superb upper body exercise one day and a lower body workout the next. I've continued alternating biking one day with kayaking the next day for six or eight days at a time.
Regrettably, during one or two recent years, global warming caused the level of Dillon Lake to drop too low for kayaking or canoeing and Osprey Adventures packed up and moved to Minnesota. In response, the Town of Frisco took over the kayak and canoe livery. And you can still rent a kayak or canoe at the city Marina at the foot of Main Street.
But from what I saw in 2005, the kayaks you may be renting are not the sleek, fast Osprey rentals shown at the top of this report but slower, cumbersome sit-on-tops which require minimal skills to get in and out or to paddle and steer. (A really sleek, fast sea-kayak with a deck and cockpit does require some basic handling skills.)
With that said--and provided the level of Dillon Lake stays up--you very definitely can still enjoy a multi-sport biking and kayaking fitness vacation at Frisco. Perhaps by now, the Town of Frisco has purchased some real sea kayaks. And regardless, Frisco continues to provide some of America's best bike path cycling , all in a world class setting of breathtaking grandeur.
If that isn't enough, you can drive east on I-70 for 90 minutes to the Victorian mining town of Georgetown. And here you'll find another scenic all-day road ride plus the challenging ascent of McClellan Mountain, 13,000' (4,000m) high and reached by riding up the highest abandoned railroad bed in Colorado. And this great biking region offers still more--a treasure trove of wonderful bike rides.
Sound good? Then here's how I do it!
For information about Frisco click on your browser to <http://www.townoffrisco.com/visitor%20info.htm> This website includes a complete guide to all accommodations. A good affordable motel that caters to many cyclists is the Sky-Vue Motel just off Main Street (1-800-672- 3311 and ebsite <www.skyvuemotel.com>) with large heated pool and kitchenettes. Or you can rent a condo, tent camp on nearby Heaton Bay, or stay at a variety of plusher motels.
At the Town of Frisco livery, single kayaks recently rented at $20 for two hours and $30 for 4 hours . Doubles were also available as were open Canadian canoes (which can still provide challenging upper body exercise and require some skill to paddle straight). To check on the lake level and to reserve a boat beforehand, phone 970-668-4334 or click on www.dillonm@colorado.net/ And do note that ALL RATES in Frisco are lower before June 15 and after Labor Day and tend to be higher on weekends. For a change of pace, you could spend a day hiking or walking up a peak on a variety of scenic trails.
Once you're here, visit the Tourist Office on Main Street and pick up a free copy of the "Summit County Bike Trail Guide" or send for one beforehand; they're also available at virtually every motel and bike shop in Summit County. This well-written 66-page guide describes 27 different bike rides ranging from challenging single track to fairly easy paved bike trails. It covers back country roads and trails plus a few low-traffic two-lane roads. It also tells everything you need to know about the altitude, the weather and biking in the mountains. Also ask for street maps of Frisco and Breckenridge.
(Note: the bike guide describes bike trails only within Summit County. However, the rides I take extend into neighboring counties. So don't be put off if the guide doesn't cover the full distance of my rides.)
Start all rides early, both to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, and because biking uphill at this altitude is slower than most flatlanders anticipate. And do carry a full jacket-and-pants rainsuit and warm clothes including waterproof work gloves. A rain jacket alone, or even a cape, isn't adequate. With the altitude here at 9,100' (2,760m), newcomers may require a day or two of easy exercise at first while adjusting to the altitude.
From Breckenridge, cyclists can ride up a former
railroad bed to Boreas Pass. Still standing here at 11,480' (3,500m) is
one of the highest railroad depots in America
Here's how I typically allot my days for a weeklong multi-sport vacation at Frisco.
DAY 1: BIKE RIDE TO BRECKENRIDGE AND BOREAS PASS AND RETURN, 46 MILES (74km). For the first 9 miles (15kms) from Frisco, you cycle on a bike path beside Highway 9 and through the Blue River Valley to the picturesque but busy resort of Breckenridge. I recommend by-passing the congested downtown area by taking French Street which loops around Breckenridge town and takes you right into Boreas Pass Road. From here, you soar uphill on a paved road to the Boreas Pass Parking area (or you can drive here from Frisco if you like). Free bike-carrying buses also link Frisco to all the ski resorts accessible by bike trails. (Note: fat tires are best for Boreas Pass.)
From the parking area you ride a smooth dirt road, the abandoned bed of the former Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, which operated steam trains until 1937. Incredible views open up as you pass old mines and the still intact Baker's Tank where giant steam locomotives took on water. Climbing through shimmering aspen groves, the road switchbacks above timberline and finally reaches Boreas Pass at 11,480' (3,500m). The original log section house still stands beside the road, with rustic overnight accommodation for skiers in winter.
For most cyclists, this is the turnaround point. You follow the same route back to Breckenridge and Frisco and it's downhill nearly all the way.
DAY 2: KAYAKING ON DILLON LAKE. Most sea kayaks are for one person and if you're paddling a decked kayak, you need to know how to get in and out of it. Once in, you're not likely to tip over (something to avoid in the chill waters of Dillon Lake). If you prefer, more stable recreational kayaks are usually available with larger cockpits that hold two paddlers. Or you can rent a still more stable open canoe (which still requires some know-how to steer).
Huge Dillon Lake has 25 miles of wooded shoreline with deep, secluded bays and many islands. Where you go may depend on wind and weather. For your first day, consider heading out through the sailboats anchored in Frisco Bay and up the west shore which is dotted with islands. You'll probably want to land on a beach every hour or so to stretch your legs and have a snack. It's best to stay close to shore and in shallower water. Wielding a double paddle is great upper body exercise and 4-5 hours of paddling provides a splendid workout in an inspiring setting of natural beauty where jet-skis and water skiers seldom venture.
DAY 3: BIKE RIDE TO COPPER MOUNTAIN AND VAIL AND RETURN, 50 MILES (80 kms). Though it runs beside Interstate 70, this superbly scenic mountain ride is paved throughout and is almost entirely traffic-free. From Frisco, you pedal steadily uphill for six miles (10 kms) between the colossal walls of Ten Mile Canyon. Then you pass a retail shopping center (which may have snacks and drinks) and pedal through the ski resort of Copper Mountain. From here, the bike trail climbs through tall jackpine forests for another 800' (242m) to the top of Vail Pass.
From the 10,600' (3,250m) elevation of the pass, grand mountain panoramas reach in every direction. With a mountain bike, you can make a 5-mile (8 kms) each way sidetrip up an unpaved road to Shrine Pass with vistas of far-flung peaks all the way.
From Vail Pass, the bike trail snakes downhill past a lake and through rugged scenery that rivals the Alps. For the last few miles you ride on a road that is closed to cars. Then you're at the edge of Vail, a fantastic ski resort built in alpine style and filled with cafes and boutiques--all veddy chic and expensive--but well worth biking through if you have time.
The return trip starts with a thigh-burning climb back to Vail Pass then it's downhill all the way to Frisco. The last six miles (10 kms) takes you down awesome Ten Mile Canyon on a former railroad bed beside a foaming river and beaver dams. Despite occasional traffic noise from the Interstate, and considering that it's almost traffic-free, I'd rate this as one of the best and most scenic bike rides in America.
This paved, car-free bike
trail through awesome Ten Mile Canyon
is one of the best and most scenic
bike rides in America. It starts in
the center of Frisco
DAY 4: KAYAKING ON DILLON LAKE. Today you could paddle from Frisco marina along the east shore of Dillon Lake. En route, you pass a campground (water available) then round a peninsula into a long, deep bay that leads south to the mouth of Blue River. There are sandy beaches and islands along the way and a single-track bike-hike path follows the shore all the way around the peninsula.
DAY 5: BIKE RIDE TO KEYSTONE AND MONTEZUMA AND RETURN, 46 MILES (74 kms). Starting from Frisco marina, you ride for miles along the wooded shore of Dillon Lake then you follow the swift-flowing Snake River up to Keystone ski resort at 9,250' (2,800m). On through car-free Keystone village, you continue to climb on a low traffic road to the former mining boom town of Montezuma. Here, at 10,268' (3,150m) the paved road ends and only dirt roads and jeep trails continue beyond.
Pedalling this route in 2001, I spotted a red fox with cubs playing near the bike path just a mile beyond Frisco. And on the bike path up to Keystone I stopped to watch a bunch of kayakers rocket down the rapids. Cycling around the lakeshore is fairly level and easy, and at Keystone you ride through the heart of the village where only bikers and pedestrians are permitted.
Six miles beyond lies Montezuma, a log cabin mountain village where everyone stops in at the Soul Cafe. Cycling this far and back to Frisco is a full day's ride for most people. But mountain bikers can continue over a rough jeep trail to Webster Pass at 12,096' (3900m); or you could bike up Peru Creek to the historic Pennsylvania Mine.
You return the same way to Frisco with the mountain backdrop silhouetted by the afternoon sun.
DAY 6: KAYAKING ON DILLON LAKE. I've never had any difficulty finding new shorelines to explore on huge Dillon Lake. Occasionally, you may be greeted by a mountain biker who has pedalled out from Frisco, or by an angler like an overweight woman who called to me, "Paddling must be murder on your muscles."
EXTENSION TO GEORGETOWN, COLORADO
DAY 7: ROAD BIKE RIDING AT GEORGETOWN; UP TO 40 MILES (64 kms). With a couple of extra days, I suggest driving east on I-70 for an hour to the historic mining town of Georgetown. In a stunning mountain setting, this small town has kept its Victorian charm and you can walk or bike everywhere. Personally, I've always stayed at the economy-priced Alpine Inn, a rustic chalet-style motel above an Italian restaurant (303-569-2931). But there are plusher motels and several historic B&Bs.
If you arrive early, you'll probably have time to take a magnificently scenic road bike ride down Coal Creek Canyon to Idaho Springs and back (20 miles or 32kms). Actually, this superb road ride continues downhill east of Idaho Springs on a new paved bike trail that parallels I-70 and that takes you into a frontage road on which you can ride through the mountains to Buffalo Bill's Grave or into Golden. From Georgetown to Buffalo Bill's Grave or Golden and back to Georgetown would be a full all-day ride. A good motel in Idaho Springs is H&H Motel, on the main street, phone 303-567-4473. Too, there's a good bike shop at 1514 Minor Street.
And if that isn't enough, you can ride the steep bike path from Georgetown up to Silver Plume, a fascinating old mining town that has hardly changed since the 1880s. Drop in for a snack at the healthfood store. For still more superbly scenic road bike riding, the frontage road continues for 5 more miles to Bakersfield at 10,000' (3,200m).then continues on an unpaved road for a further 5 miles to Loveland Pass Ski Area at 11,000 feet (3,385m).
DAYS 8 & 9: BY MOUNTAIN BIKE TO THE TOP OF McCLELLAN MOUNTAIN, AND RETURN, 40 MILES (64 kms). On weekends back in the 1880s, the Argentine Central Railroad ran passenger trains from Silver Plume to the rarified heights of McClellan Mountain. At 13,000' (4,000m), McClellan is the highest point ever reached by a railroad in Colorado. Today, the rails are gone but you can still ride all the way up on a fat-tired bike. Once there, you'll look out on such famous 14,000' peaks as Grays, Torreys, Evans and Bierstadt. And Bicycling Magazine called the ride back down, "one of the world's greatest downhills."
Incidentally, the magazine reporters and their bikes were hauled up by jeeps. And that's probably the only way most bikers are going to get up and down again in one day. But I've discovered that it's entirely possible to bike half way up one day, drop back down to Georgetown for overnight, then next morning drive back up to where you left off and complete the second half. Before telling you how, I must emphasize that mountain biking at these heights is not for beginners and you should not ride up here alone (though that's how I made it). Do watch out for thunderstorms above timberline and descend immediately if one seems imminent; full rainsuit and warm clothes are mandatory for biking at these altitudes. And the ride up from Silver Plume to Waldorf Cut-Off has a few technical sections (which you can walk around).
STAGE ONE: from Georgetown ride up the paved bike trail to Silver Plume and from the railroad depot, ride the old railroad bed up a series of switchbacks on the side of an enormous forested mountain. Lookouts reveal stupendous views of Silver Plume far below and trucks on Interstate 70 look like ants.
You may have to explore a bit to stay on the railroad bed, and at one point you walk your bike around a collapsed trestle bridge. For about 3 kilometers you ride on a wonderful section of single track. Then you emerge back on the railroad bed. At this point, a rocky road (called the Waldorf Cut-Off) leads down for a kilometer to a paved road that takes you swiftly back to Georgetown for overnight.
STAGE 2: Next morning, drive back up the paved road and park, then walk your bike back up the Waldorf Cut-Off to the railroad bed. For the next ten kilometers, the roadbed climbs steadily through mountains to the abandoned Waldorf Mine at 11,500' (3,500m). In fall, these mountains are ablaze with golden aspen. Here the trees end and the roadbed traverses bare tundra--often through masses of wildflowers--to the top of McClellan.
Especially on weekends, you may meet an assortment of jeeps, ATVs or trail bikes and drivers are always astonished to meet a bicyclist at this height. As Bicycling Magazine said, the ride back to Georgetown is the descent of a lifetime and it's the longest and wildest downhill ride most bikers ever make.
LIFE AFTER McCLELLAN: CLIMBING NORTH AMERICA'S
HIGHEST PAVED ROAD TO THE TOP OF MOUNT EVANS
Earlier, I mentioned Idaho Springs ten miles east of Georgetown, another historic mining town with more motels and a supermarket. Starting at the US Forest Service Information Office here, a two- lane road climbs for 28 miles to the summit of Mount Evans. At 14,264' (4,360m) Mount Evans is the highest point in North America accessible by paved road.
Over the years, I've biked to the top of Mount Evans a total of 33 times. Over the years, traffic increased each year and I recommended cycling up Mount Evans only after Labor Day when the top six miles of road is usually closed to cars. But during my recent ascent, in 2001, I found a toll booth at Echo Lake which charged all cars a $10 fee and even cyclists $3 (all waived if you're over 65). Large vehicles were also being discouraged.
As a result, I found that on weekdays after mid-August--provided you start as early as possible--one is likely to encounter only light traffic on the Mount Evans road, with none of the huge RVs and heavy traffic of previous years. However at weekends and holidays and from July 4 to mid-August, traffic is probably much heavier, even on weekdays. But on my ride up in the latter part of August in 2001, traffic was not a problem. Nowadays, the paving is usually smooth enough to ride a road bike which is far easier to pedal uphill than a fat-tired mountain bike. At this elevation, weather changes can be sudden and frequent. Thus the same precautions apply as for McClellan. Either mountain can be unforgiving to those who are unfit and unprepared.
From Idaho Springs it's 28 miles to the top of Evans with an elevation gain of roughly 6,770' or 2,035m. Alternatively, you can drive up as far as Echo Lake (10,600' or 3,230m), park there, and ride to the Evans summit, a distance of 16 miles with an elevation gain of 3,664' or 1,115m. Or you could start from Idaho Springs and ride to Echo Lake and back the first day; then next day, drive up to Echo Lake, park, and bike the rest of the way to the top.
Whichever strategy you choose, cycling above Echo Lake is an unforgettable experience. For the first few miles you climb through dense forests of lodgepole, aspens and spruce--a favorite haunt of ermine--where meadows of wildflowers border the road. At timberline, you're greeted by a stand of hauntingly beautiful bristlecone pine. Some are several thousand years old.
From here on, the road switchbacks up bare mountain slopes to Summit Lake at 12,300' (3,720m). Above here, the final six miles of road is usually closed to traffic after Labor Day. Up here on the tundra, flora and fauna are similar to those at the Arctic Circle. Furry brown marmots stand on rocks and whistle warnings of your approach while rat-like pica scurry around at the road's edge. I've often seen white mountain goats close to the road as well as herds of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.
Nowhere is the road really steep but many riders are forced to stop and rest while climbing the last two thousand feet of elevation. The road stops at a parking area about 120' below the top. Most riders then walk their bikes up a trail to the actual summit. Far-flung views of the entire Front Range reach north and south and on a clear day you can see the plains of eastern Colorado a hundred miles away.
Riding back down is at least as exciting as the descent from McClellan. In fact, it's possible to coast downhill almost all the way to Denver, 40 miles away. Don't forget to stop in at Echo Lake Lodge and celebrate with a hot drink and snack on the way down.
For a real challenge, try cycling up North America's highest paved road to the summit of Mount Evans at 14,264 feet (4,360 meters).
AND THERE'S STILL MORE!
From Georgetown it's just an hour's drive over Berthoud Pass on US40 to the mountain-rimmed summer biking center of Winter Park (see its website at <www.grand-county.com>). Several hundred miles of single track, jeep roads, and graded county roads --plus a 5-mile paved bike trail--radiate into the surrounding mountains and I found a variety of rewarding non-technical rides.
Where to stay? The Sundowner Motel (800-521-8279) offers good value as does Viking Lodge (800-421-4013 with a website at <www.skiwp.com>. I also found less expensive motels 18 miles north on US40 at Granby, among which El Monte (888-421-5762) has comfortable units well back from the highway.
At the Winter Park Tourist Office pick up a copy of the free "Winter Park Trail Map to Hiking and Biking." This map shows several rewarding loop rides--all hilly, of course--among which I particularly enjoyed these three.
ELK MOUNTAIN LOOP. A fairly easy half day loop ride from Winter Park on county roads that takes you up and over a low mountain and down through elk meadows into Fraser--with a flat two-mile return to Winter Park on a paved bike trail. There's always a chance of seeing elk, mule deer or even a moose in this area. About 20 miles (32 kms).
ST. LOUIS LAKE. From Winter Park, ride the bike trail to Fraser and take St. Louis Creek Road (Routes 70 and 160) up past Byer's Creek Campground and ever higher through alpine pine forests to the St. Louis Lake Trailhead. Return the same way; or branch off on Rte 159 for a hilly loop ride back to Winter Park. About 32 miles (51 kms).
CORONA PASS ROAD. Starting from Winter Pass with a two mile ascent on the paved bike trail, this dirt road takes you up a former railroad bed for 14 miles to Rollins Pass at 11,670 feet (3,600 m). A blocked tunnel prevents cycling down the other side to Rollinsville but strong riders could continue up the side of James Peak on the Rogers Pass Trail. About 32 miles or 52 kms roundtrip.
Several similar loop rides are available.
ON TO LEADVILLE AND GLENWOOD SPRINGS
But that's not all. Only 35 miles south of Frisco by Highway 91 is the historic mining town of Leadville, at 10,430 feet the highest incorporated city in America. A huge abandoned mining district surrounds Leadville and the 13-mile Mineral Belt Trail takes you cycling all around the city via a series of historic and picturesque mines.
Leadville's Mineral Belt Trail takes cyclists
past a dozen historic mines plus some, like the one above, that are still
operating
Twelve feet wide and paved with smooth blacktop throughout, the trail begins at Lake County Recreation Center, west down Sixth Street from the center. Although the grade is only 4%, it's a steady climb and locals recommend riding the trail clockwise. This takes you uphill past Leadville and around Evans Gulch where in fall, the towering hillsides are ablaze with golden aspen.
A sign at each mine tells its history and the first explains how the mine brought riches to its owners, the Browns. On a trip to Europe, Mrs. Brown survived the Titanic disaster and afterwards became famous as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." The next mine was actually in operation as I passed. And so the trail winds around California Gulch and back to the Aquatic Center. Though much of the trail lies above 10,000 feet, it's an outstanding cycling experience and well worth bringing your bike 30 miles by car from Frisco over Fremont Pass (11,150 feet).
(Or if you're really a gung-ho biker, you might consider cycling over Fremont Pass. Many racers do it every week in summer, cycling over a dramatic route that passes three 14,000 foot peaks, Democrat, Lincoln and Bross. Locals prefer to cycle from Leadville to Frisco, since this provides a fast downhill run on a 4-mile stretch of old, shoulderless highway; the rest is a modern road with adequate shoulders. )
Leadville also publishes a free guidebook to local on and off-road bike rides that take you past scenic lakes and high into the mountains. This bike-friendly town also has a comfortable and modern hostel with inexpensive accommodation for cyclists and hikers. Click on its website at http://www.fourteenernet.com/leadville
Another paved bike trail starting at Glenwood Springs, about two hours drive west of Frisco on I-70, takes you on a breathtakingly scenic ride for 16 miles through the rugged depths of Glenwood Canyon, with return the same way to your car.