Annual Southwest Colorado Mtn bike trip – Part 3 - Bikepack

Link to Part 1
Link to Part 3

At this point in my Colorado Mtn bike I was supposed to be back home, but when John Schilling announced his idea or Casual Colorado Trail bikepack from Silverton to Durango using the Narrow Gauge Railroad as our “Shuttle” I was in.   So I stayed a few days longer in Durango (oh what misery) and met up with the Crew at the Train Depot Saturday Morning. Since I had my trailer with me I chose to park in the train lot rather than at Audrey’s house.   That is blessing and curse of even a small RV. 

The train ride up to Silverton was relaxing and enjoyable.  At first the train follows HWY 550, but soon breaks off and simply follows the Animas River all the way to Silverton.  Bench cut where needed and taking a shallow grade as trains must.  In the Animas Canyon the scenery is very special.

Me taking a picture of Jeff Z taking a picture of me.

We arrived in Silverton 6 strong (3 couples, err sort of) ready take on a casual 2 ½ days back to Durango.  The original plan was taking the Colorado trail all the way back, but a fire closed one section so we changed plans and would  be taking Hermosa Creek back to 550 and then some backroads/trails to Durango.   This is Schilling adventure so why take a paved road when there is some faint satellite image of what could be single track instead? More on that later.

We started after lunch in Silverton and to help digestion we had nice 7 mile climb from 9300 ft to 10,900 feet.  At least it was paved and surprisingly a moderate grade even with bikepack gear. I was new to a 1x11 drivetrain and had chosen to go with a 28t front with 10-42 rear. The 28 should be low enough, but this still left me 1 gear short of my old 3x9 set-up. Bikepacking is where this really could hurt, btu the climb was actually pretty easy as far as any climb to nearly 11k feet can be on 45lbs bike. 

 

Jeff Z on his single speed starting the paved road climb

First part done. It is still up from here and would be over 24 hrs before we got this low again.

Jeff leading the train in to Molas Lake

 From Molas Pass the Colorado trail started and then we really got to climb.  We met up with Ian who self shuttled from Durango on pavement and after some “Which trailhead” confusion we found Ben who was shuttled by his wife Kimberly.  Who while not riding with us still provided excellent moral and SAG support.

Not much to say

This part of the ride was really fun.  The altitude did not really both me and the heavy bike was manageable on trail.  I guess my time being altitude really helped.  As we climbed higher we  encountered snow patches and soft ground.  This slowed the pace, but did not dampen the spirts.

Riders on the Colorado Trail

Nancy beating the boys up the climbs

Ian

Ben with his tribute to 4th of July jersey

Iron Man John Schilling - Warm up for the CTR late in the month

Jeff Z

Free stuff or free box?  

Hmm snow.. this does not look that good

Still smiling

John

Jeff Z

Nancy

Ian

Ben

This began to change at the junction of the Colorado trail and Engineer trail.  This spot was about 11,900 feet that left us about 500 feet and 0.9 miles to highpoint for the day and the ride. It was already early evening we had maybe 2 miles to our camp spot.  Jeff looked at me and said “500 feet and just about a mile? How hard can it be?” Little did he know what lay around the little ridge behind us.   From that ridge we enocountered snow fileds that we bigger, rougher and so frequent in number that those final 500 were brutal in ways that cannot be understood.  We went around as many fields as we could, but were forced to go straight through others.  This sounds easy, but the snow melts in strange ridge patterns that are 18” high and 18” wide.  These are not the kind push through let alone ride through so you have to pick the bike up over each one. The constant lifting of heavy bike over these ridges why stepping over them and trying not break through into hidden stream below was taxing both physically mentally.  Also by this time the sun had gone down behind the mountains so while light was plentiful sunlight and warmth were waning.  Cold feet from the snow was just another hardship.  At one point my rear wheel fell out of the frame from the constant lifting.  The rear quick release must have gotten caught and open in the snow and the rear wheel sifted. My use of rear brake when HAB meant I closed the caliper down and had to push the pistons back before I could get the rear wheel back in.   Not a major problem, but one that makes HAB even more challenging.

Bypassed this one.

Jeff Z dragging through this patch

Riders scattered looking for path

Hey there buddy!

Then at very top the snow conditions changed from slushy to icy.  The bench cut trail was smooth slope due to the snow and more solid ice snow make it hard to get traction. At one point I failed and slipped slid a few feet down the side of the trail. I did not go far, but it was not fun at all to start sledding in bike clothes.  I found my way to the top following Ben’s path a bit.   Then Ben and I went help all the riders behind negotiate this nasty bit of snow field.  Next time I should bring crampons.

Made it to the top

Top of Rolling Mtn pass

From here John’s plan was down rill run to area with small lake trees and nice camping spot.  The run down had much less snow and went pretty quick, but John’s magic camping spot never materialized.  We did get into the trees, but nothing flat and no water. We rolled on and cross the White Creek trail junction and back on to part of the CT I had ridden on Tuesday.  I knew of at least one camping spot near a bridge over Cascade creek, but that felt like a long way off and with sun light gone I wanted to find a spot sooner.  Jeff lead the train as we rolled down hill and made good progress. Then we came to a “S”  bend in the trail and found perfect spot.  Flat ground, trees and water nearby.  All before dark too.  Day 1 was not many miles, but some serious effort.  So much for “casual”.  I was asleep by 8:45pm.

Day 2

 The day started slow as we “casually” wait for the sun to hit out camp before we really started going.  We were all 11,200 feet and it was really not that cold.  I camped with just a ground cover, sleeping bag, silk liner and long underwear and was fine.   We rolled down from camp encountered more endless views.  The landscape here simply cannot be captured by photographs and just make you feel so small.  

Hey I was here on Tuesday.  Just pointed the other way and without gear. 

Just an unnamed pass

Nancy

The good news for the day was however that trail conditions had improved since Tuesday.  All the downed trees were cut, most of the snow patches were smaller and creeks were running a little less deep.  All this meant pace was up.   About mid day we rolled in to Bolas Pass and met up with Kimberly. She ready with some snacks, drinks and good company.

The little pond at Bolas Pass

  None of us “needed” the supplies, but there sure we were welcome to make the trip a little more fun.  It was here we ran into two groups 1 couple out for day ride and couple singlespeeders out for a ride as well.   Next stop Blackhawk pass at only 11,995ft.  Easy… right?  …  The climb out of Bolas was step and rough but manageable and generally speaking the riding was excellent.   I was doing a little leapfrog with the couple on the day ride was just wondering how far they were planning on going.   As we climbed the conditions started to revert back to snow fields and slush.  Yet again we regrouped about 500 feet short of the pass at about a mile to go.  “How hard could this be?”  We were left with a similar slow pace as on the last high pass.  

Trail Junction on the Colorado Trail

Snow Field and trail to the top of Blackhawk

Lot so HAB through snow fields and steep trails. Not much riding really and when I caught the couple on the day ride I was able to blow past them using newly found HAB/Snow skills.  Man I am really going to get a lot of use from them In Arizona!”  All was going well until I saw the final two snow fields to the top the pass.  Again bench cut trail covered by snow.  I was really careful this time always make sure  had good footing.  First patch when by just fine.

All is well till.   - Photo be Jeff just seconds before my summer sledding adventure

 Mid way through the second one my footing slipped and both me and the bike decided to go sledding down the mountain.  I slid for what seemed like ages and probably about 150 yards and a good 80feet down before I was able to get one handlebar to anchor into the snow and stop my momentum.  This was the lowest point on my ride and probably just about any ride.  I had no idea how I was going crest this climb.  I decided to ditch the snow field and cut across to patch of clear ground. The trail was up. Straight up, but I had decent footing so started climbing and push my heavy bike up. I was able to back to the snow free part of the trail and to the top, but it was hard.   As turned back to seem friends I saw each of them taking a different path through this final push.

It almost does not look too bad.

More Choose your own path

Aftermath from the sledding

"How hard could it be?" - Jeff Z

We all made it.

Had to run up a hill to clear 12k, but why not.

 It was hard but we all crested the top.  I said by to the day rider couple and after short walk to 12,000 feet for a photo op it was time to go down.  The trail from Blackhawk down to our cut off at Hotel Draw road was really fun.  The snow patches and soggy ground was minimal and smiles were maximized.

From Hotel Draw road the plan was to get to the Top of Hermosa and meet up with Kimberly for another “SAG” stop.  The road was…  well a dirt road so nothing outstanding, but it was required to divert due to the fire.   The top of Hermosa creek trail is easy access by cars so turned in Colorado version of 4x4 Hillbilly central.  Kimberly however was not there. So we waited as we had planned to camp near here, but not too close to all the action.  Turns how she was delayed helping one of the singlespeeders we saw earlier. One had nasty crash and she relayed some information to get help. We also learned that Jason and Jennifer had bailed at Bolas and took the road back to Durango.   Kimberly took off torward Purgatory resort to get a few supplies we road down Hermosa trail and found nice campspot by the creek.  Not many bugs, but we did upset a Marmot across the creek that barked at us for a good 30 min before she and gave up. She and her 2 little one had her side of the creek and we had ours.  Kimberly rode down to camp with us that night and brought Beer! Wow now this SAG support I can live with.  

 Day 3

We rose again after the sun rise, but found the morning much colder than the day before.  At 9000 feet it was colder than 11,200?  I guess it was being in valley and that the sun did not find its way to us until later in the morning.  Still we rolled off on the “trends downhill” Hermosa trail. I had ridding most of this last year, but not this upper portion.

Hermosa

Bridge over Hermosa Creek

 It was fun and mildly technical in few spots with a loaded bike.  After some time and many smiles we hit the big climb on Hermosa. It was only 1 mile and 500 feet up…Wait where have head that before…. So it did start out with some HAB, but was generally good.  No snow or mud.   It was mid day and we finished Hermosa.  We had gotten all of the “hard bits” out of the way the rest of was run down the road to 550 and some trail John and heard about, but never ridden that would take us to Durango. Despite rising temp we all were happy to set forth.  We knew from the GPS track there would be climb from valley floor, but it was out about 400 feet up in a mile.  “How Hard..” I think you know where this going.  Well turns out that despite being a paved road this was 12% grade and pretty much straight up. I pulled in front but soon ran out of stem with 28x42 gearing.  I needed one lower gear to climb this and had to walk .  Ian on a 2x10 slowly caught me pressed on as I was walking.  Jeff on his singlespeed was really read to give John a few swift kicks for that climb, but lucky for him Jeff was too tired to do it.  Form here we found fun singletrack that make climb worth right up to the point a little climb I call John’s Revenge.  It I only about 500 yards long, but goes up about 40% grade and twists in dense brush. When I got to the top I was overheated and wiped out. What later learned was that we could have by passed this killer climb and still been on the same singletrack. Next time I guess.  

Just some field following track John found from Satellite

I figured with was the last major hurdle of the ride, but in typical John Schilling fashion we cut off Junction creek road foregoing the easy roll into down and started on a.. you guess it HAB up the Dalles Mtn Trail system.  Fun trails, but rather hard on a loaded bike beat from days on trail.  

Finally we rolled in to Durango proper and stopped for a late lunch. We had nice chance to chill after another long and crazy John Schilling adventure.  Trips like this are never “easy” even if they have are labeled as “Casual”, but I really like them. They are hard and there is always adventure.  You can just ride the same old places for an couple hours every week or you can try something different and push yourself not just for Strava PR, but for something different. These rides always end with exhaustion, but accomplishment and the memories that can’t be erased.  Good view and good time with great people.