Day 1: Littleton Loop
Day 2: Littleton - Black Hawk
Day 3: Black Hawk - Estes Park
Day 4: Estes Park - Granby (Trail Ridge Road)
Day 5: Granby - Idaho Springs (Berthoud Pass)
Day 6: Idaho Springs - Littleton (Mount Evans)
Locate ride on interactive map.
[Interactive Course | enlarge]
[Littleton to Black Hawk - Route Profile]
[Black Hawk to Estes Park - Route Profile]
[Estes Park to Granby (Trail Ridge Road) - Route Profile]
[Granby to Idaho Springs (Berthoud Pass) - Route Profile]
[Idaho Springs to Littleton (Mount Evans) - Route Profile]
Rocky Mountains - Description:
Blacktop Bicycle Tours, run by a gentleman named Gil E., organizes cycling trips in the Colorado Rockies. The tour for advanced riders is called «UPnUP» and emphasizes climbing rather than distance, covering some serious mountain passes at high altitude. Gil is assisted by Sherri B., a professional massage therapist and fun person to be around.
The group consists of 14 riders. The daily routine includes breakfast at a motel or nearby place, loading of the luggage on the van, riding for several hours with two or three stops in between, dinner at a restaurant, optional massage, and personal time.
Typical for Colorado during this time of the year, on most days the weather was sunny in the morning, then clouds would build up around noon, and sometimes there would be rain and lightning in the afternoon. In this case we would wait for the lightning to stop and then finish our ride in the rain.
[Old Bicycle]
The first day starts and ends in Littleton, located south-west of Denver, and consists of a loop of popular cycling routes through the foothills. While the distance is shorter and the elevation gain is less than the rest of the days, some of the climbs are the steepest of the entire tour.
Day two leads from Littleton to Black Hawk, one of Colorado's gambling towns. The day includes two major climbs, about 18 miles from Morrison to Bergen Park, and about 18 miles up Golden Gate Canyon. Highlight of this stage is Lookout Mountain with its panoramic descent into Golden, home of the Coors Brewery. Highest elevation: 9,368 feet.
The third day leads from Black Hawk to Estes Park, a popular tourist town. The day includes several shorter climbs. Highlight of this stage is Peak-to-Peak Highway, connecting Golden Gate Canyon State Park in the South with Rocky Mountain National Park in the North. Highest elevation: 9,363 feet.
Day four leads from Estes Park to Granby, a simple small-town. The day includes one major climb, about 20 miles up Trail Ridge Road. Highlight of this stage is Rocky Mountain National Park with its spectacular views. The descent via Milner Pass crosses the Continental Divide. Highest elevation: 12,197 feet.
The fifth day leads from Granby to Idaho Springs, another popular tourist town. The day includes one major climb, about 20 miles up Berthoud Pass. Highlight of this stage is Berthoud Pass, which also crosses the Continental Divide. Highest elevation: 11,356 feet.
Day six leads from Idaho Springs back to the starting point in Littleton. The day includes one major climb, about 28 miles up Mount Evans. Highlight of this stage is Mount Evans with its stunning views, home of the highest paved road in North America. The descent leads via Squaw Pass. Highest elevation: 14,127 feet.
Rocky Mountains - Pictures:
[Lookout Mountain]
[Peak-to-Peak Highway]
[Rocky Mountain National Park]
[2 Mile High]
[Trail Ridge Road - Bottom]
[Trail Ridge Road - Top]
[Continental Divide]
[Berthoud Pass]
[Jim, Sherri, Adam]
[Mount Evans]
Rocky Mountains - Personal Notes:
Tom Z. from San Clemente was the only rider I knew. Most new people turned out to be very nice, and I had particular fun riding with Jim S. and Adam S. from Michigan.
On the last day, we were descending Squaw Pass in heavy rain, when Jim hit a hidden pothole. He went down hard and ended up in the emergency room, where his face was stitched up. His bike was messed up too, but fortunately he did not break any bones.
I am looking forward to riding with the «UPnUP» people again.
Rocky Mountains - Current Weather:
For a related book, see Cycling Colorado's Mountain Passes.
See also Top Bike Climbs in the United States.