And as a side note, to the people who do the trail in 4 or 5 days for the Colorado Trail Race - you’re not human. The Peak Elite AC served me well but I should have replaced it years ago. Camelbak Hydration. Oakley Jawbone sunglasses Ultrapod, 18650 batteries (x3) with charger & cord Grab your bike, grab your pack and hit these Colorado trails for days Colorado is a mecca for multi-day cycling, known as bikepacking By Ryan Wichelns , Special to The Denver Post Oct 7, … It’s large and certainly not discrete, but for serious sun protection while hiking or rafting, the Chillba is my go-to hat. Colorado Trail: Durango to Littleton amygdala_imagery Getty Images The Colorado Trail is one of the most well-known and beloved bikepacking routes in the United States, and with good reason. 6 years ago I finished the Colorado Trail Race. Wildflowers and green meadows aren’t present during an early fall trip, but the aspens were at their prime for much of the trail. This is the second article in a series about bikepacking the Colorado Trail, and it covers basic planning and logistical aspects of the trip. Oware tarp tent Topeak mini pump The Crusher isn’t a bike race, however. The Colorado Trail Race had fewer than 10 people at its inaugural run. Official app of The Colorado Trail Foundation. These guiding questions usually get me down to my essential gear. My ambition is to hike the Colorado Trail in July-August 2018. The Colorado Trail Foundation bills the Colorado Trail as “mile for mile, the most beautiful trail in America.” There’s truth to that, but it doesn’t come for free. Now, one more disclaimer. Colorado Trail Gear List redbarn July 18, 2015 Business Robert and friends leave for the Colorado Trail bikepacking trip this coming Friday the 24th, and will start their ride Sunday morning on … ER kit Below is a quick outline of the trail on Google Maps. Your bikepacking gear should include the usual backpacking items, such as a sleeping bag, tent, stove and Ten Essentials you’d bring on any such trip.. There are significant sections of exposure as well as the rock wall at Papago, so be prepared for those sections to be the crux of the trip. PackTowl Get news and updates by joining the Facebook group , Follow us on Instagram , join our subreddit , and mailing list . Having lived in the state for the past five years I got to see small communities, forest roads, lakes, and campsites that I never knew existed. Betsy walks us through her choices. It’s a growing niche within the mountain biker community these days, but not everyone is familiar with it. Sign up to receive a monthly newsletter from the site. Packing for an extended bikepacking trip isn’t drastically different from that of a hiking trip, but there are a few critical pieces of gear that can make a world of difference. That way you can judge how you feel on the fully loaded bike before committing to an epic outing, and you will be able to tap out if your plans are amiss. Those factors come before worrying about weight. Virginia Mountain Bike Trail (U.S.) Bikepackers living in the eastern U.S. aren't completely shut out of … I prefer to take my time during wilderness trips so I can get in my head, take in the landscape around me, and not feel rushed. Richard Forbes If you’re going to bike the Colorado Trail, you ought to have some backcountry experience under your belt already. With a few ideas in mind I reached out to Thor at Alpacka Raft, and he suggested this stretch. Well, I soon discovered that the trail would be more of a full-on physical effort than I imagined. This also allows me to charge my Garmin 800 whenever I need to; even while riding. The last time I did a significant solo trip was roughly 2 years prior with a 27 day kayak trip down the Grand Canyon. Constant smile. Homemade windscreen Organizing your gear into groups can be a good way to remember to pack what you need: Bike gear: This includes things like your bike, helmet, packs and lights. Now I can carry around just one type of battery (3x 18650 batteries on this trip) to run my Fenix flashlight or to charge camera and phone while deep in the woods. I’ve found that I have a foundation of items that are usually taken on every trip; certain foods, safety gear, cooking items and sleep system. Even if roads or towns are nearby, there’s often a feeling of remoteness, and it’s good to keep this in mind from a safety standpoint too. With the advent of so many things charging off of USB it’s made this a lot easier to achieve. The experience was awesome. My gear list is updated for a Colorado Trail Thru-hike in August. LAST MODIFIED: Tuesday November 21st, 2017. Twin Six nylon jacket Pearl Izumi arm warmers A Basic Guide to Bikepacking the Colorado Trail, Logistics and Planning Advice for Bikepacking the Colorado Trail, 28 Beautiful Photographs of the Colorado Trail in Fall, Gear Recommendations and Packing List for Bikepacking the Colorado Trail. I vowed never to race it […] Bike Tomorrow is Crusher 9. Be conservative and don’t get hurt out there - it could turn into a big ordeal. Starting on the outskirts of metro Denver, the trail quickly climbs into the Rockies and stays high – at an average elevation above 9000 feet. If you have the luxury it might be worth factoring an extra day or two into your trip to accommodate for weather like that. Custom sewers are thriving, as are others that make the gear that makes bikepacking more fun. Can I plan better so that I don’t need to bring it in the first place? Colorado Trail Race Gear List (Work in Progress)-While preparing for the Colorado Trail Race, I re-organized my gear placement to account for more singletrack riding. Read this introductory article for a brief description of the trail as well as my experience, then continue on to the other posts. Bug spray. Canister of sealant I’ve found that I have a foundation of items that are usually taken on every trip; certain foods, safety gear, cooking items and sleep system. Cracked but alive, we made it through and dropped down to a faster rally segment of the trail, which brought us into the San Juan region. Like this post? I’m interested in trying to figure out the average amount of time that users take on the trail, and the amount of time they wish they had since that can be used as a reference tool by people planning their own trips in the future. Luckily I relied on my hiking experience to make the transition. Revelate Designs Tangle Bag I was born and raised in the hills of Tennessee. I had previously used IKs on the Tatshenshini and Nahanni, so I knew how much gear they could haul, and I was excited to put my new craft to use on a remote stretch of river. Mine is now pushing 3 years and 16 countries…. The hour to mileage ratio might seem a little high to some of you, but remember I was on a singlespeed mountain bike. For example, I took a pair of cheap waterproof pants from REI and had them sewn into 3/4-length pants. It holds immense beauty around almost every turn. OFF-ROAD EXPEDITION / WORLD TOURING / CREATIVE THINKING, Colorado Colossal Bikepacking Trip - Gear List. Every trip I do produces a gear list that is slightly different than the trip before. Personal hygiene kit When planning out my gear I like to ask myself several questions to decide if I need it or not: It seems like a straightforward thought but I think many of us get used to always bringing something that we “figure I’ll probably use it at some point”, when in reality the chance of using it is incredibly slim. I also picked up a Fenix flashlight for night riding (or camp light) that runs off of 18650 batteries. Tech Podcast: Bikepacking the Colorado Trail with Betsy! Bikepacking the Colorado Trail takes a hearty soul — and a handpicked selection of gear. I had one very cold, soggy afternoon/night involving a mix of rain and hail around the Spring Creek Pass area and a full day of snow past Molas Lake coming out of Silverton. Could you just ride further to get food if your stove did die and fire wasn’t possible? Yes, it was chilly and slow going, but certainly doable with maybe 3” on the ground. I am all for the Pitchpine SL. The rest time allowed me to recharge and build up my strength after those first six days on the trail. The trail is an endurance challenge, and there’s no point in mashing on the pedals and going lactic if you can’t even walk up the trail after. Kiwi Brevet? I went in with that expectation since doing roughly 27 miles per day seemed like a piece of cake. Typically hikers will exit this route via New Hance Trail, but exiting via Tonto & Grandview gave us an additional night of camping and let us take in the landscape around Horseshoe Mesa. Updated Gear List for the Colorado Trail. few things i discovered preparing for a pyrenees/alps cycling tour this past summer which you might want to know about if you don’t already: ...paired with An extra day or two into your trip from bikepacking it for quite a while during the Garita. Is part of a Trail, you ought to have some backcountry experience under your belt.! 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