Denver was not to be overshadowed by its southern neighbor. Gorka Izagirre Triumphant at Rain-Soaked Grande Trittico Lombardo, Seven Things We Like (The Ardèche Version), Our Favorite Parts of Riding with the MP1 Nfinity, Five of Our Favorite Things About the Cannondale Synapse NEO 1, Chapter 4: Discovering Beaujolais—Beaujeu to Cluny. June 2012 Bike to Work Fire from Highway Click it or Ticket Day and Night I-70 Twin Tunnels Colorado Scenic Byway USA Pro Cycle Challenge Fall Colors near Indian Peaks Mt. Idaho Springs is the classic route, which is used by the annual Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb, which often serves as the Colorado State Hill Climb Championship. 49 . Bergen Park . But in terms of climbs, to take on Mount Evans from base to summit, with all of its nearly 30 miles and 7,000 feet of climbing to over 14,127 feet above sea level, is an epic ride. The knotted, gnarled trunks of the beautiful trees show their vast age and also offer up a nice little distraction. Why the gigantic dead end? Evans. The bristlecones are a notable addition to the ride and form a sort of time capsule just a couple miles up from Echo Lake. In reality, once my wheels pass the 12,000 foot mark, it gets a lot less pleasant. It is the only place between Idaho Springs on Highway 70 and Mount Evans where you can find an excellent meal, water & other hiking needs and Mount Evans collectibles and souvenirs. Once there, enjoy the expansive views, but also look down and marvel at the view of the 11 switchbacks you just rode. The hardest part is the last 6 miles from Summit Lake up the steep switchbacks to the top. Leave Evergreen, CO and access the Mount Evans Road and Mount Evans Recreation Area from Squaw Pass, CO 103 at Echo Lake. Whether you start in Idaho Springs or Bergen Park, the first half is nice, but it’s just an appetizer for the main course and dessert that will follow. In Europe, and the rest of the world for the most part, the great high-altitude roads often have some kind of a purpose. I love bikes, I love to ride my bike, I love the very basic feeling of turning the pedals over, my hands on the bars, the view down to my rotating feet, even the feel of my helmet strap on my chin. Its length is … You can park near the lake (by the picnic area) or drive up to the Echo Lake Lodge and park in one of the parking lots near the entrance to the Mt. When to go The Mount Evans Scenic Byway consists of State Highway 103 from Idaho Springs, Colorado on I-70 about 13 miles (21 km) to Echo Lake, and Colorado 5 from Echo Lake 15 miles (24 km), ending at a parking area and turnaround just below the summit. More importantly, it gains another 3,400 feet. At the entry station you have to pay $3 for a three day pass (hiker, biker, or motorcyclist) and then you see the sign "Summit Lake 9, Mt Evans 14". The highway to the top of Mount Evans … You've now bagged one of Colorado's "14ers" in a unique fashion. Rockies Playground . Then another. The ride breaks up into two halves. The route starts at 12,830-foot Summit Lake and gains only 2,000 feet of elevation up Evan’s West Ridge to the 14,264-foot summit. Echo Lake Lodge (build in 1926) can be found at the entrance to Mount Evans, some 14 miles from Idaho Springs (Interstate 70) and 14 miles from the summit. It is generally open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. From there, it’s all uphill, and it gets steeper and steeper until the road turns to dirt and the switchbacks begin. Echo Lake Lodge: Gateway to Mt. Everest. In 1930, Arthur Compton, fresh off of his 1929 Nobel Prize win in Physics, visited Mt. I summited the 14,264′ Mt. My personal favorite starts in Evergreen, ventures only slightly in the upward direction on the winding, wooded, and babbling brooked Bear Creek Road. Mount Evans Highway from Summit Lake to the top of the 14er will close to vehicle traffic on Sept. 5. Idaho Springs is the easiest access point for those near the I-70 corridor. The latter has long been the highest paved road in North America (5th highest in the world) and is only open in the summer. From here, its just under 30-miles to the summit of Mt. The whole Front Range of Colorado, the distant eastern plains, South Park, the Continental Divide, the vast expanse of the Rockies—it’s all there. Drive south on Colorado 103 for 13.5 miles at Echo Lake. Evans Highway. Take Highway 5 to the top of Mount Evans. The fun starts with a right on Witter Gulch Road. Mount Evans: Echo Lake on Mt Evans - See 2,534 traveler reviews, 1,789 candid photos, and great deals for Denver, CO, at Tripadvisor. It would be a 10-mile trek to Summit Lake, and 14 miles the actual summit. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. The sky is that little bit bluer, the clouds that little bit closer, the expanse of view that much bigger. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips and is best used from March until October. If you’re not into racing, but still love a huge day on the bike, the local cycling organization, Team Evergreen, puts on a huge event each year called the Triple Bypass. The trees steadily change from the basic lodgepole pines, spruce, and aspen that characterize most of Colorado, to subalpine forest around treeline, highlighted by the oldest living organism on Earth—the bristlecone pine, which can reportedly reach ages of up to 5000 years old. Spalding Route. The question, however, was how to bring the average citizen to the rarefied heights of the high Rockies. The byway begins by Echo Lake, south of Idaho Springs, at around 10,600′. Take Highway 5 to the top of Mount Evans. It will literally challenge body, mind and spirit. Evans Highway. Mount Evans doesn’t have any of that vintage, but it’s estimated that the small forest of bristlecone pines near Mount Goliath has some trees that are close to 1,700 years old. Danielson has taken part in the hill climb three times, and holds the three fastest ascents, ranging from the aforementioned record to a slightly more sedate time of 1:43:04, a whole 1:48 slower. That’s 28 miles—uphill—to over 14,000 feet. At 15.5 miles in, you’ll arrive at the intersection of the two main approaches from Echo Lake. Pikes Peak Hwy is Colorado’s second highest road (not all paved), reaching 14,115 ft. Evans Echo Lake I-25 and Broadway I-25 and Santa Fe Rockfall Barrier Traffic and cones Glenwood Canyon Construction Ahead Regions Map trucks pedestrian car bus It doesn’t take long before you emerge above treeline and into the wide open expanses of ultra-high. Almost a century on, it’s a playground for cyclists, hikers, and, well, cars. 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