# Mt Evans



## Dank

Just came back from Colorado from a nice vacation. We drove up Mt Evans and I'm blown away at this climb. We saw 2 guy's from Garmin coming down which was pretty cool. One of them looked like CV, only because I see him out training here on our training loops on Chicagos southside. 
To bad the T.O.Colorado dosen't race up this badboy. Maybe cause the road is so narrow near the top. Plus it was frigging cold and super windy up there. 
Anyone on this forum ride up this thing? It would be cool to do it one day. I also want to ride from Lyons to the top of Rocky Mtn Nat. Park. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## MerlinAma

Yep. Four riding friends and I rode CRMBT in 2010.
Rode Idaho Springs to Mt Evans to Golden one day.
From Golden to Estes Park (hard day!), and from Estes Park over TRR to Granby one day.
That was 3 of our 6 days. It was an epic week that wiped me out.
By the way, the ride down Mt Evans was brutal. Freeze cracks every 50 yards or so it seemed.


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## frntrngcactus

*Mt. Evans*

The Mt Evans climb is really a challenge. My buddy and I climb it every year to prepare for the Triple. If you leave from Idaho Springs it is 30 miles to the top. If you leave from the ranger station/pay station it is 15 miles to the top. You have to pay 3 bucks to ride your bike up. You want to start early to avoid rain,etc. They also close the road every once in a while to do repairs. They have a schedule on the website of closures. Anyway, the climb is tough but fun, the views are beautiful, the tourists look at you in amazement, well worth your time. I always ask myself why I make the climb but am always glad I did it. I am scared of the downhill because of 1000 ft falls and a crappy road. Take it easy going down and stop by BeauJo's in Idaho Springs for beer and pizza.


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## PDex

The State Hill Climb Championship is held on Mt. Evans every July. About 1000 people race it. Juniors race just shy of Echo Lake. It is a really well-run race and it is a lot of fun. 

http://www.bicyclerace.com/home.html


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## Bulldozer

My race team puts on the race. It's a good one. How were the roads? We're hearing rumors that it's pretty beat up.


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## Bocephus Jones II

Dank said:


> Just came back from Colorado from a nice vacation. We drove up Mt Evans and I'm blown away at this climb. We saw 2 guy's from Garmin coming down which was pretty cool. One of them looked like CV, only because I see him out training here on our training loops on Chicagos southside.
> To bad the T.O.Colorado dosen't race up this badboy. Maybe cause the road is so narrow near the top. Plus it was frigging cold and super windy up there.
> Anyone on this forum ride up this thing? It would be cool to do it one day. I also want to ride from Lyons to the top of Rocky Mtn Nat. Park. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


I've done the Evans Hillclimbs a number of times back in the day, but not for a number of years now. Great climb, but very challenging when you get above the treeline and probably the only descent that I can say is almost too long. First year I did it I rode down and nearly froze my butt off. Next few times I took a ride down. Much better.


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## kokothemonkey

The descent is my least favorite part of that ride, it always makes me wish I had my mountain bike. That said, I try to do it once a year, it's such a beautiful and unique ride.


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## tour

Bulldozer said:


> My race team puts on the race. It's a good one. How were the roads? We're hearing rumors that it's pretty beat up.


It's beyond beat up. Above 12,500 ft the road looks like nothing I've ever seen. It would be better described as black glass for looks. It isn't a different climb, it is a different world above 14,000 feet. There are sections on the way down where you can catch air, but it kicks you off axis to the left.

I've gone for it 3 times and made the summit once. My legs and lungs had it, but I was snowed out twice. Coldest decent I've ever had save rain/snow on Hoosier Pass once. I suggest taking a micro weight down jacket for the decent. It can be packed in a pocket for the trip up.


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## Bulldozer

tour said:


> It's beyond beat up. Above 12,500 ft the road looks like nothing I've ever seen. It would be better described as black glass for looks. It isn't a different climb, it is a different world above 14,000 feet. There are sections on the way down where you can catch air, but it kicks you off axis to the left.
> 
> I've gone for it 3 times and made the summit once. My legs and lungs had it, but I was snowed out twice. Coldest decent I've ever had save rain/snow on Hoosier Pass once. I suggest taking a micro weight down jacket for the decent. It can be packed in a pocket for the trip up.


I can't tell from your message - Have you been up yet this year?


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## enzo269

Ive done it several times myself from Evergreen side, up Squaw/Juniper Pass to Echo Lake and then up to summit of Mt. Evans.. And yes, the tourists driving their cars up there will stare at you out the window like you are superman.. Great, beautiful, challenging climb. And yesm, be safe on the descent.. The road is beat up towards the top because of the harsh weather conditions in winter and plowing in spring.


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## eggdog

As the other posters have said its the downhill that sucks... 
but here is the elevation stats 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/39482445

Good worthwhile ride to do at least once


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## tour

Bulldozer said:


> I can't tell from your message - Have you been up yet this year?


Nope. I have friends skiing the top still. It snowed in Summit Co. this week. It is still too early to tempt me this season. The window is July-Aug.


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## SunnyinCO

eggdog said:


> As the other posters have said its the downhill that sucks...
> but here is the elevation stats
> 
> http://connect.garmin.com/activity/39482445
> 
> Good worthwhile ride to do at least once


Looks like the crappy HR monitor does it to you also, spiking your hr when too much static builds up in the shirt. My edge 500 does it all the time...my old crappy Polar never did it...just saying


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## honkinunit

The Bob Cook Mount Evans Hillclimb is held in July every year, except when weather doesn't allow. Yesterday the weather was completely awesome for the 1400 riders. There were a few who rode short sleeves all the way to the summit and back down, which is extremely, extremely rare. It was about 50F at noon with just a slight breeze at the summit, 90F at Idaho Springs. 

The descent is not much fun for the first ten miles. From the summit to Summit Lake, it is just freeze-cracked literally every 30-50 feet. Big cracks. Then at Summit Lake the road is extremely frost heaved; you could catch air if you wanted. The next five miles are again cracked every 30-50 feet. 

About ten miles from the summit the road becomes much better, then the ride down to Idaho Springs from Echo Lake is a total blast. One of the benefits of riding on race day is that the road from Echo Lake to the summit is closed, so you can really ride the descent to Echo Lake, then even from Echo Lake to Idaho Springs (which is open to traffic) the traffic is lighter than normal because of the road closure at the top. 

This is a tough climb. People can compare profiles all they want, but the altitude makes a huge difference. This climb starts at a higher elevation than the ending elevation of all the east coast climbs. If you have never been above 12,000 feet, you have no idea. The last five miles of Mt. Evans are excruciating, both because of the elevation and because of the road condition. If you start in Idaho Springs, the climb is 21.5 miles, then a .75 mile descent, one more mile up, then a .25 mile flat, then 4.5 miles to the summit. On a normal day when the road is open, long fingered gloves, ear protection, and a good jacket are needed for the descent. If you use light wheels, you will be riding the brakes for the first ten miles back down because of the cracks in the road. 

Tom Danielson holds the men's record from Idaho Springs at an unimaginable 1:41:20. That time is a good illustration of the kind of super-human efforts pro cyclists are capable of.. and Jeannie Longo broke two hours, which is perhaps even more impressive.


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## timeyer

I road the hill climb yesterday in the Cat4 "race."

I can vouch for nearly all the comments except the road condition. Yes, there are tons of cracks, but I took it very easy until summit lake, so they didn't bother me so much.

I put race in quotes because I chose 2 miles into the race I was only racing one person...me, so I let the pack go.

I was onboard the pain train for at least the first 10 miles. I barely did any warmup, which would be the first thing I'd change if I road again. From miles 10-15 the grade seemed the steepest, but as I continued to pass people, I became more motivated.

Even at 5 miles I was picking off dropped riders, but they came more rapidly from echo lake on. At that point I was very happy to have made the decision to ride my own race.

As soon as I was above the treeline I became more motivated as I realized I was going to make it without puking up my breakfast. From there to the top I played a game called, "don't go slower than 10 mph."

With a mile to go, I thought I would test out the legs, so I sped up to about 12.5, which was very short lived....10-11 mph was my consistent climbing speed up top.

I finished in 2:21:40...17th in the cat4 race. I was fairly happy with the result given my almost complete lack of climbing in preparation and my flatland upbringing (Iowa).

The race was well run, even our clothing bags were in order. I , however, was a moron, and had run out of food. I almost didn't do the descent because of my lack of energy, but after squeezing out my gels toothpaste-style, I had enough concentration back to get down.

The cracks were there, but if you kept it under 25, they werent so bad. From Summit Lake down, you could really fly.

Overall, I'd say it was one of the toughest things I've ever done. It also gives you a ton of respect for the pros. However, as a runner with dozens of 5ks run between 1602-1640, I have a good appreciation for the quantifiable differences between elites and us mortals. Fortunately, the bike (and the draft) allows us to ride with the big boys once in awhile!

The race organizers did a FANTASTIC job. I would recommend this ride to anyone.


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## angang

I am slow and have ridden it twice.
Once from Echo Lake in 2 hours.
Once from Idaho Spgs in 4 hours.
Both times I was riding slow - even for me - just to make sure I made it. Now that I am a little faster, I could probably knock a little time off from both.


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## ltspd1

I've done it five times. Love the climb; very tough, particularly as the air gets thinner the higher you go, but then again I'm 58 years old which might have something to do with it. It's especially difficult from the Bergen Park side; more distance and elevation gained. Not crazy about the descent and the rough surface....I've actually hitched a ride from the summit down to Echo Lake a couple of times when the vehicle traffic was heavy. On my first descent I got caught in cold rain and wicked lightening. Not fun.


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## glovemtb

Rocky Mountain Cycling Club is doing it next Saturday
Idaho Springs, Echo Lake, Mt. Evans Summit, Squaw Pass, Bergen Park Loop
Rocky Mountain Cycling Club: Ride Schedule

I've done it before when we used to do it out of golden up lookout or up 40 to Idaho Springs, etc.
I would ride over to golden and meet from lakewood do the ride and come back cross eyed. :crazy:

rant:
Oh yea, I never ride to the top these days (used to 20 years ago) because of the obnoxious rash of cars....also amazing that people on bikes (just like Rocky Mountain National another place no bike lanes and you are likely to die enjoying the scenery) have to pay. That is our National Parks System showing people the benefit of getting out and getting fit and encouraging them to get out of their cars in the national parks. (Then complain about the carbon monoxide killing the tender high mountain vegetation.)
So, what did they do at Yosemite ? Shuttle buses and still not encouraging bicycle traffic :idea::idea::mad2: ...ummm bike lanes ?


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## trentpaulk

Attempted it once earlier this year from Evergreen. When we got to Echo Lake found out they were having the Bob Cook race and they wouldn't let us in. Coasted to Idaho springs turned around and pedaled back over Sqaw pass back to Evergreen. Tried it again two weeks later and made it! It's a real confidence boost to say the least.


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## bigskychuck

I'm thinking about doing the Bob Cook Memorial Ride next year. Is it well supported? I guess there's just one aid station at Echo Lake (and another at the top)? 

Thanks,
Charlie


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## PDex

bigskychuck said:


> I'm thinking about doing the Bob Cook Memorial Ride next year. Is it well supported? I guess there's just one aid station at Echo Lake (and another at the top)?
> 
> Thanks,
> Charlie


It's not a ride (in a charity century ride kind of way), its a race, 

Here's the race flyer:

http://www.americancycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2011/7:23 Mt Evans.pdf


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