Pedal Dancer® rides Summit County, Colorado

I am honored to be an Ambassador for Ride with GPS. As a lover of good maps, traveling tips and excellent ride routes, Ride with GPS motivates me to share what I love most about cycling in Colorado while encouraging me to venture to new places through the recommendations of other RIDE Ambassadors. I am confident we will all benefit through local knowledge in finding excellent bike routes through this new Ambassador Program.

I have lived in Colorado for 24 years. I have enjoyed most outdoor sports in the magnificent landscape of Colorado including skiing, mountaineering, rock climbing, mountain biking and kayaking. But it was on the road bike that I discovered the serenity of the views from the saddle combined with the intense effort of a long mountain pass. I am a fan of big mountain scenery.

I chose to be a RIDE Ambassador to Summit County, not only because I lived in the area for a brief two years and much of my playtime has centered in Summit County over the years but because I believe no other place in Colorado offers such a variety of rides for cyclists. Whether you are an expert, a beginner, or on vacation with your family - you will find a ride that will make your weekend or holiday more enjoyable.

Summit County is the land of mountain peaks, flowing water, fun outdoor events, breweries, cafes, small shops and plenty of active people. What better place to spend time?

When I am not out on my bike using my Ride with GPS app, you can find me at my cycling blog Pedal Dancer® [www.PedalDancer.com], where I write, map and photograph cycling in Colorado, California, and France with the occasional side trip to Belgium, Italy, or Ireland.

I have created a more detailed guide to the best climbs in Colorado on my bike blog at Pedal Dancer® Guide Page to COLORADO CLIMBS. Or visit my Guide Page to COLORADO CYCLING. I also cover and write fan guides to the USA PRO CHALLENGE annually.

Recommended Summit County Rides:

I have chosen to highlight 6 rides for you. Within the description of each route, I mention route options and local tips and recommendations. I suspect you love maps as much as I do; I know you will love riding in Colorado as much as I do. Enjoy!

Although two routes begin from Frisco Marina, one from Dillon Marina, one from Breckenridge, one from Copper Mountain and one from Keystone - you may begin any of these rides from the towns within Summit County. Copy these routes to your own Ride with GPS account and make custom changes.

1. 25.6 miles: Vail Pass from Frisco through Copper Mountain

2. 30.8 miles: Loveland Pass from Dillon Marina through Keystone

3. 36.9 miles: Montezuma from Frisco over Swan Mountain and back

4. 40.7 miles: Breckenridge around Lake Dillon to Keystone loop

5. 66.5 miles: Summit County East to West - Loveland Pass to Vail Pass

6. 79.1 miles: Copper Triangle - Traditional Route (Vail Pass last)

In 2015, the USA Pro Challenge will feature 2 stage finishes, 1 stage start, and 1 full day of individual time trial racing in Summit County, Colorado. That is four out of seven stages hosted in Summit County. Why - because Summit County has magnificent cycling. Come discover the RIDE!

About Cycling in Summit County

• Founded: 1861
• Population: 28,649 (2013)
• Area: 608.20 sq miles (1,575 km²)

Summit County is located in central Colorado, a 1.5 hour drive west of Denver, surrounding the beautiful high mountain lake of Lake Dillon. Several "Fourteeners" (14,000 foot mountain peaks) frame the area with 4 ski resorts located inside county borders. The towns of Frisco, Dillon, Breckenridge, Keystone, Montezuma, Silverthorne, and Copper Mountain are popular destinations year round. Road cycling in the area is spectacular and varied, with miles of bike paths or well maintained roads. Summit County, Colorado is well worth a weekend or week long vacation full of adventure.

Local weather: Winter snow, Spring mud, Summer showers, Fall glory. Summit County has four seasons displayed in full color across its mountain peaks, rushing rivers, afternoon rain showers and changing leaves.

Be smart and plan your bike rides in Summit County between 8:00am and 1:00pm. Mornings will be cool, mid-day will be warm to hot, afternoon (2:00-4:30pm) will likely be rain, which should then clear to make for a nice evening. If rain begins to fall or lightening begins to strike, find shelter and wait it out. Lightening is common on high peaks; the rule in Colorado is off the summit by 1:00pm.

Sunscreen: High altitude sunburn is real. Apply sunscreen before you depart on your ride and again during or after your ride.

Local wildlife: From your saddle you might see waterfowl, eagles, mountain goats, moose, and bear. And only if you ride really really slow - fish.

Your bike: Check your tires before departure: for road bikes 100psi is good. Your road bike gearing should be at minimum a compact crank with 26, preferably a 28 or 32 rear cog. All of Summit County is at altitude - Lake Dillon is 9,017 feet (2,748 m).

What to bring with you on your ride: Two full water bottles, extra food, rain jacket, layered clothing, extra inner tubes with air cartridge or pump, camera, cell phone with Ride with GPS!

What to bring in your car: Floor pump, extra dry clothes to change into immediately after the ride, extra sunscreen, fresh water and a wash cloth, snack and water (replacement drink or smoothie) for your drive home.

Water fountains: Drinking fountains and spigots are usually only turned on in public places in Colorado between Memorial Day (May) and Labor Day (September). Your best bet for water in the shoulder seasons is to purchase bottled water at gas stations.

Food and drink after your ride: Local restaurant recommendations are made under each ride Description. Bring bars, gels or food with you on your ride.

Parking, water and restrooms on route: Local recommendations are made under each ride Description. Colorado cyclists generally plan on 1 bottle every 45 minutes of cycling.

Points of interest along the ride: Local recommendations for tourism and viewpoints are made under each ride Description.

Cycling the high passes: It can get very cold on the passes. The summit of Loveland Pass can be much colder than the temperature in town. The descent off of Loveland Pass to Keystone is long, if you are already cold at the summit, you risk hypothermia by the time you reach the bottom. Please bring a jacket with you while riding (even in summer months) in Summit County and especially to Vail Pass or Loveland Pass.

How to deal with altitude: All of Summit County is above 9,000ft. Go steady and hydrate, it is advised to drink 2 to 3 times more water than usual at high altitude. Avoid alcohol (at least for the first day). Choose your easiest activities for your first day until you begin to acclimate. You will feel the altitude in your lungs while pedaling. Altitude headaches and loss of sleep are common and Tylenol may help. 20-30% of visitors feel this affects. If ill, go down in altitude; seek medical attention for vomiting and severe sickness.

What happened to the trees?: Over the past decade, Summit County was hit by a mountain pine beetle epidemic, suffering a major loss of trees on private and public lands. The beetles moved on by 2009 and most of the dead trees have now been removed leaving wide-open vistas. You will notice very visible deforestation around Lake Dillon.

Ski Resorts and sports: There are 4 ski resorts within the county: Keystone, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain continuously add new runs and vie for title of largest. Without a doubt, Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin) is the smallest. Boating, fishing, hiking, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice skating, golfing, mountain biking and climbing the nearby 14,000ft mountain peaks are all very popular local sports.

Free countywide transportation: The Summit Stage bus runs between the towns in Summit County - hop on for free! You can put your bike on the front of the bus; something to keep in mind if you only want to ride one-way. See the Summer Bus Schedule (mid-April to mid-November), or Route Maps.

Summit County Map

Buy the map from Bicycle Colorado: Latitude 40 Summit County Trails Mountain Bike & Rec. Topo Map

Bike Paths in Summit County

See a map of the bike path trails ("recreation paths") linking the towns in Summit County: Summit County Bike Trails Map

The bike paths in Summit County are not plowed in winter. The path from Frisco to Copper Mountain is not opened until avalanche danger is low. Snow may remain on sections of the path (locally called the "rec path") until late spring depending on weather. Local bike shops can inform you of bike path conditions. Article: Bike Rec Path undergoing 2015 Spring maintenance.

Climbs in Summit County

For more details about the climbs in Summit County, please visit the Pedal Dancer Guide Page COLORADO CLIMBS, where you will find climb stats and links to ride reports from Colorado experts.

Summit County and the Continental Divide

You have a few opportunities to ride your bike over the Continental Divide while cycling in Summit County - specifically you will be riding over the Great Divide (thus the name of the Colorado brewery). The Vasquez-Gore Segment of the Continental Divides runs through Silverthorne and Copper Mountain. Portions of the divide are in the Vasquez Peak, Ptarmigan Peak, and Eagles Nest Wilderness Areas.

Road or mountain bike climbs that cross the divide in Summit County are Loveland Pass, Boreas Pass, Hoosier Pass, Fremont Pass and Tennessee Pass.

• Loveland Pass - 11,990 Feet
• Boreas Pass (dirt) - 11,481 feet
• Hoosier Pass - 11,542 feet
• Fremont Pass - 11,318 feet
• Vail Pass - 10662 feet (border of Summit and Eagle Counties)
• Tennessee Pass - 10,424 feet

Other websites recommending local bike rides

• Breckenridge: The Best Breckenridge Bike Trails (MTB)
• Copper Mountain: Copper Mountain list of bike rides
• Dillon: Best Mountain Bike Trails near Dillon, CO (MTB) (includes all of Summit County)
• Frisco: Summit Biking list of road rides
• Keystone: Summit Cove Keystone Cycling
• Vail: Pedal Dancer Recommended Road Rides Near Vail

Local Chambers of Commerce / City Websites / Tourism:

Summit County is an ideal place to visit for a weekend or for a longer vacation of 3 to 7 days. You will find plenty to keep you busy, or relaxed.

Accommodations: The nicest (and busiest) locations to find accommodations for a vacation are in either Frisco or Breckenridge, where you will find hotels, lodges, B&Bs, condos and homes for rent. In Silverthorne and Dillon you will find large chain-hotels that service the I-70 corridor. Copper Mountain Village and Keystone Village are very active ski destinations in wintertime but quiet in summer; condo or home rentals are a better option in these two villages.

Camping: There are three campgrounds surrounding Lake Dillon, but most of the trees died off (beetles) between 2004 and 2009 leaving the campsites quite open and exposed. Also road noise from I-70 can be heard at certain campgrounds.

City Websites:

Breckenridge

Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain Resort

Town of Frisco

Keystone Resort

Silverthorne Town

Summit County Chamber of Commerce

Area History

Ute Indians settled in Frisco long before the first white man - called "mountain men" - arrived in 1810. By the 1880's, mines, railways, saloons and hotels populated the area. The relative boom continued until the Great Depression, when the population fell to just 18 individuals. A ski boom hit Vail and nearby Summit County in the 1970's. Today more than 3 million tourists Visit Summit County to ski every year.

The town of Dillon was formed when the gold mining boom hit the region and local residents gathered near the convenience of a cluster of small lakes fed by the Blue River. In 1961 Lake Dillon Dam was built and the natural lakes merged into one much larger man-made reservoir for the purpose of supplying water to the growing city of Denver. The original town of Dillon was flooded over. The large body of water is still referred to as a lake - Lake Dillon. Today, drought years are particularly noticeable around its banks.

Hwy 6 over Loveland Pass was the only passage over this section of the Rocky Mountains until the Eisenhower Tunnel was built and opened in 1973. Today, trucks carrying dangerous fuels are not allowed to enter the tunnel, they must instead continue over the old Hwy 6 through Keystone to rejoin I-70 in Dillon. Although most cars now use the tunnel, you will feel the push of air as these large tankers (generally considerate and aware of cyclists) pass you during your climb.

Breckenridge has more character and breathtaking beauty than any other town in Summit County, mostly due to it's charming Main St architecture (the largest historical district in Colorado) and the surrounding snow-capped mountain peaks (which are numbered 6 - 10). Gold was discovered along the Blue River in 1859, the entire river basin has been reformed from massive mining. The Gold Pan Saloon was built in 1859 and is still in operation today at 103 N. Main Street.

Keystone Ski Resort was founded on November 21, 1970 by champion skier, former forestry professor and visionary, Max Dercum (who also opened A-Basin). Spread over three mountains and known for it's gondola fondue dinners and night skiing in winter, it also offers lift to downhill biking in summer. The village is a pretty stone and floral basket setting and a nice place to take a break while riding.

Did you know the area of Copper Mountain was once called Wheeler Junction? Judge John S. Wheeler established a settlement at the junction between the Ten Mile and Gore mountain ranges in 1880 when mining, fishing and hunting were prevalent. Now a very popular ski destination, known for separating it beginner to advanced terrain, several 10th Mountain Division Huts have been built nearby in the back country. Vail Pass is only 5-miles away by bicycle.

The modern Interstate I-70 was completed in 1992. The large highway climbs over Vail pass (with steep 7-8% sections) hosting 2 runaway truck ramps to prove its steepness. At one point engineers had considered tunneling through the Eagle's Nest Wilderness area, which would have greatly changed the landscape of what we have come to know as Vail Pass. I-70 replaced the old Hwy 6, which remains intact in parts and is now used by cyclists free of traffic.

Vail, Colorado is known for it's world class skiing; regularly playing host to both professional ski races and happy ski tourists. Vail also has excellent high altitude road cycling and mountain biking. Incorporated as a city in 1966, Vail is small in size, squeezing 5400 of its population into only 4.5 square mi (11.7 km2). Tourists swarm the place during the winter ski season and again during the season of changing fall foliage. The town of Vail can either seem very busy or nearly abandoned.

In the Early 1960's, Pete Seibert (former WWII 10th Mountain Division ski trooper) founded Vail Associates, which became the now publicly traded Vail Resorts. The company operates the ski resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone. It also operate many hotels and lodges in the area, as well as ski resorts in CA, UT, MN, MI, and WY. The company employes 4,700 year-round employees and 17,900 seasonal employees.

Bike Shops: (* indicates rental and shuttle services)

For all bike rentals, please call the shop to ask about frame size, gearing, and availability. Reserve your bike well ahead of time. The majority of bikes are hybrid family bikes, some mountain bikes are available for rent, with limited high quality road bikes. Some stores have multiple locations.

Shuttle Services are a tourist activity; shuttling riders by van to the top of Vail Pass allowing cyclists a nice easy bike path descent back to Frisco. Note that the bike path from Frisco to Breckenridge is a false flat and may be difficult for young riders, if you plan to take your family to Vail Pass it might be best to complete your ride in Frisco.

Breckenridge

Alpine Sports - 610 S. Ridge St. Breckenridge CO 80424, 970-453-8100 * bike rentals * Specialized Road Bikes * shuttle services to Vail Pass

Avalanche Sports - 540 S. Main St. Breckenridge CO 80424, 970-453-1461 * bike rentals

Avalanche Sports - 315 N. Main St. Breckenridge CO 80424, 970-453-4019 * bike rentals

Breck Bike Guides (and Tours) - 114 E. Lincoln Ave., St #12 Breckenridge CO 80424, 888-483-2494

Carvers Ski Board & Sports - 203 N. Main St. Breckenridge CO 80424, 970-453-0132 * bike rentals

Christy Sports - 213 N. Main St. Breckenridge CO 80424, 970-453-1451

Elevation Ski and Bike - 324 N. Main St. Breckenridge CO 80424, 877-762-4999 * bike rentals

Mountain Wave Ski & Snowboard - 600 S. Park Ave. Breckenridge CO 80424, 970-368-9439 * bike rentals * Trek Road Bikes * shuttle services to Vail Pass

Dillon

Lake Dillon Bike Rental - 149 Tenderfoot Dillon CO 80435, 970-468-8006 * bike rentals

Sports Authority (large store) - 306 Dillon Ridge Rd. Dillon CO 80435, 970-468-1340

Frisco

Christy Sports - 805 N. Summit Blvd. Frisco CO 80443, 970-668-5417

Pioneer Sports - 842 N. Summit Blvd. Frisco CO 80443, 970-668-3668 * bike rentals * Giant road bikes * shuttle services to Vail Pass

Rebel Sports Frisco - 220 W. Main St. Frisco CO 80443, 970-668-2759 * bike rentals * shuttle services to Vail Pass

Recycle Ski & Sport (resell used gear) - 842 N. Summit Blvd., Suite 34 Frisco CO 80443, 970-668-5150

Keystone

Keystone Sports - 219 River Run Rd. Dillon CO 80435, 970-496-4619

Mountain View Sports - 22869 US Highway 6, Suite 108 Keystone CO 80435, 970-468-0396 * bike rentals * shuttle services to Vail Pass

Silverthorne

Mountain Sports Outlet - 167 Meraly Way Silverthorne CO 80498, 970-262-2836

Winter Riding in Summit County

Some bike shops now rent fat bikes. These wide tired bikes can be ridden over snow trails - it takes a bit of effort, but is great fun. Visit Gold Run Nordic Center, (200 Clubhouse Dr, Breckenridge, CO 80424), located between Frisco and Breckenridge, for Surly Pugsley fat bike rentals.

Cycling Event Rides in Summit County

If you are interested in joining an organized event ride, consider these fine options below (read more about these events through the Pedal Dancer® Bike Events Calendar List):

• June 21-27, 2015 - Bicycle Tour of Colorado (week-long tour) starts and finishes in Breckenridge in 2015.
• June 27, 2015 - Vuelta a Keystone, Keystone, 20/60/90mi
• July 11-12, 2015 - Triple Bypass, Evergreen-Avon, 120M/240mi
• July 18, 2015 - Breckenridge 100 Challenge, Breckenridge, 100mi (MTB)
• July 18-20, 2015 - Courage Classic, Summit and Eagle Counties (3-days)
• August 1, 2015 - Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle, Copper Mountain, 82mi
• August 9-14, 2015 - Breck Epic, Breckenridge, 6-day stage race, 35-50mi a day (MTB)
• August 16, 2015 - Circle the Summit, Summit County, 21/45/60/100mi

See the 100.8 mile Circle the Summit route on Ride With GPS.

Enjoy your ride !

"Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride" ~ Eddy Merckx.

Route Contributors:

Karen Rakestraw, Laurie Decoteau, Antoinette (A.G.) Bradley, and Sue Stokes.

Route Photography:

Karen Rakestraw and Laurie Decoteau