Chris and I got shut out of racing the Firecracker 50 tomorrow with the new rider cap at 750, so we decided to get in a nice epic ride on the Colorado Trail today. The day was sunny, beautiful, and while the forecast called for a chance of thunderstorms, we were confident we would get past the high altitude portion of the trail completed before the danger hit... The one BIG thing I learned today, never underestimate the power of quickly changing weather in Colorado!
We left the Copper Mountain base and quickly joined the Colorado Trail for a scenic ascent towards Searle Pass. Our plan was to get over Searle and Kokomo Passes, descend to Camp Hale and then turn back toward I-70 and to Copper.
As we hit the treeline, the trail turned sketchy, with several sections either unrideable due to water and mud or covered in numerous snowfields.
We were undaunted by the countless hike-a-bike sections, and as we crested Searle Pass at 12,063 ft, the skies still looked promising.
A 3-mile stretch of treeless tundra loomed ahead as we headed toward Kokomo Pass. About a mile down the trail I looked down at my bike and realized that my Garmin computer had fallen off the handlebar attachment. I had no idea where I lost it! Chris volunteered to run back a ways on the trail to look for it, while I stayed with the bikes. As soon as he left, I noticed the skies were growing ever darker, and after a few minutes I decided to keep walking on the trail, pushing both bikes. 15 minutes later, Chris was still not back, and I was getting extremely nervous as the skies began rumbling above.
As soon as Chris came running back (and having no luck in locating my Garmin), he made the executive decision that we abandon the trail and head for cover. Just then, the thunder and lightening show crackled and flashed with terrifying force, and hail began pouring down. We flew straight down the mountainside in a panic! We quickly ditched the bikes, sprinted for a grouping of trees and managed to squeeze under a big log. You know when the thunder AND lightening go off at the same time, it is not a good situation!
The cold and shivering immediately set in, and we pilfered our camelbaks for every last piece of extra clothing. We huddled together, shaking with both cold and fear! Fortunately, the storm passed within 20 minutes, the skies began to clear, and we were headed in only one direction... the way we came, and in a hurry!
Unfortunately, we had descended far enough from the Colorado Trail that we endured an hour-long hike-a-bike through swamps, creeks, and snowfields to find the trail again. I've realized that once above the treeline, there is nary a dry spot of earth, because water from the melting snow covers everything! By this point, we were both incredibly sapped from the life-threatening ordeal, but had little time to take it easy out in the exposed terrain, and with the constantly shifting clouds above.
The ride back down the trail was a fun, easy jaunt, although we endured another rain and hail storm, and arrived back at the base covered from head to toe in mud! As we slopped our way through Copper Village back to the car, tourists were gasping as if they'd just seen 2 Creatures from the Black Lagoon!
In short, I am glad we did not suffer an further misfortunes today, and that we are safely back home with a great, yet personally frightening story to tell. I could really care less about my lost Garmin computer, as nothing compares to getting out alive. And yes, we will attempt the entire ride again, but with a few slight modifications - later in the season, earlier in the day, and definitely more food and clothes and an better exit strategy in case of the worst. Super epic would definitely describe today's experience.
We left the Copper Mountain base and quickly joined the Colorado Trail for a scenic ascent towards Searle Pass. Our plan was to get over Searle and Kokomo Passes, descend to Camp Hale and then turn back toward I-70 and to Copper.
As we hit the treeline, the trail turned sketchy, with several sections either unrideable due to water and mud or covered in numerous snowfields.
We were undaunted by the countless hike-a-bike sections, and as we crested Searle Pass at 12,063 ft, the skies still looked promising.
A 3-mile stretch of treeless tundra loomed ahead as we headed toward Kokomo Pass. About a mile down the trail I looked down at my bike and realized that my Garmin computer had fallen off the handlebar attachment. I had no idea where I lost it! Chris volunteered to run back a ways on the trail to look for it, while I stayed with the bikes. As soon as he left, I noticed the skies were growing ever darker, and after a few minutes I decided to keep walking on the trail, pushing both bikes. 15 minutes later, Chris was still not back, and I was getting extremely nervous as the skies began rumbling above.
As soon as Chris came running back (and having no luck in locating my Garmin), he made the executive decision that we abandon the trail and head for cover. Just then, the thunder and lightening show crackled and flashed with terrifying force, and hail began pouring down. We flew straight down the mountainside in a panic! We quickly ditched the bikes, sprinted for a grouping of trees and managed to squeeze under a big log. You know when the thunder AND lightening go off at the same time, it is not a good situation!
The cold and shivering immediately set in, and we pilfered our camelbaks for every last piece of extra clothing. We huddled together, shaking with both cold and fear! Fortunately, the storm passed within 20 minutes, the skies began to clear, and we were headed in only one direction... the way we came, and in a hurry!
Unfortunately, we had descended far enough from the Colorado Trail that we endured an hour-long hike-a-bike through swamps, creeks, and snowfields to find the trail again. I've realized that once above the treeline, there is nary a dry spot of earth, because water from the melting snow covers everything! By this point, we were both incredibly sapped from the life-threatening ordeal, but had little time to take it easy out in the exposed terrain, and with the constantly shifting clouds above.
The ride back down the trail was a fun, easy jaunt, although we endured another rain and hail storm, and arrived back at the base covered from head to toe in mud! As we slopped our way through Copper Village back to the car, tourists were gasping as if they'd just seen 2 Creatures from the Black Lagoon!
In short, I am glad we did not suffer an further misfortunes today, and that we are safely back home with a great, yet personally frightening story to tell. I could really care less about my lost Garmin computer, as nothing compares to getting out alive. And yes, we will attempt the entire ride again, but with a few slight modifications - later in the season, earlier in the day, and definitely more food and clothes and an better exit strategy in case of the worst. Super epic would definitely describe today's experience.
