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I am a map nerd. I get maps of areas and go exploring with my imagination on the curves of the topo and the dashes of trail lines. I first saw this ride quite a while ago doing just that and imagining what a great loop it would be. The ride: Up and over Guanella Pass from Georgetown in the Jeep to the Burning Bear CG on the other side. Bike back up Guanella Pass Rd to the top, then hit South Park Trail, Red Cone Jeep Rd, and Burning Bear Trail to make a loop. My dreams were further fueled by mtbr friends with reports of awesomeness. I finally had a day to do it. Today. It worked out well as I've got a bunch going on that required some solitude and some thinking time.
Solo mission to South Park, here I come!
I've gotta say, this ride completely blew away all of my expectations from start to finish. Starting with the beginning of the ride - As it turns out, the road on the south side of the pass is under construction so there's no where to park legally. That meant parking back up closer to the summit where they weren't working. Unfortunately, that'd been a long road climb out at the end of the ride. Oh well.
Up the road to the mountain center in the far distance. Start time 9:15am
![Nature Mountainous landforms Road Highland Natural landscape]()
Guanella Pass at 9:51am - not bad, only about 1/2 hour of climbing. At least I was warmed up. Quick bathroom stop and I was on my way. Skies were clear-ish and I was feeling good.
Down South Park trail just a bit. The views do not dissapoint.
![Mountainous landforms Mountain range Highland Bicycle Bicycle accessory]()
Long climbs
![Vegetation Nature Grass Natural environment Atmosphere]()
This is where things started to feel more like a real adventure. See the trail? Me neither. Cairn hunting was the rule for the next coupe of miles. The cairns would lead up and over the ridge in the foreground.
![Nature Mountainous landforms Natural environment Natural landscape Highland]()
Up and over the ridge and this was the descent. See the cairn? It was like freestyling it straight down a ski slope. It was sooo steep that I could hear my spokes pinging as the wheel flexed under braking and cornering.
![Mountainous landforms Highland Hill Landscape Mountain range]()
Once into the trees, the steep pitch didn't let up but the trail got more interesting. Rooty and fast. Loved this part.
![Nature Vegetation Natural environment Natural landscape Water resources]()
Once at the bottom, you hit a road and get to cross Geneva Creek. The crossing wasn't too bad. It was the first of many times my shoes would get totally soaked.
The climb out of the Geneva drainage and up Kirby Gulch was tough involved hiking. Loose rocks, steep trail and deadfall. Adventure. #itsnotmountainbikingunlessyourehiking. right?
![Nature Natural environment Bicycle handlebar Plant community Bicycle]()
Up to right around timberline again. The trail was super faint. See it?
![Nature Mountainous landforms Natural environment Bicycle handlebar Bicycle]()
This was climbing up Bruno Gulch. I really loved this part. It was like Cerain St Vrain on steroids.
![Natural environment Plant community Bicycle Tree Bicycle handlebar]()
Up to timberline again. This was right about at the end of South Park Trail where it climbs up to Red Cone jeep road. This is looking back where I had come up from.
![Nature Vegetation Natural environment Plant Natural landscape]()
And this was the view ahead. Red Cone was just out of sight on the horizon! 1:52pm
![Nature Vegetation Grass Natural environment Natural landscape]()
Red Cone - what a descent! Super steep and extra chunky. Kinda was wanting full suspension for that one! I was already tired from bouncing around on the rocks.
![Plant community Soil Highland Forest Mountain]()
Spent a few miles riding down the road.
![Nature Bicycle handlebar Bicycle part Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Bicycle accessory]()
Finally! Last trail of the day. Burning Bear, #601
![Vegetation Branch Plant community Nature reserve Biome]()
Burning Bear was really nice. It was intermittently rideable and hike a bike but probably more rideable in its entirety than anything else I'd been on. Felt good to pedal but my legs were getting tired.
![Vegetation Nature Natural landscape Grass Natural environment]()
Burning Bear trail is worth hitting in and of itself. I really liked.
![Vegetation Nature Natural environment Bicycle accessory Bicycle]()
Thennnnn, I was not liking it so much. By now, the rain was pouring and thunder and lightning were directly overhead. This part of the trail was a long and wet hike.
![Nature Natural environment Bicycle handlebar Bicycle Plant community]()
Finally up and over the top of Burning Bear and ready to enjoy my final descent of the day. Despite the fact that I was chilly and soaked to the bone, my stoke level was high. Fortunately, almost all of the Burning Bear descent looked like this. Or chunkier with more roots. Burning Bear back to Guanella Pass Road reminded me a LOT of Lion Gulch (which I miss dearly!).
![Vegetation Natural environment Plant community Soil Trail]()
Even though I'd been riding all day at or above timberline, this was one of my favorite views of the day. It was at the very end of Burning Bear and the mist and rain and clouds all came together for a memorable shot. 3:45pm? My memory is as fuzzy on that as the clouds were.
![Nature Natural environment Mountainous landforms Natural landscape Plant community]()
Now the not so fun part. I had to ride back up Guanella Pass to the top to get the Jeep! That turned into a slog. By that time, it was raining pretty hard and still crashing thunder and lightning. The road was soft and slow but it felt good to pedal and spin. It was a welcome change to the grinding and hike a bike from most of the singletrack of the day.
![Nature Road Natural environment Natural landscape Infrastructure]()
Parting shot. Made it. 4:29pm. The ride was about 7 hrs 15min door to door - about 6 hours of that was ride time. Total stats were just shy of 7000' climbing and 31.1 miles.
![Bicycle tire Tire Bicycle wheel Wheel Bicycle frame]()
South Park did not dissapoint! I will absolutely be back.
Here's Strava deets:
https://www.strava.com/activities/345541090
Solo mission to South Park, here I come!
I've gotta say, this ride completely blew away all of my expectations from start to finish. Starting with the beginning of the ride - As it turns out, the road on the south side of the pass is under construction so there's no where to park legally. That meant parking back up closer to the summit where they weren't working. Unfortunately, that'd been a long road climb out at the end of the ride. Oh well.
Up the road to the mountain center in the far distance. Start time 9:15am
Guanella Pass at 9:51am - not bad, only about 1/2 hour of climbing. At least I was warmed up. Quick bathroom stop and I was on my way. Skies were clear-ish and I was feeling good.
Down South Park trail just a bit. The views do not dissapoint.
Long climbs
This is where things started to feel more like a real adventure. See the trail? Me neither. Cairn hunting was the rule for the next coupe of miles. The cairns would lead up and over the ridge in the foreground.
Up and over the ridge and this was the descent. See the cairn? It was like freestyling it straight down a ski slope. It was sooo steep that I could hear my spokes pinging as the wheel flexed under braking and cornering.
Once into the trees, the steep pitch didn't let up but the trail got more interesting. Rooty and fast. Loved this part.
Once at the bottom, you hit a road and get to cross Geneva Creek. The crossing wasn't too bad. It was the first of many times my shoes would get totally soaked.
The climb out of the Geneva drainage and up Kirby Gulch was tough involved hiking. Loose rocks, steep trail and deadfall. Adventure. #itsnotmountainbikingunlessyourehiking. right?
Up to right around timberline again. The trail was super faint. See it?
This was climbing up Bruno Gulch. I really loved this part. It was like Cerain St Vrain on steroids.
Up to timberline again. This was right about at the end of South Park Trail where it climbs up to Red Cone jeep road. This is looking back where I had come up from.
And this was the view ahead. Red Cone was just out of sight on the horizon! 1:52pm
Red Cone - what a descent! Super steep and extra chunky. Kinda was wanting full suspension for that one! I was already tired from bouncing around on the rocks.
Spent a few miles riding down the road.
Finally! Last trail of the day. Burning Bear, #601
Burning Bear was really nice. It was intermittently rideable and hike a bike but probably more rideable in its entirety than anything else I'd been on. Felt good to pedal but my legs were getting tired.
Burning Bear trail is worth hitting in and of itself. I really liked.
Thennnnn, I was not liking it so much. By now, the rain was pouring and thunder and lightning were directly overhead. This part of the trail was a long and wet hike.
Finally up and over the top of Burning Bear and ready to enjoy my final descent of the day. Despite the fact that I was chilly and soaked to the bone, my stoke level was high. Fortunately, almost all of the Burning Bear descent looked like this. Or chunkier with more roots. Burning Bear back to Guanella Pass Road reminded me a LOT of Lion Gulch (which I miss dearly!).
Even though I'd been riding all day at or above timberline, this was one of my favorite views of the day. It was at the very end of Burning Bear and the mist and rain and clouds all came together for a memorable shot. 3:45pm? My memory is as fuzzy on that as the clouds were.
Now the not so fun part. I had to ride back up Guanella Pass to the top to get the Jeep! That turned into a slog. By that time, it was raining pretty hard and still crashing thunder and lightning. The road was soft and slow but it felt good to pedal and spin. It was a welcome change to the grinding and hike a bike from most of the singletrack of the day.
Parting shot. Made it. 4:29pm. The ride was about 7 hrs 15min door to door - about 6 hours of that was ride time. Total stats were just shy of 7000' climbing and 31.1 miles.
South Park did not dissapoint! I will absolutely be back.
Here's Strava deets:
https://www.strava.com/activities/345541090
