20 miles yesterday, 60 or so today. So it goes on the CDT.
From our buggy camp the trail continued in rough condition, on par with what came before. Deadfall everywhere, a forgotten road.
We reached the divide and transitioned from grassy meadow with no trace of trail to a beaten in 2-track. It was a happy sight.
It’s not just the bikepackers that are happy to see roads. Memento had commented to us that he would ‘kill for some dirt roads.’
We weren’t that desperate, but after two hard days on nearly all trail, it was a relief when the CDT itself jumped on roads.
The actual divide along the rest of the Rabbit Ears range is littered with private property, so for now the trail follows roads that improve from 2-track to graded to state highway to US highway.
We coasted and smiled endlessly, especially on the twisty gradual stuff, winding through goregous groves of aspens. Our bikes were finally coming to good use.
Still, we couldn’t believe we weren’t catching Medic and Walker, who we thought were just ahead of us. First we caught a couple section hikers who were utterly confused when we asked their trail names. One admitted he had packed too much food. We knew a place where that excess food could come to good effect — our bellies!
Even though it was a classic Powerbar that was offered, I was quite happy to eat it. Brought me back to mountain biking as a teenager in the 90’s.
Medic and Walker were sitting at the end of the dirt, contemplating the highway walk ahead. Couple of very cool thru-hikers. Fast, too.
The highway went quickly and mercifully it had a light headwind to keep us cool. Then US40 was hotter, steeper and under construction.
As soon as we ducked off the highway onto a grassed over dirt road we found some shade for lunch and were immediately swarmed by mosquitoes. So we ate our burritos ‘on the go’ walking from shade spot to shade spot.
I think I had my expectations a bit too high for the Rabbit Ears portion of the CDT. People shuttle it from Steamboat, but I don’t actually know anyone who has ridden it.
It’s good trail, and absolutely bursting with wildflowers. The miles don’t really go quickly and with the mud, mosquitoes and deadfall, I can see why it doesn’t have a reputation as one of the best trails in the state. It’s either not very popular or no one in Steamboat knows what a chainsaw is.
We were pretty relieved to turn off it and onto the Fish Creek Falls trail. Downhill into Steamboat and a trail Wilderness detour. Wahoo!
Right? Super cool meadowy trail with pockets of tech. Then we reached the actual drop into the city and things got serious. First few turns were awesome ledgy chunk. We stopped and cooled off in the creek in the absence of mosquitoes.
I wish I had more energy and a sharper mindset for the trail. It’s full of rock — most technical trail in Steamboat. I guess I was expecting it to be more rideable. After 3 days filled with hike-a-bike, carefully stepping down through awkward rocks wasn’t really what we were looking for. A nice cruise on well ridden trail would have been more our speed.
But it was very cool to see the trail, and some impressive construction. With a big bike and a clear head, it would be wickedly fun. While bikepacking rolling into town with a handful of calories left…. well, it wasn’t what it could be.
There may be a better route for CDT riders to take into town, but this worked out just fine for us. It was very cool to come out at the bottom view of the falls, which was a total surprise for us (we though the top one was the falls). There were people all over, cameras blazing away and a super wide gravely trail. I half expected to see a ‘closed to bikes’ sign.
We blasted down the road into town, bought supplies at Natual Grocers then headed to Becky and Dan’s place. It’s great to be hosted by people who get bikepacking and have done it themselves. We’re resting up here and re-upping for the next leg.
Next leg features another hot spring — on route! A recovery ride of sorts will take us there, then it’s on to Wyoming!
XC skiing up on Rabbit Ears, I always had to resist letting gravity suck me down into Fish Creek Falls, since all drainages trend down towards Fish Creek. Looking up at it from the steep west side, amazing there is actually a trail there.