For years, I thought about Monarch Crest as I slowly advanced my riding skills. Ideally, it’s an indication of a “must-do” ride-something for the bucket list. Each EPICS route must be at least 20 miles in length, 80% or more singletrack, genuinely challenging and remote. To ride an IMBA EPICS is to understand the grandeur of that designation. But the thrill of a 6,000-foot descent, good company and good fortune meant the only possible response was to laugh and whoop, and focus laser-like on the chocolate milk, beer and nachos waiting for us in the tiny town of Poncha Springs. Remarkably, 10 people made it through this big ride unscathed and it wasn’t until we hit pavement for the final few miles back to our shuttle vehicles that the skies opened up and soaked us through to our socks and chamois. So, no good photos, but we had a very nice snack break that we shared with other riders and a few dirt bikers from Texas. We stopped and lounged around as the action happened and, even though it didn’t get noticeably darker, it got very cold at 10,000 feet. Unfortunately, we had traveled much farther south than the path of the eclipse and were only treated to about 85% coverage. The first third of this ride is high-alpine, somewhat-rocky singletrack that delivers you through a sound-of-music landscape into beautiful, varied green forests peppered with roots, scree fields surrounded by aspen trees and buttery-smooth, flowing trail.
The terrain, trail and vistas change regularly wildflowers were still hanging on pikas and marmots chirped in the distance. Other than the couple of times I went a little too long without eating, I was riding with either my mouth hanging open (the view is spectacular at 12,000 feet) or curved upward in a giant, irrepressible smile.
MONARCH CREST MTB RIDE FULL
The full Monarch Crest EPICS is a deliciously wonderful adventure. We pitched our fabric homes high above the town of Salida on open national forest land and basked in a moment of calm stuffed with camaraderie and wrapped up in the technicolor blanket of a mountain sunset. Even Dave Wiens, fresh off racing the weeklong Breck Epic, was able to join us.
MONARCH CREST MTB RIDE PLUS
Somehow, we managed to gather most of our Boulder-based crew plus a few other-halves for a camping and riding trip on the day of the eclipse. It features stunningly beautiful, technically varied, high-alpine singletrack that doesn’t require super-human abilities to contemplate. We’re a dedicated bunch of professionals who just so happen to be crazy about mountain biking, and it’s good to occasionally saddle up together to remember why we devote ourselves to creating, enhancing and protecting great places to ride.Ĭolorado features several designated IMBA EPICS, but the 35-mile Monarch Crest route near Salida (about three hours southwest of Denver) is one of the most beloved. For additional details, pictures, trail statistics and the like please visit the following link.August is IMBA EPICS Month-during which we celebrate, honor and add to IMBA’s crowd-sourced list of challenging, backcountry rides-and we, the Colorado staff, decided to get out there and ride one, too. At this point details are totally up in the air, but the basic premise is shuttle and ride the Monarch Crest trail the weekend of August 12-14.įor those unfamiliar, Monarch Crest is designated one of the IMBA epics. In order to expand my horizons and hopefully have some company, I would like to arrange a ride for us Ridemonkey folk. Lamesauce I know, but this year is the year. Monarch Crest has been on my list since I moved out to CO but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Lesson learned and I'm giving it a go again this year, only this time it will actually pan out. Okay, so I tried to organize one of these a few years back but failed mainly because I was a miserable planner.