From El Capitan to the Appalachian Trail, America is a nation full of outdoor adventures. People spend years planning to hike Mount Rainier, training to climb Devils Tower or mustering the gumption to drop into Courbet’s Couloir. They build vacations – even “life lists” – around mountain biking in Moab, paddling the Gauley River or gawking at the Grand Canyon.
But the reality is Colorado is second to no other place when it comes to big-time adventure. With the nation’s highest concentration of 14,000-foot peaks, world-class whitewater, countless miles of mountain bike terrain and some of the most technical rock climbing routes in the world, epic outdoor adventure beckons from every angle. Anybody can go small. But as the following list of epics attests, Colorado may be the only place in America where you can go big and stay home.
Rock climbing
The Diamond on the East Face of Longs Peak is Colorado’s most famous technical climb. There are larger chunks of sheer rock, such as those found in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. But the Diamond’s high altitude, fickle weather and remote approach make it a classic among expert rock climbers. The easiest and most trafficked route up the Diamond – nicknamed the Casual Route, probably by some uber-climber – is 5.10. The most difficult route – named the Honeymoon is Over by the only person to have climbed it, Estes Park’s Tommy Caldwell – is ranked 5.13c, making it climbable by only a handful of climbers in the world.
The Diamond’s 1,000-foot, dead vertical face loses direct sun at around 11 a.m. It stretches between 13,100 feet and Longs’ 14,255-foot summit, making it a high-altitude training ground for climbers eyeing the mega peaks of the Himalayas. Daily storms typically approach from the other side of Longs, leaving climbers blind to shifting weather. The route begins more than 7 miles from the trailhead, making it an overnight trip for all but the very strong. It’s one of those climbs that garners respect from even the world’s best climbers.
“It’s a dangerous place,” says Rich Rossiter, a Boulder climbing guru who penned a guidebook to climbing in Rocky Mountain National Park and has climbed the Diamond five times, four of those in a single day. “It has a powerful psychological factor. It’s very isolating. You get up that wall and say to yourself, ‘This is serious stuff.”‘
Kayaking
Gazing upon the somber countenance of the Black Canyon, early settlers said the Gunnison River flowing through it never could be navigated. They were partly right. The 14-mile stretch flowing north through the dark schist gorge that defines Black Canyon National Park essentially is a mix of river running and rock climbing.
Class IV-V whitewater descends at an average of 90 feet per mile (fpm) within the canyon proper, peaking at 210 fpm as it cascades over vertical falls and churns through huge boulder mazes, many forming deadly sieves where the river sluices through the rocks. That’s where the climbing begins in the form of multiple strenuous portages – the longest of which forces paddlers to shoulder the boat for a steep, mile-long traverse through a nasty blend of sharp scree and oozing poison ivy at the base of the canyon’s 2,700-foot walls. Most of the hikes are obvious, although in 1997 boater Chuck Kern of California drowned in an unseen undercut while attempting to run part of a section that’s commonly portaged.
The run’s Class V rating primarily is because of the commitment of entering the state’s deepest canyon. Rescue poses a severe challenge, to say the least. The flip side is the reward of isolation in the most spectacular chasm in Colorado. Those venturing through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison are greeted with high-quality whitewater, views of the tallest cliff in Colorado and an adventure of a lifetime. Do it as an overnighter unless you are training for the Raid Gauloises, and even then be sure to save something for the steep, mile-plus grunt up the takeout trail, or paddle the extra 13.5 miles through the tamer Gunnison Gorge.
Backpacking
Beginning on the westernmost flanks of the Great Plains, the Colorado Trail is the backcountry route connecting Denver to Durango. The CT slices across the state from north to southwest, passing through seven national forests, six wilderness areas, five major river systems and eight mountain ranges over the course of nearly 500 miles, putting it on par with the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails as one of the nation’s elite long-distance, non- motorized trekking options.
For the 100 or so annual through-hikers, the statistics are somewhat daunting. Distance aside, the trail regularly lingers above 10,000 feet, crossing the Continental Divide eight times and peaking at an elevation of 13,334 feet as it skirts several Colorado fourteeners, including Mount Elbert, the second-highest crest in the continental U.S. A trip across the entire CT typically lasts up to six weeks, although many bite off smaller chunks at a time.
Along the way, backpackers are treated to a variety of scenery, ranging from thick woods and trickling trout streams to historic mining camps and modern ski areas dotting the countless mountain vistas. Tackling a trek of this nature entails both stamina and some logistical wizardry, but those who reach the western terminus at the edge of the La Plata Mountains 4 miles from Durango do so with the satisfaction of completing one of the nation’s most beautiful and varied long-distance trails.
Mountain biking
The Monarch Crest Trail ranks in the top tier of Colorado’s best mountain biking. Hundred-mile views of the state’s tallest peaks, smooth and technical single track, brutal above-treeline climbs and a long, demanding descent make Monarch Crest a destination ride that lures mountain bikers from across the country. The ride starts atop Monarch Pass and climbs for nearly 12 miles to nearly 12,000 feet.
If you can lift your head between heaving breaths, the views will work to remove whatever oxygen is left in your depleted lungs. From the top of that climb, descend on water-barred singletrack – a hop-filled dream on a full suspension ride – to the base of Marshall Pass. And here is yet another feature that makes Monarch Crest one of the best: Follow an obvious dirt road back to Poncha Springs if you are tapped, or climb the pass and enjoy another 15-plus miles of singletrack.
There are three points along the trail when riders can return to Poncha Springs, but the Rainbow Trail section of Monarch Crest is one of the most thrilling descents in the state. Pound through streams, grind through technical sections and rip down smooth singletrack for miles. The entire ride tops out at 35 miles and takes about six hours. The $15 shuttle from the Sinclair station in Poncha Springs back up the pass is the best money you will ever spend.
Skiing
No discussion of Colorado epics would be complete without mention of the state’s signature sport – skiing.
But in the state with the highest concentration of tall peaks in the nation, the question is, where do you begin? The answer comes from renowned ski mountaineer Lou Dawson, the only man to ski all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks.
“Skiing from the top of Mount Elbert is one of the coolest things you can do. It’s pretty neat to hike to the highest mountain in Colorado and launch from the summit for a 3,000-4,000 vertical ski run,” Dawson said. “Sure, there are 53 other fourteeners you can ski in Colorado, but none of them are the highest one.”
Standing 14,433 feet in the heart of the Sawatch Range near Leadville, Elbert falls into what Dawson calls a “repeatable epic,” meaning he and the ski mountaineering elite aren’t the only ones capable of achieving the feat. “It’s very repeatable,” he says. “And there are a lot of route choices as well. There’s some pretty extreme stuff on the north and west faces.”
If it’s a hard-core tour you seek, Dawson recommends the nearby Trooper Traverse, retracing the route 10th Mountain Division soldiers took from Camp Hale to Aspen. The route combines history, scenery, the challenge of crossing the Continental Divide and a trek across the state’s highest geographic area at the Colorado Plateau in a three-day trip through avalanche country without the benefit of a permanent shelter.
“Hutless ski touring can be an exceptional adventure. It’s fun, especially when you are younger and stronger,” Dawson said. “As you get older, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.”
For those seeking that warm cup of tea at the end of a long backcountry ski day, consider making use of the Alfred A. Braun Hut System linking the legendary ski towns of Crested Butte and Aspen over the Elk Mountain Tra- verse. The 40-mile route passes by the Friends and Barnard huts on either side of 12,303-foot Star Pass, culminating on Ajax Mountain for a final ski into the town of Aspen. For the ultimate challenge, try the annual Elk Mountain Grand Traverse Race, retracing the mining era mail route after a midnight start. Check out Dawson’s website – www.wildsnow.com – for more details.
Staff writer Scott Willoughby can be reached at 303-820-1993 or swilloughby@denverpost.com.
