Biking Vail Pass East and West Sides

In Colorado, we are very lucky the creators of our primary highways could also envision how the space could be used in many ways to celebrate the spectacular vistas and wilderness.  When they laid the road for I-70 through the Colorado mountains, they had to figure out what to do with the left-over U.S. Highway 6, the original 2 lane highway threading West.

They could have let the old highway crumble into history, as they have with many narrow gauge railroad beds that used to wind through the Rockies.  Instead, as visionaries, they created an incredible span for the non-motorized community.  

Shots from both sides of Vail Pass.  A portion of the West side is a mere few yards from opposing traffic from busy I-70.  A failed wheel or accident could propel a rider right into traffic.  Views are to die for, bears are plenty, so are fish, so pick your pleasure carefully.

The route is open from mid to late May through most of October.  However, spring runoff often creates flooding conditions, especially just before Copper Mountain coming from Frisco.  

Ten Mile Creek, which runs next to the East side path, is a Class 5 rapids during runoff.  You will see intrepid kayakers attempt the stretch.  Caution is warranted.  In 2014, a kayaker lost his life on the Frying Pan River feeding the drainage into Basalt, Colorado, up the highway. The same could happen if one is unable to exit Ten Mile Creek before Officers Gulch, as the river jams into giant metal tubes buried under the car bridge.

Vail Pass soars in at more than 10,500 feet. Pilots must carry oxygen when flying over 10,000 feet.  Bikers won't find any drop down oxygen masks on this stretch.  For this reason, people coming from sea level often take a shuttle to the summit of Vail Pass and let Gravity serve as their emergency oxygen as they coast down.  

The ride down either side of the pass at speed is an exhilarating 30 minutes, less for the carbon fiber crowd.  Those who pedal their way to the summit spend several hours getting there, and often feel a little cheated when the ride down ends so soon!  But not to worry, there is plenty more path left to ride on both sides of Vail Pass.

Shortly after the summit on the East side of Vail Pass is a sharp set of switchbacks.  Riders have been moving so fast they couldn't navigate the 90-degree curves flying off into space, with serious injury.  Also, for East-side descending riders, there is a 90-degree curve as you exit the tunnel 1000 yards from the summit.  Water almost always collects at the curve causing a hazard.

From Frisco, there is a 15 mile ride around Dillon Reservoir and over steep Swan Mountain.  Instead of going around the reservoir, riders can climb the fiercely steep Loveland Pass (11,990 feet). From Keystone, Colorado, to Denver, it is about 75 miles, most of it on path.

The ride up and down Loveland Pass summit is mostly on narrow, 2 lane highway, though.  Motorists are often impatient.  The drop-offs are precipitous.  A missed step could be fatal for a bicyclist as it has been for motorists.

From the West side at Vail, you can ride another 60 miles to Glenwood Springs. Except for a small section, all of it is protected pathway.  That makes the non-motorized route system nearly 160 miles long from Denver to Glenwood Springs.

The only road West from Glenwood Springs, is I-70. Unfortunately, the vision to build protected, non-motorized, routes did not extend to the Colorado-Utah state line, an easy 150 miles further West.  It is never too late to have a vision.