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May 6, 2021
Berthoud Pass, Willow Creek Pass, Cameron Pass
My ride today looked something like this.
Today, the weather was warm and sunny, without a hint of rain or snow. So, I decided that I had to get out for a little ride. Jennifer said that we would go to dinner with Cody at about 6:00 p.m., so I started planning a little ride. I sort of wanted to cross the divide, and then ride up north for a bit. So, I planned to ride over Berthoud Pass and down into Winter Park. But, because the pass over the continental divide (Milner Pass) is closed in Rocky Mountain National Park, I knew I'd have to find a different route back over the continental divide. So, I decided to come back across Cameron Pass.
I-70 west to US 40 through Empire to my first cross of the continental divide at Berthoud Pass. (11,306 ft above MSL). Then, down into Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash, to Granby.
Colorado Highway 125 north out of Granby. I was really shocked at how much fire damage there was from the fires of last summer (2020). Then, Colorado Highway 125 crosses the continental divide at Willow Creek Pass, elevation 9,659 ft above MSL, and then down into North Park to the whistle-stop town of Rand.
Here, I go off hard top for the first time and ride down a dirt road, from Rand, Colorado on Jackson County Road 27 to Colorado State Highway 14.
Then, I follow Colorado State Highway 14 (Poudre Canyon Road) east over the 10,276-foot Cameron Pass summit (this pass does not cross the continental divide).
Eventually, I make it out to I-25 at Fort Collins, and then ride south through Loveland to Longmont, then down Hwy 119 to Boulder. Jen, Cody, and I are supposed to eat dinner, so I tell them to follow me and I ride down 93 to Morrison, then up the canyon through Idledale and Kittredge to dinner in Evergreen at the Lariat Lodge.
At the end of the day, I've gone about 320 miles. But it was a nice day, and I wanted to get some riding in since it wasn't snowing for once.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Rocky_Mountain_passes_on_the_continental_divide
- Berthoud Pass - 11,325 ft. This pass crosses the continental divide.
- Willow Creek Pass - 9,659 ft. This pass crosses the continental divide.
- Cameron Pass - 10,276 ft. This pass does NOT cross the continental divide.
Posted by Rob Kiser on May 6, 2021 at 9:25 PM
Comments
And you didn’t even wave when you went by Boyd Lake State Park by Loveland...maybe next time.
Posted by: Steve on May 7, 2021 at 8:50 AM
I was running late to meet Jennifer and Cody for dinner. Next time for sure.
Posted by: Rob Kiser on May 11, 2021 at 1:12 PM