Crested Butte

After I finished my ski season with my conundrum on Conundrum, I looked forward to a good summer of biking. I knew I needed knee surgery but I wasn’t sure when that was going to happen. I thought my mountain biking season might be short. Really short. Like just the few weeks of July short. So, I decided I needed to ride my little tail off…. because July riding in Crested Butte is amazing.

With a perfect forecast, Brittany and I headed to one of our favorites- Teocalli Ridge. Even though we both liked the “old” trail better, it’s still one of the best standard rides around. In fact, after some erosion and the trail breaking in a bit, it’s getting close to the former levels of greatness. At least, that’s our opinion…

We like showing visitors around to the best mountain biking that we have. So, when our friend Larry came from Steamboat to check out the riding in Crested Butte, we put on a good show. Just a 2.5 weeks prior, Larry and I stood on top of Condundrum Peak, about to ski down the long-lasting couloir. From the summit, I pointed out Star Peak and told him about the superb mountain biking just on the other side of it. I told him he needed to go there. So, Star Pass became a destination for his Crested Butte trip…

401 is always on our list to ride during the season. Yet, it’s easy for us to scoff at it too as it is typically overrun with tourists. Still, Trailriders 401 is popular for a reason, and it’s a reason that I remember every time I start riding among towering wildflowers while I descend into the emerald green landscape of the valley below, with majestic mountains rising in the distance. The beauty of 401 is hard to parallel. It doesn’t matter how many tourists are there. I smile every time I ride it….