Where can I find a resource book on how to bike up hills - mountains - in Colorado?

db9chgo · 07-03-2007, 06:03 PM

I live in Chicago, IL. It is flat. I am going to Denver/Evergreen and want to ride when I visit over the weekend. What's the best practice for cycling up hills?

Timon · 07-03-2007, 06:03 PM

I don't know where you can get a resource book on riding a bike in Evergreen, but some of my favorite rides are around there. If you want a fairly easy ride, my favorite is Upper Bear Creek Rd. It's about ten miles of gentle uphill with a creek running along the side. After ten miles the road turns to gravel, so that's where I generally turn around. But it is a nice relaxing ride.

If you want something a little harder, try S. Little Cub Creek Rd. It's about six miles of fairly decent steady climbing with some great views about halfway up.

A little harder still would probably be S. Brook Forest Rd, which climbs at a steady pace for about six miles and then turns into Black Mountain Dr., which starts off with a quarter mile stretch that varies between 10-12% grade. Black Mountain climbs for about 4 more miles with some short steep sections. Not much of a view, but a good climb.

Another hard climb woud be Witter Gulch, take Upper Bear Creek about three miles until you come to Witter Gulch, turn right. Witter Gulch climbs for about seven miles at an increasingly difficult grade. The last mile and a half or so are gravel. It eventually comes out on Squaw Pass, take a left and go a few more miles to the top of the Pass. If you really want a tough climb, keep going over the top of Squaw Pass and descend to Echo Lake. Than take the road up Mt Evans. If you're gonna be in Evergreen and you want to do a memorable climb, that's one that you gotta do.

But for people who really know the hills around Evergreen, try these guys http://teamevergreen.org

Edit: The only real practice for riding uphill.....is to ride uphill. Just remember, eventually you get to come back down.