As the ride continues, we undertake a series of shorter climbs and descents. The 5th annual Crest Crank Ride to End Domestic Violence is a benefit for Alliance Against Domestic Abuse happening September 7, 2003. Monarch Crest Trail is a world famous 35 mile collection of trails, ranging in elevation from 8,000 ft to over 12,000 ft. Meet the team. Starting at the summit of Monarch Pass, we climb for several miles. History. Salida Mountain Trails (salidamountaintrails.org) Please consider joining or donating to the local riding association to support trail development & maintenance. The rain followed us for the next 30 miles but did not stop the amazing alpine views. For $20-30 each they drive you up in a van to the trail … Monarch Crest features singletrack connected by some fire road sections to make a mostly downhill run from theMonarch Passtrailhead back over to Highway 285. You get a sampling of a bunch of different terrain and ecosystems. The Monarch Crest Trail is one of the finest mountain bike rides in the state with elevation gains up to 12,000 feet and extreme views of the Sawatch, Uncom-pahgres and San Juan Mountain Ranges. Forum on Jul 16, 2019 ... Water available on Monarch Crest IMBA route? Majority of the rides involve a shuttle at the end. It's a great event for a great cause. The trail zips through aspen groves, flower-filled meadows, along the stream and over rock slides. Monarch Crest Trail Pre-Ride. Monarch Crest is a vaunted International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) "Epic" ride, which the organization defines as rides exceeding 20 miles in length that are demanding, predominately singletrack adventures in a natural setting offering opportunities to interact with the natural world. Print turn-by-turn cue sheets so you know where you are heading. This ride is most often done as a shuttle, and there are more than half a dozen options for riding back down to Salida. Home; Shop . High Valley Bike Shuttle is your #1 source for bike shuttles and info on the Monarch Crest Trail and other mountain bike rides throughout Central Colorado. Eventually, we leave the thick forests and enter the alpine tundra. From the parking lot at the Monarch Crest store, look for a dirt road that travel east from behind the gondola building for the Monarch Tramway. The Monarch Crest is the most renowned mountain bike ride in the Salida area and perhaps even all of Colorado. Occasionally I get an urge to take the plunge and tackle one of the trans-US routes from coast to coast. There are several options for a Crest ride. 2017 EPICS. #IMBAEPICS. Join Pinkbike Login. The start is at 11,300 feet and climbs up from there but eventually drops to 7500 feet. In addition to the classic ride, there are plenty of options for alternative rides such as South Fooses Creek, Greens Creek, Agate Creek, Silver Creek, and Rainbow trails. started by EricRybarczyk Last reply on Jul 16, 2019 . Now we just need to figure out getting there. I'm planning to ride the Monarch Crest "IMBA Epic" route in mid August. The Monarch Crest Trail has been rated as an IMBA Epic ride and is for sure an epic ride especially ending the ride with the Rainbow Trail. Including the fast slight downhill ride back to Poncha Springs on Hwy285 the total mileage of the ride is about 35 (55 km). For a nominal fee of $30.00 cash/credit card, reserve a seat for you and your bike to be transported from Poncha Springs to Monarch Pass summit. Does anyone know if there is reliable... • reply. There are some forks in the trail you need to be aware of. We ride the whole 36 mile Monarch Crest. I tend to drink almost all of my 3 liter osprey on longer rides (longest ive done is just 15).. Tom Purvis Guest. The trail is 35 miles long with changing scenery. Search. Nine trails were added to the EPICS list, bringing the total to 53. Explore and share photos of riding EPICS! In the summer, shuttle services are available from Salida or Poncha Springs that drop riders off at the top to maximize the fun. The starting elevation is about 11,300 feet and for the first two and a half miles it climbs steadily. Don't have an account? 7 AM special request shuttle is available for groups over 7. LinkBack URL; About LinkBacks; Thread Tools. Day Hiking. Great trails and perfect weather, but, boy did I ever catch hell from some hikers and bikers on the Crest trail. Just got back from a few days riding the Sargents and Pitkin areas. You must be ready to ride 25 miles of trail that will take you 3-5 hours to complete. MONARCH CREST TRAIL . The "crest" is considered to be from the drop-off at Monarch Pass to Marshall Pass. For this particular ride there are shuttles available. Monarch Crest Trail. Daydream . Monarch Crest Trail is an IMBA Epic mountain bike ride in Salida Colorado. donate to earn trail karma! The ride was last weekend, but I've been too busy to post it earlier. The ride tops out just shy of 12,000 feet. The trail dramatically rises and falls with an average elevation of 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) and tops out above 13,000 feet (3,962 meters), just below Coney Summit. July 16, 2009; Yeti; Bikes, Hike; Good things come to those who wait, and I have been waiting a while to finally get out and nail one of the most talked about trails in Colorado, The Monarch Crest Trail. Classic route. Activities Bicycling SHOW. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Parking: Parking is available at the Monarch Crest on the pass summit. Nestled at the base of Mt. Signup Now. I'm looking at possibly doing the monarch crest trail in CO this summer but Im having doubts.. You must login to Pinkbike. Yes!!! The Monarch Crest has been named as an IMBA EPIC route. Joined: Aug 23, 2009 Oddometer: 21 Location: Golden. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. The CDNST/CT segment south of Monarch Pass is known as the “Crest Trail”. The views are endless up there. It's an amazing ride in that it changes so much. Three shuttles run daily at 8 & 10 AM. Login or Sign Up. This is eleven miles at or above 11,000 ft. See other rides. The Trail. World class mountain trail! Doesn’t matter. 22 Share Twitter Email Link Embed Map; Jul 11, '12, 09:28AM Monarch Crest Trail. Contact us if you have any questions about EPICS. The first few miles are the most consistent climbing of the whole ride, so don't get discouraged. It is an extension of the Continental Divide Trail System and in some sections, overlaps the Colorado Trail. The Monarch Crest Trail is best ridden as a shuttle and begins at the very top of Monarch Pass just outside of Salida or Poncha Springs, Colorado on highway U.S. 50. The CDNST/CT segment south of Monarch Pass is known as the “Crest Trail”. The cost to ride is $85 and includes shuttle, guide, post-ride party and more. Just wondering how much time i should give myself to make the 36 miler monarch crest trail Just wondering how much time i should give myself to make the 36 miler monarch crest trail Pet and Biker Friendly We welcome guest all-around the world to come enjoy out enticing views!! There are five great options for descending off of this trail to the valleys below. IMBA (International Mountain Bike Associations) rates the Monarch Crest Trail as their EPIC category! Ride Monarch Crest Trail to Greens Creek. Classic route. Comments . Monarch Crest is an epic High Country ride Super popular and for good reason. Results 1 to 10 of 10 Thread: OT - Monarch Crest Trail, CO Anyone ride it?? We jumped off the shuttles and were greeted by a thunderstorm, heavy rain and hail. After riding a dirt road the singletrack will kick off to the right. Much of the ride is at or above treeline with huge views to the west. This IMBA EPIC, is located at the top of Monarch pass, on the Continental Divide. The Monarch Crest Trail leads to the Continental Divide Trail, then to Silver Creek Trail that turns into Rainbow Trail. SGL56 Adventurer. The possibility of new wilderness designations threaten to close mountain biking access to it periodically, so I try to make it a point to ride it when I can. Take this road a short distance until it intersects with the trail located on the right side of the road. The new class. Thread Status: Not open for further replies. Monarch Crest Trail is a 31.3 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Sargents, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The Monarch Crest Crank is the epic fundraiser for The Alliance and 2020 will be the best year yet. Benefit Ride on the Monarch Crest Trail - September 7. Post a Comment . The Alliance will continue to offer advanced mountain bikers the chance to ride the famed Monarch Crest Trail, as it has since 1998. It encompasses 10 miles of primarily singletrack along the Continental Divide. Most riders choose to shuttle the Monarch Crest Trail to avoid a long road climb to the top of Monarch Pass. The section of the Continental Divide Trail that travels south from Monarch Pass is known as the Monarch Crest Trail or Crest Trail. SGL56, Sep 5, 2014 #1. This is a high-altitude mountain bike ride that follows the Continental Divide above treeline for several miles before dropping thousands of vertical feet into the valleys below. It is prime season for getting in some rides on this sweet trail. IMBA staff discovered what makes an EPICS ride so epic. Monarch Crest Scenic Tramway Tram will reopen in May 2021 Pictures. Longest ride I’ve done is right at 25 miles with 2,400 elevation gain and took me around 4 hours. Despite living in the area for over a year, I never rode the Monarch Crest. It's not clear what brings this on - perhaps it's an Easy Rider sort of nostalgia thing, albeit using a more mundane and less ostentatious form of transport. Local Trail Association. The Monarch Crest Trail to Silver Creek combines the sweet riding and views of the Monarch Crest Trail with a fast and sometimes technical downhill along the Silver Creek drainage to US 285 on Poncha Pass. We headed up on a weekday and camped at the nearby Angel of Shavano campground. Sign up. I'm curious how others pack for long rides.. Monarch Crest. monarch crest trail --SHARES All Articles Discussions + New post. It is a 35-mile ride full of technically varied, high-alpine singletrack. It travels through the incredible Colorado Rocky Mountains amongst peaks, glacial lakes, creeks, and a spectacular array of ecosystems. The Colorado Trail is one of the premier, long distance bikepacking trails in the US. It begins at 11,312 foot Monarch Pass and climbs to around 12,000 before dropping back down to 10,800 foot Marshall Pass. SALIDA, CO – 30 Minute Special Edition: Mountain Biking The Monarch Crest IMBA Epic. The adventure starts off at the top of Monarch Pass and ascends right away. Regional Bike Trails and Rides Forums; Arizona; OT - Monarch Crest Trail, CO Anyone ride it?? Show Printable Version; Subscribe to this Thread… 04-21-2008 #1. tls36. Discussion in 'The Rockies – It's all downhill from here...' started by SGL56, Sep 5, 2014. LinkBack. :think: This is one of those trails that is a must do every year. Hiking HIDE. And then, log your rides and watch your progress. At this point, I’m not sure I can remember how many times I’ve ridden the Monarch Crest. Shane has been a trail builder and an advocate for mountain biking since 1992. Toggle navigation. The Monarch Crest trail is a Colorado classic. Monarch Crest Trail. Length 31.3 mi Elevation gain 2168 ft Route type Point to point. 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