Colorado's 12000ft Rocky Mountain Passes
Its just incredible riding through the Rockies here by Ouray. Literally straight out of town, you can be at 3500m in just a few kilometres via steep, narrow, rocky, 4wd trails through pine forests with their numerous water crossings, before emerging into the exposed alpine environment that is the Rocky Mountains. This is a map I pulled off the net, showing the 'Alpine Loop', accessible after snowmelt and before snowfall (high summer only) by all wheel drive vehicles between the towns of Ouray, Silverton and Telluride. The Alpine Loop falls on Colorado's 'Back Country Discovery Route', a 1000km, north to south route of dirt trails through the state. This is currently the route Kevin and I are taking north. Heading up Imogene Pass (lots of water!). We didn't actually make the pass, as my bike, being Darby crapped itself about 3000m. I dogged it to 3200m with it cutting out (it couldn't breathe!) as im clutching it in first until I decided it was just too ...