September 9, 2017
I've been looking to add a little bit of variety to mine and Laura's climbing and mountain routine, so last week I suggested we ride the Monarch Crest Trail, said to be one of the top 10 mountain bike rides in the country. At 14 miles, it's good, but we added on an additional 10 miles with the more challenging Silver Creek Trail.
8 am we roll out of Big Mama's house, car loaded up with bikes, gear and dogs for the single day adventure. Big Mama would be our shuttle driver for the day and is without question the best person anyone could have on their side. Willing to go along with whatever and never minding how long it takes or how far away the destination is, if she's free, she's in.
We arrived at the top of Monarch Pass and unloaded the bikes at the trail head. The ride is some pedaling uphill, but is 2/3 downhill, ending at the lower elevation Marshall Pass Road. Combining sections of the Continental Divide Trail, Colorado Trail others, this ride has great views and has something for everyone. For us, the best part of the ride was the Silver Creek Trail since the riding was a bit more challenging. We had a beautiful day and narrowly dodged the rain storm that made the 5 mile ride on Marshall Pass Road a muddy one!
Big Mama took the dogs for a walk around O' Haver Lake and did some sightseeing while waiting for us. Completing the ride in a leisurely 4 hours, we met her and the dogs back at the car, had a sandwich and headed home. I am not sure I would call this a "top 10" trail, but I do think the views alone are worth checking it out if you've never had the opportunity!
