Trail Ridge Road 12th September

I woke at 6am wanting to be in the park and on the bike by dawn. This would mean I hopefully avoid the thunderstorms more frequent in the afternoons plus much of the traffic as possible that traverses this road.

It was a very short distance to the Entrance station and into the park. Unfortunately it was raining heavily, so I waited in the van hoping that it would ease. I had expected afternoon thunderstorms but I wasn't expecting rain in the morning.

Finally around 7:50am the rain did ease to a drizzle. That I could handle, so I quickly changed and was on the road only minutes later. 

The road on this side undulated for the first 15km and was a nice way to start the day. The early start has meant the traffic was light so could just focus on riding and the views. What was missing was the teeming wildlife I was expecting! I started to wonder it the rangers hadn't let them out yet for the passing tourists to see? After 9km, I finally spotted a small herd of Elk in the distance and then a kilometer later a herd of deer and lone Elk. For the day though that was pretty much it!

The western ascent is a long one at over 35.5 km including the easy start and it took some time to clear the treeline. It was cold up here, but I'd spent much of winter training in the hills back home in similar conditions so wasn't too uncomfortable... yet. 

Pity the visibility was so poor as I have read it is beautiful. A few glimpses were possible through the clouds so got to experience a little of it myself.

Near the top the rain returned. As I didn't see a sign noting the high point of 12,183 feet and not knowing exactly where the highpoint was, I continued further. If I did know though, I would most likely have turned around due to the freezing wind that also now accompanied the rain.  

A few kilometers later when the undulations ended, I figured the top must now be behind me so might as well continue. In hindsight I still should have turned, as the heavy rain and windchill from the descent had me shivering uncontrollably! I finally pulled the pin at the entrance to Falls road only 3km from the Falls Road entrance station which was my planned turn around. Here a concerned motorist actually pulled over and asked if I wanted a lift, but as I was soaked through and freezing, the only way I could see myself warming up was to climb!

This worked to a degree except my hands and feet that were soaked through! Eventually I made it back over the top (confirmed there was no marker denoting this) and down the western side. On this side there was even a few flashes of sun! The warmth was a blessing as I was shivering again and with hands so cold it was hard to brake.

The descent would have been another enjoyable flowing descent if I wasn't frozen. At least at the bottom the sun was fully out and the roads dry so managed to warm a little at last. 

I changed immediately on returning to the van and once feeling returned to my fingers and toes I loaded the van and set off to Idaho Springs at the base of Mt Evens; my objective for the morning.

At the hotel, I switched on the TV and found out the extent of the rain and flooding that was all over the front range. It also explained why there was more traffic heading west; Estes Park was completed flooded and Trail Ridge road was the only way out of town! Some were saying today was the one in fifty or even one in one hundred year flood with rain and flooding continuing into tomorrow! Optimistically I am look at the reports and imagine Mt Evans will be relatively dry.

Ride details: Distance 127.43km Max elevation 3713m

2448m elevation