2013 Colorado Triple Crown Event #2: The Colorado Death Ride

The picturesque Mt. Sneffels Range, photographed from the Dallas Divide

The Colorado Death Ride is the second stage of the 2013 Colorado Triple Crown. At 225 miles, the Colorado Death Ride is the longest double century event on the UltraMarathon Cycling Association (UMCA) UltraCycling Cup calendar and one of the most difficult single-day events on the RMCC calendar. The Death Ride has LOTS of climbing! The total vertical gain for the Death Ride is 16,000 vertical feet, climbing over three mountain passes that exceed 10,000 feet in elevation and one pass that exceeds 11,000 feet! No other event on the UMCA calendar has so many individual climbs that expose riders to high altitude! The Death Ride has jaw-dropping mountain scenery that is second-to-none! The San Juan Mountains are frequently one of the most-photographed regions in the state of Colorado. After riding this route, you will understand why this is the case. Be sure to keep your digital camera in your jersey pocket. You'll definitely want to have it on this ride!

Spectacular views from Red Mountain Pass

Good luck to all of this year's Death Riders!!

Latest information, 6/27/13 @ 5:26 pm
The West Fork Fire: US-160 remains closed in both directions east of Pagosa Springs to South Fork over Wolf Creek Pass (Milemarker 158-188). Participants will need to get to Durango by driving to Montrose, then proceed to Durango via Red Mountain Pass, Molas Pass, and Coal Bank Pass. This could add an additional 1.5 hours of travel time. 

For the latest on the West Fork fire: http://www.denverpost.com/coloradowildfires2013/ci_23522520/west-fork-fire-grows-colorado-threat

So far, there are no new fires in direct vicinity of any section of the San Juan Skyway. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it stays this way!


General Information:

1) Ride Date: Saturday, June 29, 2013

2) Host Hotel/Start and Finish Location: Durango, CO, Durango Best Western Inn and Suites, 21382 US 160 W, Durango, CO 81303

3) Registration: Riders need to be preregistered AND prequalified to participate in this event. Registration for this event will close at 7:00 pm on Thursday, June 27, 2013. For questions about registration or prequalification, please e-mail Mark Lowe: mvlowe5@comcast.net.

4) Ride start/check-in: 1) Pre-ride check-in will be on Friday, June 28, 2013 at 4:30 pm at the Best Western Durango Inn and Suites. If you are unable to make this meeting, please contact Mark Lowe (mvlowe5@comast.net, 303-895-9532). On Saturday, July 29, 2013, sign-in starts at 1:30 am. Ride starts at 2:00 am sharp. Please be ready to ride 10 minutes early for last minute instructions. (Yes…I know this is really early! But our goal is to have a majority of the riders finish in the daylight. Lights and reflective gear are required!

5) Official support vehicles: We will have two support vehicles for this event. The primary support vehicle will be driven by Charlie Henderson (Charlie's cell phone: 720-480-9714). Participants riding without private SAG support should plan to use Charlie's truck to transport their drop bags. These drop bags will be accessible at checkpoints along the course, including Coal Bank Pass, Ridgway, and Dolores. Our secondary support vehicle will be located at the gas station at Telluride junction. Participants riding with private SAG support need to register their support vehicle with Charlie prior to the start of the ride. Riders with private SAG support may be asked to support other riders in case of an emergency.

6) Time limits: Please keep in mind that this is a timed cycling event! Participants have 19 hours to complete this ride to earn an official finishing time and to receive Colorado Triple Crown credit. Riders can only begin riding at the official start time and must reach all checkpoints before the following time cut-offs to receive an official finishing time: 1) Coal Bank Pass, 5:15 am, 2) Ridgway, 8:45 am, 3) Telluride junction, 2:45 pm, 4) Dolores, 5:30 pm. 5) Durango, 9:00 pm.

7) Additonal Support Points: Riders with private SAG support may also receive additional support at these locations: 1) Silverton, gas station, 2) Red Mountain Pass, 3) Dallas Divide, any safe pull-off, 4) Placerville, store, 5) Rico, convenience store, 6) Mancos, any safe pull-off. Special notes about support: If the weather turns nasty, support can be anywhere!

8) Abandonment: If you need to abandon the ride for any reason, please call Charlie Henderson at 720-480-9714 as soon as possible! We don't want to spend all night worrying about where you are! Please note that we do not sweep the course.

9) Emergencies: If you have an accident or injury that requires emergent attention, please call 911. Please call Charlie ASAP to let him know!

10) Event Rules: Please review the event rules before the ride on Saturday:http://coloradotriplecrown.blogspot.com/2011/05/rules-regulations-and-safety.html

Mountain waterfall, photographed from Imogene Pass, not far from Ouray

Denver-to-Aspen: At the Mercy of the Winds!

The Joe Lookingbill Denver-to-Aspen Classic, contested June 15, 2013, marked the official "kick off" to the 2013 Colorado Triple Crown, Colorado's most difficult road cycling series! This year's Denver-to-Aspen had 29 preregistered riders, the largest number of riders since the RMCC ran the event as a public ride during the 1990s. On paper, the route created by Joe Lookingbill (the master-mind behind the Denver-to-Aspen course) doesn't look very formidable. The current route features 13,000+ feet of climbing in 180 miles...not a terrible stretch from Team Evergreen's Triple Bypass, which features 10,000+ feet of climbing in 120 miles. But as Denver-to-Aspen veterans know, this course--which passes through the heart of the South Park Valley--can become exponentially more difficult than the Triple Bypass, depending on the directions of the prevailing winds. This year's participants were definitely at the mercy of the winds...

South Valley Park...a little piece of Kansas nestled in the heart of the Colorado Rockies.
The winds became increasingly intense through the valley during this year's D2A. 

In 2012, Denver-to-Aspen participants encountered some of the most favorable winds in the history of the event, conducive to producing record times for nearly every participant, including the first sub-ten hour times ever recorded in the history of the event. This year, however, the prevailing westerly winds were not as kind to Denver-to-Aspen participants. Riders who were fortunate enough to finish early in the afternoon were not as adversely affected by the westerly headwinds as those riders who finished later in the day. 

At the 4:00 am start, riders encountered comfortable temperatures in the low-60s and light northwesterly winds. However, it became apparent very early during the day that it would not be a day for records to fall. Right from the start, riders began to experience light westerly headwinds as they climbed Deer Creek Canyon to Conifer. The winds gradually intensified as riders advanced westward along US-285 through Bailey and Grant toward Kenosha Pass, the eastern gateway to the South Park Valley. Upon entering the South Park, the northwesterly winds continued to intensify for many riders. By the early afternoon, as many riders arrived at Buena Vista and the scenic Twin Lakes, many participants were getting throttled by the gusty winds. For many riders, the breezy conditions made the climb up Independence Pass (12,095 feet) seem much more difficult. The gusty conditions definitely took their toll on the psyche of many participants, including RMCC veteran, Kelly Shannon. Kelly commented on this year's windy weather, "This is my ninth Denver-to-Aspen...and these were by far the most brutal headwinds I've ever experienced!" RMCC president, Charlie Henderson, providing event support for this year's event, concurred with Kelly. "Many riders really struggled with the wind this year. The winds were much more difficult to contend with this year than last year!" 

In spite of the less-than-ideal wind conditions, a few riders did manage to post personal best times on the challenging Denver-to-Aspen course. And temperatures remained pleasant throughout the day, reaching the low-60s on top of Independence Pass and the upper-70s in Aspen, which was bustling with activity from its annual summer food and wine festival. Fortunately, skies remained rain (and snow) free for the entire day!

Views of the mountain scenery to the west of Twin Lakes

Congratulations to the trio of Brendan Billingsley, Mark Lowe, and Eric Nelsen for posting the fastest time of the day with a time of 10 hours, 5 minutes. The three riders, who were accompanied by Ryan Franz before Ryan had an unfortunate flat to the north of Buena Vista, encountered much less breezy conditions than riders who finished later in the day. This was Brendan's first Denver-to-Aspen, as well as his foray into long-distance cycling! Riding his second D2A, Eric improved on last year's time by 49 minutes. And congratulations to Diane Benoit, who once again rode hard--handling the adversity of the wind--to repeat as our first female rider!

Congratulations to all of this year's finishers!! Final results will be posted on the RMCC website soon...

Special thanks to our stellar crew of volunteers--Charlie Henderson, Hunter Johnson, Penny Nelson, and Diana Shannon--who made this year's event run flawlessly!

Here are the highlight from this year's event:

1. 29 pre-registered riders (our largest Denver-to-Aspen in years), including 4 out-of-state riders and 5 women.
2. 22 official finishers (88% finishing rate) who successfully completed the 180-mile course with 13,500 feet of climbing Joe Lookingbill foot course in less than 15 hours!
3. 5 DNFs, and 2 DNSs
4. Congratulations to Brendan Billingsley, Mark Lowe, and Eric Nelsen who were the first men's finishers of the day, posting a respectable time of 10 hours, 5 minutes (17.86 mph)...not bad given the abundance of headwinds.
5. Diane Benoit was our first female finisher, posting a final time of 12 hours, 50 minutes (14.02 mph). Congratulations, Diane!
6. As previously mentioned, LOTS of headwinds, which intensified as the day progressed!

Looking a bit disorganized at the conclusion of the ride, Mark Lowe, Brendan Billingsley, and Eric Nelsen are relieved to have survived this year's Denver-to-Aspen without getting too thrashed by the headwinds that worsened as the afternoon progressed. This was Brendan's foray into long-distance cycling...very nice effort indeed!

In spite of the wind, Steve Rudolph managed to post a finishing time that was only 3 minutes slower than last year.
Nice ride, Steve!

Ryan Franz suffered an untimely flat just to the north of Buena Vista, but still managed to finish  with a very impressive time, only 17 minutes behind the lead riders. Several riders fell victim to the green glass on the shoulder
of Trout Creek Pass.

Tom Miller put his newly discovered time-trialing skills to work to post his fastest Denver-to-Aspen ever! Congratulations, Tom!

Drew Knerl and Gary Lancaster finished this year's Denver-to-Aspen together. This was Drew's first D2A
and Gary's second. Nice ride to both of you!

2012 Colorado Triple Crown finisher, Craig Howell, and Mark Stanton, hoping to complete his first Colorado Triple Crown. Nice ride to both you! Craig has had more than his share of flats this season including two
during this year's D2A. However, Craig deals with adversity as well as anyone on two wheels!!

Now 9-time D2A veteran, Kelly Shannon, was a bit rattled by this year's headwinds, but has informed me that he's already looking forward to the 2014 Joe Lookingbill Denver-to-Aspen Classic!

Diane Benoit, who once again proved that she is capable of handling adverse weather conditions, was the first female finisher of this year's D2A. When asked about the upcoming Colorado Death Ride, Diane responded, "Bring it on!!!"

Congratulations, Josh, on completing another Denver-to-Aspen!

Jason Turner successfully completed his first D2A. Congratulations, Jason!

Fran Summerhill, Lisa Purul, and David Secunda at Woody Crook at the conclusion of this year's D2A classic.

Steve Shroer at the Woody Creek tavern, glad to finished after a long day of riding!

California Triple Crown veteran, Lyresa Pleskovitch, traveled from Palo Alto, CA to ride this year's D2A classic.  Congratulations on completing a very difficult ride at altitude!!

Thomas Driscoll from Mountain View, CA, at the Woody Creek Tavern...glad to have survived
his first Colorado Triple Crown event!

RMCC president, Charlie Henderson, is still smiling after a long Day of providing ride support for this year's D2A! Thanks, Charlie! 

Next up...the Colorado Death Ride!!!

Denver-to-Aspen...the 2013 Colorado Triple Crown "Kick Off"

 

Well...after months of preparation, June 15th is almost here! It's one week and counting until next weekend's Joe Lookingbill Denver-to-Aspen Classic, the inaugural event of the 2013 Colorado Triple Crown! Here's a few extra notes for next weekend's event:

Latest Info, 6/14/13: 
1) Registration for the 2013 Joe Lookingbill D2A Classic is now closed. This is our last prequalifier for the other events of the Triple Crown. If you're interested in doing one of the events, please e-mail me about your cycling experience...mvlowe5@comcast.net.

2) Drop bags...a quick clarification...Riders should prepare 2 drop bags for this ride. Your primary drop bag (#1) will go in Charlie Henderson's truck and will be available in Conifer (19 miles) and Buena Vista (109 miles). Your secondary drop bag (#2) will go in Hunter Johnson's jeep and will be available on top of Kenosha Pass (50 miles). Some of the riders who are "savoring the experience" may also have access to their primary drop bags at Kenosha Pass (when Charlie catches up), but faster riders will not. In the past, we've tried to "shuttle" ahead the drop bags of the faster riders to Kenosha, but with a large number of riders and unfamiliar faces, this will be difficult to do this year. Riders will not have access to their drop bags after Buena Vista, so they should plan to grab their cool weather riding gear from their bags in Buena Vista. All drop bags will be available for pick-up at Woody Creek at the end of the ride.

3) Elevation profile for D2A can be found here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/879827


1) Weather: The weather forecast looks good for next weekend. There is now a 30.5657% chance of showers in Buena Vista and Aspen for Saturday. High temperatures for both locations are expected to be in the low 80s. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a repeat of last year's amazing weather (and even more amazing winds)!

2) Registration: Registration is now closed. You need to preregister for this event! If you don't see your name on the event roster and you think it should be, contact Mark Lowe ASAP: mvlowe5@comcast.net. Registration closes Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 10 pm. 

3) Check-In: Rider check-in begins at 3:00 AM at the Ken Caryl and C-470 RTD Park-n-Ride. The ride starts at 4:00 AM. Please arrive early and be ready to ride by 3:45 a.m.

4) Gear Bags: All riders may provide a well-marked (BIG letters, EASY TO READ) gear bag that can be placed in our primary and secondary support vehicle prior to the start of the ride. Each rider will be given a baggage tag prior to the ride that should be placed in an easy-to-see location on his/her drop bag. Small coolers are acceptable.

5) Course notes:  As of June 9, 2013, CDOT is not reporting any delays from road construction on Hwy 285, Hwy 24, or Hwy 82. And so far, no forest fires to deal with--Oops! I spoke too soon!!

6) RMCC support vehicles: We are planning on having two primary support vehicles and two secondary support vehicles for this ride. The primary support vehicles, which will be used to transport rider gear, will be located at Conifer, Kenosha Pass, and Buena Vista. The secondary support vehicles will be stocked with beverages and will be located at Fairplay and Twin Lakes. All support vehicles will be stocked with extra water, Gatorade, Cokes, and a floor pump. The primary vehicle will be driven by Charlie Henderson (cell phone: 720-480-9714). Participants riding without private SAG support should plan to use this support vehicle to transport gear bags. These gear bags will be accessible at checkpoints along the course. Participants riding with private SAG support must register their support vehicle (name of driver, cell phone number, make/model of vehicle, and license number) with Charlie prior to the start of the ride. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Please e-mail Charlie (CharDi2528@aol.com) with this information by Thursday, June 13, or if it is last second, please bring a note card with this information and give this to Charlie prior to the start of the ride.

7) Checkpoints/Passports: After much debate, we have decided to use event passports again this year. This enables riders to record their times if they get ahead of our support vehicles. All riders should plan to have their event passports validated at the following official checkpoints: 1) Conifer (the RTD Park-n-Ride on the north side of Hwy 285), 2) Kenosha Pass Summit, 3) Buena Vista (the intersection of Hwy 24 and Pine Street along the right side of the road), 4) Twin Lakes (south side of road across from store), and 5) Woody Creek Tavern. Finishers should have their event passports validated by Charlie or RMCC staff at the Woody Creek Tavern.

8) Additonal Support Points: All riders with personal support vehicles can receive support at the above checkpoints AND at the following locations: 1) Bailey (Conoco station on the right) and 2) Fairplay (the Sinclair/Strip mall on the right as you enter town), 3) Independence Pass summit.

9) Special notes about support: 1) If the weather turns nasty, support can be anywhere! All riders should plan to grab their cool weather riding gear from their drop bags in Buena Vista. Riders will not have access to their drop bags at Twin Lakes. Remember: temperatures will likely be considerably cooler on top of Independence Pass! Additional supplies can be purchased at the Twin Lakes store, but not on Independence Pass.

10) Time cut-offs: Please note that there are a couple of errors in the pre-ride instructions that were mailed to participants this past week. The correct time cut-offs are listed below. To successfully complete Denver-to-Aspen, you must get to Buena Vista expeditiously! Riders should plan to take the shortest breaks possible at checkpoints and support points. To ensure rider safety, we have two time cut-offs: 1) Conifer: 6:20 a.m, 2) Kenosha Pass: 9:30 a.m., Buena Vista: 2:30 pm, 2) Twin Lakes store: 4:30 pm. If riders do not arrive at these checkpoints by these times, they will not receive official finishing time. Riders must reach the Woody Creek Tavern by 7:00 pm to receive Colorado Triple Crown credit and qualify for the other events of the Triple Crown. Riders who reach Woody Creek after 9:00 pm will not receive an official finishing time. It is RMCC policy to not have participants finish this ride by descending Independence Pass in the dark!

11) Safety: Please ride with extra caution during the event at the following locations: 1) Hwy 285, from Bailey to Kenosha Pass: this section has a very narrow shoulder! 2) Trout Creek Pass: the shoulder narrows considerably as Hwy 285 descends into Johnson Village. Traffic is fairly brisk! 3) Independence Pass (Aspen side): Hwy 82 is often littered with rocks and there are several large potholes on the descent into Aspen! The road is also very narrow in places and will have lots of traffic! (June 15th is also the same day as the Aspen Food and Wine Festival.)

12) Abandonment: If you need to abandon the ride for any reason, please call Charlie Henderson at 720-480-9714 as soon as possible to let him know! Additionally, if you are going to leave Twin Lakes after 4:00 pm or arrive in Woody Creek after 8:00 pm, please call Charlie to let him know! We don't want to spend all  night worrying about where you are! Please note that we do not sweep the course!

13) Emergencies: If you have an accident or injury that requires emergent attention, please call 911. Please call Charlie ASAP to let him know!

14) Event Rules: Please review the event rules before the ride on Saturday:http://coloradotriplecrown.blogspot.com/2011/05/rules-regulations-and-safety.html

2013 Foothills Climbfest Recap

Scenic views of downtown Denver from Deer Creek Canyon

The 2013 Foothills Climbfest, contested on May 25, 2013, was one for the records as a record number of participants--32 glutton-for-punishment RMCCers--decided to tackle this year's Climbfest! Contested on Memorial Day weekend, the Climbfest is one of the longest-standing RMCC Challenge Series events. The course used for the Climbfest, which climbs well over 8,000 vertical feet in just 80 miles, tackles some of the most challenging paved roads in the foothills to the southwest of Denver, including High Grade Road (a 3,000 foot Front Range classic!), Shadow Mountain/Brook Forest, Parmalee Gulch Road, High Drive (it's not called high drive for nothing!), and Brook Forest/Shadow Mountain (in reverse...a "beast" of a climb at the end of a long day, especially in the heat!). Although not officially a race, participants of the Foothills Climbfest are encouraged to challenge themselves and put forth their best efforts. Many riders use this event as a final tune-up for the Joe Lookingbill Denver-to-Aspen Classic on June 15th, the first event of the Colorado Triple Crown.

For this year's event, participants were greeted with beautiful, partly cloudy skies and unseasonably warm temperatures, which reached the mid-80s by the middle of the afternoon. Winds were also generally on the light side, but many riders concurred that there were an abundance headwinds this year...

Congratulations to Diane Benoit of Morrison, CO for matching Wendy Field's 2009 woman's course record of 5:31! And congratulations to all of the year's participants for their hard work!! Results will be posted on the RMCC web page soon.

Special thanks to Charlie Henderson and Rick Melick for providing event support for this year's ride. Rick filled in on last minute's notice to help out, so I am grateful for his help!!! (Yes, Rick...you can have my first-born as promised...)

RMCC President, Charlie Henderson, along with Tom Groves, Steve Rudolph, and Tom Miller
at the conclusion of this year's event. 

Here are the highlights from this year's event:

• 30 preregistered riders, 6 non-preregistered riders, and many other club riders who decided to attempt parts of this very challenging course.
• 32 participants (by far our largest group ever!)
• 4 no-shows (Okay...that's a little better than BF5)
• 3 female participants (A little extra estrogen on the road during these events is a good thing!)
• Once again, congratulations to Diane Benoit who tied Wendy Fields women's 2009 course record of 5:31 (14:49 m.p.h.)!
• Mark Lowe of Arvada, CO was first men's finisher in 4:43 (16.95 m.p.h.), a bit (a lot!) off of his course record of 4:23 (18.48 m.p.h) he set in 2011.
• Sy Katz, at 73 years young, becomes our oldest finisher ever for this event with a very impressive finishing time of 5:58. Not to be outdone, Tom Groves, at the ripe young age of 65, posted the first sub-five hour time for any finisher older the age of 60 with an impressive finishing time of 4:55. Congratulations to both of you! 
• Lots of flat tires!
• One minor crash (that I'm aware of)...
• 25 gallons of water consumed (Yes...it was on the toasty side!)

Eric Nelsen at the conclusion of this year's Climbfest. Eric is continuing to dial in the position on his new Cannondale in preparation for the upcoming Colorado Triple Crown.

Lloyd Jones, Mark Stanton, and Josh Horwood are relieved to be finished!

Mike Sanders and Diane Benoit at the conclusion of this year's ride. Mike and Diane worked together toward the end of this year's ride to help Diane match the women's course record set by Wendy Fields in 2009. 

Jacob Torrey and RMCC veteran Harris Rosenthal at the conlusion of this year's event are excited about the prospect of grabbing a burger at the Rox Bar and Grill after a hard day on the bike!

Sy Katz and Eric Oshlo at the conclusion of this year's ride. Congratulations to both of you!

Marty Medina bettered last year's time finishing time by 45 minutes. Congratulations, Marty!

Martha Pomares, trying to escape the camera, was only the second female finisher for this year's event. Congratulations on completing another Climbfest, Martha!

RMCC newcomer, Paul Braun, at the conclusion of this year's Climbfest...

Foothills Climbfest

Scenic views of High Grade Road, twisting its way back toward Deer Creek Canyon

The RMCC Foothills Climbfest, which will be contested Saturday, April 7, 2018, is a mainstay on the RMCC calendar. It is the longest standing RMCC Challenge Series event. And for many riders, it is one of the final "tune-ups" for the Colorado Triple Crown. Starting in Ken Caryl, the Climbfest is a true test of cycling perseverance, climbing over 8,000 feet in 80 miles. The route features five climbs in the foothills to the southwest of Denver:

• Deer Creek Canyon/High Grade Road (a true foothills classic!)
• Shadow Mountain/Brook Forest
• Parmalee Gulch Road
• High Drive Road
• Brook Forest/Shadow Mountain (in reverse) 

Like other RMCC Challenge Series events, the Climbfest is not officially a race...but it's as close to a race as any event on the RMCC calendar! Riders are encouraged to push themselves to the maximum limit of their cycling abilities. And as always, friendly competition is encouraged!

The Climbfest also happens to be the RMCC club ride. RMCC members and non-members are more than welcome to ride the course along with Climbfest participants. However, only participants in the Climbfest will be allowed to use the RMCC support vehicles to obtain extra water along the course.

Red rocks formations at South Valley Park

A few notes about the Climbfest:

• Date: Saturday, April 7, 2018
• Time: Check in 7:00 am - 7:50 am. You will not be able to check in after 7:50 am. Ride starts promptly at 8:00 am.
• Start/End location: Ken Caryl RTD Park-n-Ride in Littleton, CO
• Registration: Pre-registration is encouraged! Registration will open 3/1/2018. This allows us to figure out how much water we need to bring! However, RMCC membership is REQUIRED to participate in this event. If you are not a member and would like to ride, please bring your RMCC membership application and $25 to the ride start. Here's a link to the on-line RMCC membership.
• Course:  Here is a link to the course map/cue sheet, which is also available on the RMCC webpage: Foothills Climbfest. Please familiarize yourself the course before the day of the event! This is an "open-road" event. The roads are open to traffic, there are no course markings or marshals...just you and your fellow competitors! As such, participants need to ride defensively with safety as their utmost priority!! Riders must follow the rules of the road!!
• Results: Please keep in mind that this is a "timed" event. Participants have 7 hours to complete the entire course to receive an official finishing time. Results, including rider splits at checkpoints, will be posted in finishing order on the RMCC webpage, including age and gender. Rider's splits will be recorded at the following checkpoints along the course: 1) Top of Shadow Mountain Drive (Closing time: 10:20), 2) Base of High Drive Road (Closing time: 11:50), 3) Top of Shadow Mountain Drive (Closing time: 13:45), 4) Finish: Ken Caryl RTD Park-n-Ride (Closing time: 15:00). 
• Support vehicles: RMCC will provide two support vehicles for this event. The support vehicles will be stocked with water and ice. Riders may keep additional supplies that they will need to successfully complete the event in the support vehicles.
• Course records, Men: Mark Lowe, 2011 (4:23, 18:48 mph), Women: Mindy Gehrs, 2014 (5:06, 15.90 mph)

Views of Denver in the distance from Deer Creek Canyon

2013 Boulder Fearsome Five Recap

Spectacular vistas from near the top of Sunshine Canyon. Clouds and chilly temperatures
were the norm for the 2013 Boulder Fearsome Five.

The 2013 Boulder Fearsome Five is in the books! And what an EPIC day on the bike it was!! The Boulder Fearsome Five, the first event of the 2013 RMCC Challenge Series, is (without a doubt!) the nation's most difficult century ride! "Los Cinco Diablos" features Boulder County's most devilishly steep climbs, including James Canyon (a.k.a. the SuperJames), Sunshine Canyon-Fourmile Canyon loop, Sugarloaf Road, the uber-steep Magnolia Road, and Flagstaff Road...over 15,000+ feet of climbing in 100 miles (>150+ feet of climbing/mile). In fact, at the completion of the ride, most finisher's Garmin computers registered over 16,000 feet of climbing!!

RMCC newcomer (and climbing extraordinaire!), Chris Case, effortlessly climbs the steepest dirt sections of Sunshine Canyon. Chris smoked this extremely challenging course, posting the only sub-eight hour finishing time for the day!

This year's event also featured a few additional "twists" to further add to the challenge. First, riders had to complete the five major climbs of the course in consecutive order from north-to-south to receive credit for completing the ride. Last year's route, which completed the five major climbs from south-to-north, (starting with Flagstaff Mountain), was "top heavy" in climbing, featuring over 10,000 feet of climbing in the first 50 miles. The second half of last year's route was much more manageable for most riders (who didn't get caught in the freak snowstorm on top of James Canyon), climbing "only" 5,000 feet in 50 miles. This year's route definitely balanced the climbing out a bit more, climbing slightly over 8,000 feet in the first 50 miles and 7,000 feet in the second half of the ride. However, this meant that riders had to tackle the formidable Magnolia Road (Boulder County's steepest sustained paved road, avg. grade 9.1%) and Flagstaff Road, with it's uber-steep final mile, at the very end of the ride. This clearly added to the misery of many riders who were already experiencing problems with cramping legs! Also adding to the challenge was the addition of Bow Mountain Road, a 1.5 mile gravel climb with grades as steep as 16% that snakes its way into the Linden neighborhood to the northwest of Boulder!

This RMCC Challenge Series event has a unique format as results are posted based on number of climbs completed...not finishing time. However, riders can compete to earn the distinction of posting the fastest time on the course. This year's honors belong to RMCC newcomer, Chris Case, who completed this incredibly challenging course in 7 hours, 47 minutes. RMCC club veteran and endurance specialist, Ryan Franz, who was coming off a successful winter of rando ski racing, wasn't far behind, finishing in 8 hours, 7 minutes! Congratulations to both of you for a stellar ride!!

As with last year's event, the Front Range spring weather definitely added to the challenge of this year's ride! Sunny skies in the morning gave way to low-level clouds, chilly temperatures, and even some light snow showers at the highest elevations of Sugarloaf Road in the afternoon. The mild 60 degree temperatures that had been forecast the previous day never materialized as an inversion layer kept temperatures hovering in the low-to-mid-40s for most of the day. However, the recent April snowstorms made the gravel sections on Sunshine Canyon and Fourmile Canyon extremely easy to navigate as the roads were very well-packed! In fact, most riders found the sandy sections of Linden Road and Magnolia Road much more difficult to navigate than even the gravel roads themselves.

Congratulations to all of the riders for attempting this incredibly challenging course! And special kudos to the 15 riders who conquered "Los Cinco Diablos!" 

Results (based on number of climbs completed) will be posted on the RMCC webpage in the next few days. Please note that we do our best to report results as accurately as possible. However, a number of riders did not accurately complete (or even sign) their cue cards...

Special thanks to Ansel Franz, Grace Franz, Josh Horwood, and Mark Lowe for providing event support for this year's ride!! (Ansel does perhaps the best elephant imitation that I've ever seen a one-year-old do before BTW!) 

Like "blazing saddles," RMCCers ride west though Jamestown toward the SuperJames, the first major climb of the day.
Riders were  greeted with temperatures in the upper 30s at the top of the climb,
making for an extremely blustery descent!

Event Stats:

1. 100 miles, including 5 major climbs, 3 smaller climbs, and 9 miles of steep dirt roads...for a grand total of approximately 15,500 feet of climbing!
2. 35 ride starters (a new record for this event!)
3. 3 women (Yes...woman can participate in this event too! Alas, no female finishers for 2013...)
4. 7 no-shows (Boo on you!) 
5. 15 riders completed the entire course (43% completion rate)
6. Fastest finishing time: Chris Case, 7 hours, 47 minutes
7. Average time to complete the entire course: 9 hours, 32 minutes
8. 2 minor crashes that I'm aware of...I hope you guys are healing well!!
9. Gallons of water consumed: 20
10. Gatorades consumed: 32
11. Cokes consumed: 24
12. Memories to last a lifetime: countless!!

Okay...someone in Gold Hill has a sense of humor!

What the riders were saying about this year's event:

"This year's route was much harder than last year's route! - Steve Rudolph (Good...that was the intention!)

"That was even harder than Denver-to-Aspen!! - Eric Nelsen, first time BF5 participant (If this doesn't get you ready for the Colorado Triple Crown, nothing will!!)

"-uck Koppenburg! This ride was much better than that race!!" - Unknown rider

"Great course! Extremely beautiful!" - Jill Hueckman

"Thanks for putting on a great ride. I had a blast, flat tire withstanding!" - Nick Legan

"This year with Magnolia and Flagstaff at the end, that was downright brutal! I didn't realize my bike could go that slow!" - Chuck Matthys, BF5 veteran

"Have you thought about including Lickskillet Road or Deer Trail Road in the course?? - Josh Horwood (Josh...never give a psychopath ideas...you may live to regret those thoughts! :)

"You are evil!" - Chris Case, referring to the placement of Magnolia Rd. and Flagstaff Rd. at the end of the ride. (I take that as a complement BTW!) 

RMCC veteran, Ryan Franz, pulls into the check point near the top of Sunshine Canyon in hot pursuit of Chris Case...

Brendan Billingsley arrives at the Sunshine Canyon checkpoint. 

Looking daper in his Colorado Triple Crown kit, Craig Howell arrives at the top of Sunshine Canyon.

Riders regroup after a quick break near the top of Sunshine Canyon.

There were not a lot of smiling faces with this group of riders! These riders were exhausted
after completing over 8,000 feet of climbing in less than 50 miles!

RMCC veteran Steve Rudolph consoles Kelly Shannon at the end of the ride. Kelly was disappointed that he "called it a day" after completing the Sugarloaf climb. Chilly temperatures on top of Sugarloaf got the best of him! Still...80 miles and over 10,000 feet of climbing...not a bad day's work! 

They're Baaaaack...Los Cinco Diablos!

For 2017.....they're baaaaaack! Los Cinco Diablos...or otherwise known as the Boulder Fearsome Five, for the first time since the epic Front Range floods of 2013. The Boulder Fearsome Five is the nation's toughest century ride!!! Featuring 16,000+ feet of climbing in 100 miles (>160 feet/mile), the Boulder Fearsome Five is truly the nation's most vertically-challenged cycling century! And with several climbs reaching over 8,000 feet in elevation, the rarified Colorado air definitely adds to the challenge!

The climbs featured in this event are truly Boulder County's most "devilish" climbs...Flagstaff Mountain Road, Magnolia Road, Sugarloaf Road, Sunshine Canyon/Fourmile Canyon loop, and the SuperJames. In fact, there's probably not many places in the world where you can find as many challenging road cycling climbs within such close proximity to each other as in Boulder!

Holy crap!!! What are we getting ourselves into???

The elevation profile for the 2016 Boulder Fearsome Five. Do you feel nauseated?!?

Event Background Information and Rules:

1) Date: Aug/Sept 2017  TBD.

2) Start/End location: Eben G. Fine Park, west Arapahoe Street, Boulder, Colorado. Note: If possible, try to park in the neighborhoods to the east of the park to preserve parking for park patrons.

3) Course: 2017 Boulder Fearsome Five
Official cue sheet will be available at the start of the ride. Climbs must be ridden completed in the order previewed on this map and listed on the cue sheet to receive credit for completing the climb.

4) Mission: the primary goal of this event is to safely complete as many of Boulder County's most notorious climbs as possible within the 11 hour time limit. This club event is not a race!  For some riders, this event will be an opportunity to spend a fun (but challenging) day on the bike with their fellow RMCC friends. For other riders, it will a chance to train for other "climbing" events...maybe a local hill climb race such as Bob Cooke/Mt. Evans or the events of the Colorado Triple Crown. However, for everyone who participates, it will be a cruel reminder that cycling season is finally here! Time to dust off those climbing legs and get to work!!!

5) Results. Results will be posted based on number of climbs completed in 11 hours. Individual rider's times will not be posted.

6) Registration. RMCC membership is required to participate in this event. If you're not a member and you want to participate, please sign up: RMCC Membership! There is no additional registration fee...just bring a smile, a good attitude, and your best climbing legs!!! RMCC membership forms will be available at the start of the ride. Pre-registration on the RMCC main page is encouraged to participate in this event. Pre-registration allows us to plan how much water we need to stock our support vehicle with.

7) Safety: 1) Riders are strongly encouraged have a red tail light to ride through the tunnel in Boulder Canyon. This tunnel is not very long (75 yards or so), but it is simply too dark to ride through it safely without a tail light! 2) This course has about 8 miles of dirt/gravel roads. Riding road bikes on gravel roads is an acquired skill. Please practice before the day of this ride!

8) Did I mention that this ride is extremely difficult?!?

Climb Descriptions:

The top of the SuperJames climb and the high point of the BFF course, a little over 8,500 feet!

Devil #1: The Super James
Starting from Eben G. Fine Park in Boulder, riders will travel north on the western streets of Boulder, turning west on Lee Hill Road and climbing over Olde Stage Road. At the junction of Lefthand Canyon, riders will head west and embark on their first devilish climb of the day. This devil, known to Boulderites as the "Super James," climbs James Canyon Road through the town of Jamestown, eventually pitching upward as the road name changes to Overland Road. For participants of the Boulder Fearsome Five, this climb marks the beginning of a long day suffering! After passing through the town of Jamestown, James Canyon Road continues to get steeper and steeper and steeper! The final 1.5 miles features consistent grades of 14-15%! As the road flattens out a bit at the summit and riders reach the very much anticipated "Pavement Ends" sign, participants can breathe a sigh of relief after completing the first major climb of the day!  Now back to Boulder! Time is ticking to complete the Boulder Fearsome Five course in under 11 hours!

Mini-Devil #1: Lee Hill Drive
Lee Hill Road is a route that is familiar to many RMCC club veterans, as the club frequents this climb several times per year. From Lefthand Canyon, participants will climb up the western side of Lee Hill Drive. Riders will be relieved to know that the western side of Lee Hill Drive is not nearly as long or as steep as the eastern side. After descending the steepest sections of Lee Hill Drive, participants will make an immediate right onto Wagonwheel Gap Road.

Mini-Devil #2: Wagonwheel Gap Road/Linden Drive Loop
Okay...not many riders outside of Boulder are aware of the Linden neighborhood. Nestled in the foothills to the west of Boulder, this little community--with its steep, windy residential roads is a mini-cycling gem--and in this case, a mini-devil! It also marks the first time that riders will encounter gravel roads for the day. What was that??? You read that correctly.....gravel roads. I beg your pardon! Road bikes on gravel roads??? This is simply preposterous!!! This simply cannot be!!! Well, the Boulder Fearsome Five is a clear departure from the RMCC norm to not ride on gravel roads. But that's what you're going to do to complete this mini-devil challenge!!! From Wagonwheel Gap Road, riders will turn south onto Bow Mountain Road. The climb up Bow Mountain Road is not long...only a little over one mile in length, but it is steep!!! Riders will encounter grades as steep as 15% on gravel roads. Be prepared to keep your hind end in the saddle! Riders will complete the paved Wild Horse Circle loop at the top of the climb before beginning the twisty descent down Timber Lane and Linden Drive to return to west Boulder.

Scenic views from Fourmile Canyon

Devil #2: Sunshine Canyon-Gold Hill-Fourmile Canyon: The Dirty Devil!
For their next devilish climb, riders will embark on one of Boulder's classic cycling loops, the Sunshine Canyon-Fourmile Canyon loop, passing through the communities of Gold Hill and Salina. This loop is simply one of the best cycling climbs in the state! Andy Hampsten, the only American to ever win the Giro D'Italia (1988), has called this route his favorite in Boulder County. Well...if it's good enough for Andy, then it's good enough for the RMCC! In all honesty, if you've never ridden this route, then you're missing out on a true cycling gem! This loop features serene, peaceful canyon roads, and amazing mountain views! However, the climb is very steep in places, pitching up to 18% toward the top of Sunshine Canyon. And there is also the omnipresent reminder of forest fires. The 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire devastated large sections of Fourmile Canyon and Sunshine Canyon...the damage can be seen for miles.

Ominous views from Sunshine Canyon are a constant reminder
that forest fires are a very real risk in Boulder County!

In order complete this loop, however, riders are going to once again ride on gravel roads...nearly seven consecutive miles of gravel roads for that matter! For the most part, the gravel roads are in very good shape. Yes...there are some sandy sections (especially in the switchbacks) that can be a bit tricky to negotiate. But the views of the amazing rock formations and mountain vistas from the top of this classic Boulder loop are stunning, making this loop worth the added effort! From near the top of Sunshine Canyon, riders will complete the final three miles of this climb on packed gravel roads, then make a tricky four-mile descent through the rustic communities of Gold Hill and Salina. From Salina, riders will once again embrace the beautiful smooth pavement of Fourmile Canyon Drive, descending south to Boulder Canyon. Riders will turn west onto Boulder Canyon Drive toward their next climbing challenges of the day...the feared Sugarloaf Road and Magnolia Road!

Views from the packed gravel roads on top of Sunshine Canyon

Devil #3: Sugarloaf Road
It can be argued that this climb is perhaps the "easiest" of the Boulder Fearsome Five climbs: 1) It doesn't have the insanely steep grades featured in the other climbs of the Fearsome Five and 2) Sugarloaf Road "only" gains 1,600 feet in 6.7 miles. (Although it does descend almost 500 feet to the turn-around point at the "Pavement Ends" sign. Riders do have to climb back up this section to return to the "high point" of this climb). However, Sugarloaf Road can become a beast of climb if there are brisk westerly headwinds or if temperatures are on the toasty side. Sun exposure can be a real issue on this climb as forest fires from past years have left the top portions of this climb with a barren, moonscape appearance. Be prepared to descend like "blazing saddles" when returning toward Boulder Canyon as this descent is not nearly as technical as some of the other downhills that riders will descend during the Boulder Fearsome Five. After returning to Boulder Canyon, riders will head east down the canyon, immediately turning south onto Magnolia Road.

Yup...that's not a lie! Be prepared to suffer, especially on Magnolia Road!!!

Devil #4: Magnolia Road
Okay...Magnolia Road is a BEAST! Don't be fooled by its serene, peaceful name... Magnolia Road has Boulder County's steepest sustained grades, climbing almost 2100 feet in 5 miles (avg 9.1% and 420 feet/mile). In comparison, Lookout Mountain in Golden climbs 1,250 feet in 4.5 miles from the pillar at the bottom of the mountain to the turn-off for Buffalo Bill's grave (277.7 feet/mile). Magnolia is 34% steeper than Lookout Mountain! The first two miles will hit you like a "ton of bricks," averaging almost 14%! The road does "mellow" a bit after the first two miles, but then pitches upward again as the road switchbacks toward the summit. Exhausted riders will turn around at the "Pavement Ends" sign. Be sure to record your time and answer the informational question on your cue card to receive credit for completing the climb. From the turn-around point, riders will begin the gnarly descent down Magnolia Road back to Boulder Canyon. Be cautious of gravel on the road! Riders will then head east down Boulder Canyon Drive back to Eben G. Fine Park to grab a quick snack and to refill their bottles before beginning the final devil of the day...Flagstaff Mountain!

The pristine Boulder Flatirons at the base of Flagstaff Mountain

Devil # 5: Flagstaff Mountain
From Eben G. Fine Park, riders will head south through side streets of west Boulder to approach Baseline Road, which runs to the north of Boulder's beautiful Chautauqua Park. From this point, riders will begin the daunting task of climbing Flagstaff Mountain, gaining nearly 2300 feet from Eben G. Fine Park. The actual climb is only a little over 5 miles long, but mile 4 to 4.5 will have you begging for mercy, pitching up to 20% in the switchbacks! Congratulations on conquering the final devil! But participants shouldn't get too content! They still have to get back to Eben G. Fine Park to get their event passports turned in before the 11 hour time limit expires. From the summit of Flagstaff Mountain, riders will make the final descent back to Eben G. Fine Park.

Views of the dreaded tunnel along Boulder Canyon Drive

Words of Caution: 
1) Overall, this route is a fairly safe route. However, Boulder Canyon--with its speedy traffic--is not the safest cycling road. But hey...it's Boulder, and most drivers are fairly conscientious of cyclists. In spite of this, riding single file is imperative!!! Always be sure to look behind you before passing another rider to make sure you are obstructing traffic.

2) As previously stated many times, please be extremely careful when riding (either ascending or descending) Boulder Canyon. This road has a very narrow (and in some places no) shoulder.

3) Riders are encouraged to take their time and safely navigate the gravel sections of the course, especially from the top of Sunshine Canyon through Gold Hill and Salina.

4) I'll mention it again...as riders cruise west up the Boulder Canyon, they will encounter a short (75 yard) tunnel approximately 3 miles west of Eben G. Fine Park. Riders are strongly encouraged to have a rear red tail light to ride through this tunnel!!! It is simply too dark to proceed through it without a tail light!!! If you notice that you will be riding through the tunnel as vehicles approaching from behind, please pull of the road momentarily to allow traffic to enter the tunnel first!!!

5) Please be careful on ALL of the descents. Given the frequent spring snow storms this season, many of these roads will undoubtedly be covered with gravel.  These descents are NOT the best places to try to beat your friends to the bottom!

Riders at the start of the 2012 Boulder Fearsome Five.

Event Tips and Strategies:
1) Nutrition and hydration are critical to completing this challenge! These climbs are insanely difficult and it is very easy to bonk (especially early in the season) if you do not keep up with your caloric intake, hydration, and electrolytes. Consider eating a bar or snack at the top of each climb.

2) After completing the first climb up Flagstaff Mountain Road, riders are encouraged to return to their vehicles at Eben G. Fine Park to refill their water bottles before starting the jaunt up Boulder Canyon to the beastly Magnolia Road.

3) Riders are strongly encouraged to ride with three water bottles, at least for the first 40 miles. The RMCC will provide a support vehicle stocked with water that will be located at several locations along the course (see above). Riders may store any additional provisions that they may require in the support vehicle. After completing the climb up Magnolia Road, riders may return to their vehicles at Eben G. Fine Park in Boulder and refill their bottles before beginning the final climb up Flagstaff Mountain.

5) Consider riding with 25 mm (or even 28 mm) tires for this event! These will be especially helpful on the long (7+ miles) packed gravel sections of Sunshine Canyon, Gold Run Road, and Fourmile Canyon Road.

6) If your legs require a bit of "warming up" before riding, consider arriving 15-20 minutes early to do a bit of spinning.

7) Oh yeah...gearing...bring the smallest gears you can find. A 34 x 28-32 would be ideal (and you still won't have enough gears)!!

Good luck to everyone as you get ready to tackle Los Cinco Diablos! May the cycling forces be with you!