From the Flumes trails, I connect to Tom's Baby for the mountain bike commute home from Breckenridge, Colorado.

Route: Loop on Lower Flume, Middle Flume and Upper Flume
Start/End: Flumes trailhead on County Road 450, near the Breckenridge Recycling Center
Flumes Trail Season: Summer and fall (running, mountain biking), provided there’s not an excess of moisture*; some areas popular with cross country skiers in winter

*Please be sensitive to muddy and/or wet trails. In the words of the Summit Fat Tire Society, know when to ride, walk or turn around. Check out one of many fab articles on trail responsibility: http://www.summitfattire.org/?p=413

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I know, I know. Bragging is arrogant, it’s rude and simply annoying. But record snow and rain in Summit County, Colorado has resulted in brilliant wildflowers and my work commute gives me a front-row seat to all the color. What’s that mean? My commute is probably cooler than yours.

Several days each week I make the Dillon to Breckenridge commute by a mix of bike and bus; of those days, my favorites are those on trails. The mountain bike route home involves about 90 to 95 percent dirt, a mix of four-wheel drive roads and sweet singletrack that meanders through the valley just north of Keystone.

When I recently volunteered for the Breckenridge 100, I met a few guys who’d driven thousands of miles, from the heart of Mexico, to compete on Summit County’s network of trails. We’re fortunate enough to ride these trails all summer long and I love it.

In this series detailing the trails of my commute home, I’ll cover some popular routes that make great little after-work loops on their own; connected, they expose a vast network of trails that extends far beyond Summit County.

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Summit County, Colorado's frequently-used trails require more than respect. Give back with a volunteer day.

Like many residents of Summit County, Colorado, I spend much of my summer exploring the expansive trail network our home has to offer. With the local trails seeing so much use, it’s important to go beyond respect and give back with a little (or a lot of) manual labor.

Several trails organizations in Summit County have released their 2011 projects and below is a rundown, not including ongoing stewardship programs. Contact the individual organizations for project details.

Friends of the Dillon Ranger District: 2011 trail projects near Dillon, Colorado
Sign up online to participate

• May 14th: Tree Planting with the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (Family Oriented)
• May 21st: Town/Forest Clean-Up
• May 22nd: Tree Re-planting with Keller Williams Realty
• June 4th: National Trails Day, Sponsored by Friends of the Eagles Nest Wilderness, the Summit Fat Tire Society and Friends of the Dillon Ranger District
• July 9th: Pulling For Colorado, Summit County Weed Pull
• July 23rd: Summit Trail Running Series – FDRD Horseshoe Gulch Trail Project
• July 23rd: Quandary Peak Project with the Colorado Fourteeneers Initiative
• August 20th: Fire Mitigation Project
• September 10th: Beetlefest in Frisco
• September 17th-18th: Trail Project with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado at the Keystone Homestead
• September 24th: National Public Lands Day – Volunteer Celebration
• October 8th: Make A Difference Day with Summit Prevention Alliance

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Convenient for Dillon Valley residents, Summit County's Straight Creek Trail is accessible in all four seasons.

Route: Straight Creek trail from Dillon Valley toward the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels
Start/End: Out and back via trailhead accessed from Forest Rd. 51 and multiple neighborhood trails around Dillon Valley
Season: Year-round

My personal athletic accomplishments have always been a result of stubbornness rather than physical prowess. Though close family may argue otherwise, I claim this trait as an asset, one that has allowed me to push my body beyond what I thought possible for me. And so I became one of those people who felt that my heart rate needed to be up for a minimum of 60 minutes, saddle time at least two hours. And swims? Anything under 45 minutes was just a waste of my time.

I have changed. I’ve certainly not picked up speed; rather, these days I’m much more interested in exploring my Summit County backyard and staying fit so I can continue doing the things I enjoy. I’m happy to get 15 minutes from the house to let the dog walk in the creek. Jumping on my bike for coffee and window shopping in Frisco is a great way to spend a summer evening. Last week, I played hooky to go for a 20-minute run on a quiet, snowy morning. And finally, here’s where we get to the part you were probably seeking to begin with: the trail overview. [Read more →]

Looking to climb two fourteeners in one day? Grays and Torreys offers a good option close to Summit County.

Route: Standard Grays and Torreys routes, the east slopes of Grays and south slopes of Torreys
Start/End: Grays and Torreys trailhead, accessed via FR189 off the Bakerville exit of I-70
Season: While some people tackle winter ascents of Grays and Torreys, we fit in with the majority of folks and climb late summer and early fall to avoid major snow. If winter temperatures arrive early, even fall can get hairy up high on Grays and Torreys.

I’d be lying if I said I’m sad to see snow capping the Peaks of the Tenmile and Gore Ranges. In fact, I’m quite excited for winter in Colorado. But it doesn’t mean we’ve been letting the amazing Colorado weather go to waste. Just a few weeks ago, Eric and I took advantage of the Indian Summer and made our first trip up Grays and Torreys, arguably two of Colorado’s most popular fourteeners (14-thousand-foot-plus mountains).

The drive to the Grays / Torreys trailhead (from the I-70 exit) was pretty stunning. Back-lit by the morning sun, golden aspen stood on either side of the narrow, dusty road. Not a surprise on a Saturday, the parking lot was nearly full by our 8:45 a.m. arrival. Deep shadows made for cool weather starting out.

Below are photos, mostly thanks to Eric, of our travels up and down Grays and Torreys.

Eric smiles for a photo at the trailhead for the Grays and Torreys standard route.

The shadows made for a cool start to the Grays and Torreys hike.

The blue-sky day was perfect for hiking Grays and Torreys.

A harsh-looking drainage on Torreys

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The Herman's Gulch trail, near Summit County, Colorado, is an excellent choice for hiking with pets.

Route: out-and-back to Herman Lake on the Herman’s Gulch trail
Start/End: Herman’s Gulch trailhead, Exit 218, just off I-70
Season: Summer and Fall

Herman Lake is the destination for most folks hiking the Herman's Gulch trail, located near Summit County, Colorado.

I’m becoming a fan of fall. Not that I haven’t always enjoyed it; but lately I’ve been more hooked than ever on those cool mornings that become warm bluebird days with no clouds in sight.

Here in Colorado, fall means changing aspen. For the most part, we don’t have the red, orange and yellow trees the east coast sees … just the bright yellows of the aspen and shortly thereafter, the rich golds of the cottonwoods.

On the Herman’s Gulch trail, just off I-70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel, fall means more than changing aspen. Grassy shrubs on the hillsides of the surrounding peaks turn shades of orange and red. [Read more →]

Blazes mark some of the route along the Peaks Trail in Summit County, Colorado.

I’ve gotten some questions about the Peaks Trail, one of my favorite trails in Summit County, Colorado. So here’s an overview of what I’ve discovered. A longer version will be published soon at goColorado.com, so I’ll post the link when the article goes online.

Trailheads
With a trailhead in Frisco, near Miner’s Creek Road, and another in Breckenridge, off Ski Hill Road, the Peaks Trail is about 7.5 miles in length and travels along the foot of Peaks 1-7 of Colorado’s Tenmile Range. [Read more →]

The Peaks Trail runs between Breckenridge and Frisco in Summit County, Colorado.

Route: Breckenridge to Frisco via the Peaks Trail
Start: Peaks trailhead in Breckenridge, Colorado, accessed by Ski Hill Rd.
End: Miner’s Creek Road to County Commons in Frisco, Colorado
Season: Winter
For more specific route information on the Breckenridge to Frisco Peaks Trail, read Overview of the Peaks Trail: Summit County, Colorado.

Summit County’s Peaks Trail, a trail I’ve come to know mostly as a summer mountain bike route, is currently covered with more snow than I would have imagined, especially considering the balmy weather of late. [Read more →]

traversing toward Uneva Pass, near Frisco, Colorado

Route: Uneva Pass from Frisco to Copper Mountain via the Gore Range Trail (also known as the Wheeler-Dillon Trail)
Start: North Tenmile Creek Trailhead in Frisco, I-70 exit 201; overnight parking available in the bike path parking area
End: Copper Mountain
Season: Fall

The sounds of our breathing as we punched our feet through knee-deep snow was mostly what we heard at near 12,000 feet. That, and the occasional jet flying overhead. [Read more →]