Divide Adventure Ride Explanation

Description of the Divide Adventure Ride.

Ride from and to the Colorado Springs Airport.
Ride over 11+ Mountain Passes in the Heart of the Rockies
4 Days, 3 nights and over 750+ miles of Adventure bike friendly terrain you could drive your wife’s Subaru over.
If you rode all the long loops, you would ride 834 Miles and Gain 80,807 feet in elevation.
If you rode all the short loops, you would ride 734 Miles and gain 68,096 feet in elevation.
The only real pavement sections are getting out and back to the Airport in Colorado Springs, Independence and Cottonwood Passes.

**Independence Pass 12,095 feet above sea level**

The ride starts from the secure Colorado Springs Airport and returns 4 days later.
This is not a Guided ride.
You follow Phone Compatible Ride with GPS Tracks.
Ride with who you want to. New Buddies or old.
Leave when you wish, though typically the Club likes to see everyone on the trail by 9 AM.
The Ride includes Gear Portage so you may ride unencumbered.
Park your truck at the secure Colorado Springs airport.

This ride from Colorado Springs uses almost every old Railroad right-of-way in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains.

railroad CS CCV — **CS&CCV in front of St. Peters Dome**

Example of old Railroads the Divide Rides uses:

Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek & Victor
Florence & Cripple Creek
Denver & Rio Grande Western
Colorado Midland
Denver, South Park & Pacific

All of these old Railroad lines are now dirt roads.
They are all a steady grade, most include turn of century tunnels, and all are a complete hoot to ride.

Divide Adventure Ride Explanation — **Divide Adventure Ride Map**

We are not out to torture anyone.
This is just a Fun Adventure Ride with as much off-road as possible.
The Ride on the Divide is a low-key, high adventure, no hassle Club ride.
In the Heart of the Rocky Mountains.
Includes proven phone compatible GPS Tracks.
Gear Portage.
2 nights camping.
Some meals and a Chase Truck.
1 Night Lodging in Leadville is on you.

The ride starts in Colorado Springs and uses almost every old Railroad right-of-way in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains. 4 days, 3 nights and 750+ miles. Example of old Railroads the Divide Rides uses: Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek & Victor. Florence & Cripple Creek. Denver & Rio Grande Western, Colorado Midland, Denver, South Park & Pacific. All of these old Railroad lines are now dirt roads. They are all a steady grade, most include turn of century tunnels, and all are a hoot to ride. — **Pass Signs**

Ride over 11+ Mountain Passes you’ve probably heard about:

Victor Pass*
Trout Creek Pass
Weston Pass
Independence Pass*
Hagerman Pass
Mosquito Pass**
Weston Pass*
Cottonwood Pass*
Cumberland Pass
Waunita Pass
Blacksage Pass
Old Monarch Pass
Monarch Pass*
Marshall Pass
Ute Pass*
Pikes Peak (Not a Pass)*

*Paved

** Challenging Alternate Challenge

The concept for the ADV Ride on the Divide is to make it easy for you do enjoy riding over mountain passes on the Continental Divide for 4 days in the Heart of the Rockies.

The Club will portage your gear.
So you may ride unencumbered
Supply a chase truck and trailer.
Buy a few meals. Breakfast on the Arkansas river, Steak Dinner in Leadville.
Furnish over 750 miles of phone compatible proven GPS Tracks.
Campsites are included with Club membership for the ADV Ride on the Divide.
Lodging is on you in Leadville and Colorado Springs.

The ride will start and finish from secure parking at the Colorado Springs Airport Long-term parking lot.

A discount for lodging at the COS Airport Radisson Hotel is available.
Rooms have been held near the Campground on the Arkansas river
And in Leadville at the Silverkings.
Or your free to find your own Lodging in Salida on day 1 & 3
Lodge in Leadville on Day 2

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ADV ROUTE EXPLAINED

Ride over 11+ Mountain Passes in 4 days.

8 + unpaved passes.
This is a a creative unpublished route from and to Colorado Springs

Day 1 around the east and south side of Pikes Peak over dirt Goldcamp Road to Victor Pass.

Through the old Gold mining town of Victor.
Down dirt Phantom Canyon road to the Arkansas River.

Canon City over dirt roads to the old Railroad stop that was in Cotopaxi for lunch and fuel.
Through the high mountain plains on dirt roads to Salida on Friday to end day 1.
Where we can spend the night at a private campsite on the Arkansas river.
With a Bar & Grill.
Enjoy a campfire and the camaraderie of Like-minded enthusiasts.
Or you could stay at the Poncha Springs Lodge.

Day 2 the ride starts off with a nice ride along the Arkansas River.

Then to Smeltertown and it’s historic Smokestack.
From the historic site, we’ll ride past old mines to the Aspen Ridge dirt Jeep Road.
On top of the Mosquito Range to more dirt sections on Trout Creek Pass.
Ride up an old RR right-of-way to the top of Trout Creek Pass.
Heading up and over Weston Pass.
Weston Pass was known as the road to riches when it was a stagecoach line to Leadville. Before the Railroads.
There is also an option to skip Weston Pass if your going to ride Mosquito Pass on Day 3.
The Mosquito Pass loop uses Weston Pass to get back to the Arkansas River Valley. Why ride it twice ?

From Weston Pass, ride up to and past the Twin Lakes.
Then up and over paved 12k foot Independence Pass.
The 3rd highest paved Pass in the Country
To Aspen for lunch in the Colorado River watershed.
From Aspen we’ll take a creative route down the Roaring Fork Valley.
To up along the Roaring Fork River to the Hagerman Pass Jeep road.
Hagerman Pass is the last high Pass on the COBDR.

We’ll follow more old Railroad Right-of-ways
Loop around Turquoise Lake with some off-road to Leadville.
In Leadville we will stay at the Historic Delaware Hotel.
And the club will buy Dinner at the local Steak House, Quincey’s.

On Day 3 you have 2 options.

A Hero Loop over 13 thousand foot Mosquito Pass.*

**Mosquito Pass is the Highest Pass in the Country that goes somewhere**

Or ride off-road some fun little used 2 track down a pipeline Right of way to the Twin Lakes.
Then ride down old Railroad lines along the Arkansas river to Buena Vista.
*If you choose to ride the Hero loop over Mosquito Pass, you would come over Weston Pass again and tie-in on the old RR route along the River to Buena Vista.

From Buena Vista, ride over Paved Cottonwood Pass
To an off-road section to near the old mining town of Tincup.
From the town of Tincup ride over dirt Cumberland Pass to a lunch and fuel stop…
In the old Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad town of Pitkin.
Then head over dirt Waunita and Blacksage Passes to dirt the Old Monarch Pass road.
Down paved Monarch Pass to the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad town of Sargents.

From Sargents head up and over the Divide on Marshall Pass, the first Railroad line in these parts over the Continental Divide.
Dirt Marshall Pass and Marshall Pass road back to our campsite from Day 1 on the Arkansas River.
Dinner & Breakfast is Included at Drift-In on the river.
You could again lodge in Poncha Springs if camping isn’t your thing.

Day 4, after Breakfast we will head out dirt Ute Pass towards the west side of Pikes Peak.

**Historical Smokestack with the Divide in the background**

Stop at the historic Smeltertown Smokestack
Ride through some awesome scenary on high plains.
Ride off-road down to the South Platte River and the old 11 Mile Canyon Midland Railroad right-of-way.
From Lake George, head into some locals only dirt roads on our way to the town of Divide and Woodland Park.

South Platte River in 11 MIle Cyn. — **South Platte River in 11 Mile Cyn.**

From Woodland Park we’ll take the long dirt Rampart Range road down to the Garden of the Gods park.
From GoG you have the option of riding up to the top of 14k foot Pikes Peak.