say you had two weeks to bikepack in colorado......

[jonesy792]

Summer class is almost over and I managed to secure a few weeks off of work so I'm putting plans into motion for some incredible colorado riding.  My initial route idea is:
Denver-PBville via CTR route
PBville-Aspen via ?? route (I think I saw a trip report somewhere that included this route mabe scott or chris?)
Aspen-CB via some trial + 401 trail (I still need to study the CB trail map I have from last year)
CB-Buena Vista via cottonwood pass
BV-Denver via CTR route

Any thoughts, suggestions?

I'm also interested in other shorter bikepacks, but since I'm going unsupported I am looking for loops or out/backs

[jonesy792]

I looked back at scotts trip report and saw that he took the independence pass route so I'm pretty sure I know the route now.

I would like to ask anyone that has done the CTR route if the .gpx race file and guidebook combo worked out for you, I downloaded the .gpx file and saw that it wasn't following the roads very closely in some places

[DaNM]

 One central passage is Leadville to Hagerman Pass to Reudi Reservoir to Lenado to Aspen to Taylor Pass to Crested Butte. I think that is about 24 hours with breaks. Lots of options to get to Leadville. May as well summit a 14eener. Mt Sherman via Sacramento{from the east} is a current research project for me. 
 Cottonwood Pass to Avalanche  T.H. of the C.T. I hear a connector singletrack is being made from C.B. to Gunnison.
  Also check into Ouray to Yankee Boy basin to Imogene Pass to Telluride to Lizard Head to Hermosa to Durango. Then C.T. back to silverton to Ouray
 Two 70 mile loops from summit county are Montezuma to Webster Pass to 285 to kenosha and back on the C.T. OR head up Vail pass to Shrine Pass to bowmans shortcut to Two Elks to minturn to {redcliff??} to shrine Pass again to Vail Pass
 

[Stefan_G]

I would like to ask anyone that has done the CTR route if the .gpx race file and guidebook combo worked out for you.

CT trailside databook is definitely adequate.  The trail is exceedingly well marked and a GPS is just a fun-to-have tool.

[sherpaxc]

I agree.  Of all 5 sections I've done on the actual CT, the trail side data book and an odometer was all I needed.  Very well marked trail, now only if I could breathe up here.   

[jonesy792]

thanks for the pointers, I'm glad to hear that the trail is well marked, I only have a couple of days left until I leave so I will probably just do my original plan (CTR route out and back from denver to buena vista, with a detour to aspen and crested butte on the way out).  I am leaving Tucson for Denver this monday and hope to be riding on wednesday (7/1), if all goes well I hope to do the ride in 6-8 days.

Here's a link to my SPOT for any that are interested: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0LKSYtFQlWmSkb94LOoBi4iKdrWJduDcX

I figure the more people I have watching me ride the less incentive I have to bail at the first sign of rain/saddle sore/bonk/etc.