Finding My Legs: Mountain Biking in Crested Butte

A million years ago, I was big into mountain biking. Like, it was my thing. I’d hit the trail weekly with Craig and Cindy, bouncing over rocks and navigating narrow switchbacks. I was never great at it but I really loved to put wheel to pavement.

But then I got old, and those falls started to hurt! True to form, I was always pushing my limits which all-too-frequently resulted in my face in the dirt. I’m not one to shy away because of a few scrapes, but as I neared my 30s, the bangs and bruises seemed to multiply. Eventually, I found myself less interested in mountain biking the trails and more interested in running them. You know, where I had at least one foot on the ground at all times?

All Photos by Will Rochfort

Back in June, the tourism board in Crested Butte invited me down for a weekend during Bike Week, the oldest mountain bike festival in the world. Naturally, the name of the celebration gave it away; I suspected there would be bikes involved!

CB is nationally known for amazing mountain biking. Some argue that the sport originated in the area, but other towns around the country make the same claim. Regardless, I absolutely love the town of Crested Butte! I wasn’t so sure about this mountain biking thing, but there was no way I’d pass up the chance to spend time in that beautiful town!

Unfortunately, I had to work, so Will and I didn’t arrive in town until late Friday evening, missing the infamous Chainless event. {Riders bomb down seven miles of downhill trail, all while riding without any pedaling OR a chain!} Never fear- there was more biking to be had!

On Saturday morning, we met up with Laurel and Tom at Big Al’s Bicycle Heaven, a local shop on Elk Avenue. They hooked us up with some dual suspension bikes and a pair of monkey cycling socks {since clearly, I can’t be bothered to remember socks!} Truth be told, I was kinda nervous. Laurel works for the CB tourism association and clearly bikes a lot. And her husband, Tom? Yeah, he is this guy.

Tom looking cool, Laurel looking beastly, and me looking like Mary Poppins

Why am I always hanging with sponsored athletes who can kick my ass all over the mountains?!

Point being, these two know how to handle themselves on two wheels. This was Will’s first time EVER on a mountain bike, and I can’t even remember the last time I sat atop a saddle. What were we getting ourselves into?

Laurel assured us that she chose the perfect trail: the Lupine Trail. It was the end of June so Crested Butte’s famous wildflowers were just starting to hit their stride. If we rode our bikes from town, we’d be able to get a solid 11-13 miles in while enjoying the views.

And wow, was she right!

We immediately tackled the climb from town to the top of the mountain, where we cut across the street towards a ridiculously beautiful meadow. From there, the pavement turned to sweet singletrack. I could barely believe my eyes: the wildflowers were stunning!

Seriously, the lupine were beyond gorgeous and I could see where the trail got its namesake. Purples, pinks and reds dotted the hillside in solid clumps while various other flowers filled in the gaps. It was literally breathtaking.

After the initial climb, the trail smoothed out and turned into flowy singletrack. There were a few short climbs followed by fun descents and round, smooth corners. Laurel and Tom had been right: this was the perfect trail for us to find our biking legs.

Laurel had recently taken a mountain biking course and was offering bits of information when asked. Notably, she helped me with switchbacks. Those suckers are hard to conquer and I found myself constantly putting a foot down every time I encountered a tight turn. She told me to look at the end of the turn {or look “through” the turn} rather than focusing on the section right in front of your tire. Your body naturally follows your eyes, so this helps you easily glide through the turn. Sure enough, she was right! Her tip helped me a ton and I gained more confidence on the switchbacks as the ride progressed.

Eventually, we sent Tom and Laurel ahead as they had to get back to town for a wedding. Will and I dawdled the last few miles back to town, soaking in the scenery. I’ve been to Crested Butte a handful of times over the past year and the beauty never ceases to amaze me. It may actually be one of the most picturesque mountain towns in America!

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