Guanella Is Open And Clean (Mostly)
Up on top of Guanella Pass.
There were nine of us who showed up last week for the first breakfast-then-ride RMMRC outing in quite some time. The decision was made and we headed out for Guanella Pass.
I had missed a previous ride that was supposed to go over Guanella where I learned the next day that the pass was not yet open. These were some of the same folks and they told me that the time before they had gone as far as the barrier and had had to turn back. This time we knew the pass was open.
We crossed town on the newly opened/newly expanded C-470. For years this road was too crowded to bother with, and then for the last four years it has been under construction. Finally it was wide open and a fast run. We’ll see how long that lasts.
The direct way to go would have been out U.S. 285 but we took the nicer, narrow two-lane of the Deer Creek Canyon up to Turkey Creek Road and west to pick up 285 just down from Conifer. Then west on 285 to Grant, and a right turn up Guanella Pass Road (Park County 62 on this side).
It had been quite hot down low but as we climbed it cooled off. I was hoping it wouldn’t be too cold up on top. It was also breezy and I was hoping we would not encounter howling winds up on top. No problem either way; up on top it was calm and just pleasantly cool. Before heading down Robert even removed his jacket and rode in just his shirt. That would have been too chilly for me but I did remove the liner from my jacket, and later was very glad I did.
We stopped up on top and I noticed a much reduced effort at distancing than previous RMMRC rides have entailed. People are relaxing.
Coming up on the Park County side the road was extremely clean and clear. Heading down on the Clear Creek County side there was still a bit of sand on some of the tighter corners near the top. Be alert.
On top the question came up, do we just cruise down to Georgetown and get on I-70 and blast home? I said it was possible to go almost all the way back to Denver on just a very few miles of interstate. You take the lead, they said.
Down we went to Georgetown and through town and on toward Idaho Springs, not on the superslab but on old U.S. 6. At Idaho Springs you have to get on the highway for a few miles but then you can get off at U.S. 6 heading down Clear Creek Canyon, but take a quick right up Floyd Hill on old U.S. 40, which runs alongside I-70 in places and far away from the highway in other places. You do have to get back on I-70 at Evergreen Parkway but you get back off again and at Genesee. Then 40 runs all the way down to Golden.
So approaching the U.S. 6 exit I had six bikes behind me. As I got off I saw several had stayed on the interstate. Guess they just want to get home. But then when I got onto 40 not one bike followed me. Wow, I guess everyone had different plans. Not a problem; I like riding alone. I toodled my way on home, roasting now even without the liner in my jacket, and was glad to walk into the cool house.
Biker Quote for Today
It’s just crazy bein’ here with you, as a bad motorcycle with the devil in the seat, going ninety miles an hour down a dead end street. — Bob Dylan
Tags: Guanella Pass
June 24th, 2020 at 10:23 am
I first rode over Guanella Pass in 2018 and again last year. It is a fun road. It is an underrated road.
June 25th, 2020 at 9:40 am
Yeah, and it made a big difference when they paved it just a few years ago.