True grit Triathlon Ridgway State Park, Ouray County, Colorado September 16th, 2000 Back to main info page

General Information on the Mountain Bike Course: Bike route is fairly complex, but with a lot of interest and variety. - It will be marked well. Ride the course: Sat. Sept. 9 at 10AM - meet at the swim beach parking lot Fri. Sept. 15 at 3PM - meet at same parking lot - Questions? Call and ask for Lyle at: 970-626-3737 The State Park visitor center has trail maps to reference trail names and locations in Park. Total elevation gain on this 34.7 k course is 1,200 - 1,300 ft. - divided between climbs over 2 Ridges - crossed twice - most climbing is on the gravel and dirt trails The course has a mix of surfaces (see below) Recommended Tires: a fairly smooth wide rolling surface is fast on this course with outer knobs for cornering on trails - such as Ritchey "Speed Max" Approximate kilometer totals by surface type: State Park - compacted fine gravel trails: 9.8 k Hardpack dirt roads - County and Town: 9.1 k Concrete bike paths: 7.8 k Single track, dirt and rocks: 4.4 k Asphalt park roads: 3.3 k Approximate Distances are accumulative in kilometers - and Directions: 0.0 k - course starts in the swim beach parking lot at Ridgway State Park 0.2 k - West on asphalt parking lots to start of Pinyon Park trail, head south up hill 1.3 k - Pinyon Park trail intersects asphalt road, turn rt. head west up hill 2.4 k - turn rt. on Sunset Ridge trail and head west and down hill, stay rt. at intersections, Skyline Loop is also followed lower on hill and back up to Sunset Ridge trail 3.8 k - Sunset Ridge trail ends on asphalt drive, bare rt. and head North 4.1 k - turn rt. on Wapiti trail just past metal gates, head East and down hill 5.0 k - several trail intersections, stay rt. and follow Cookie Tree trail South down hill Cookie Tree has dangerous drop-offs - don't bounce off trail! 6.5 k - Cookie Tree ends at concrete bike path and road, head South on bike path 9.5 k - bike path ends, turn rt. and head West on C. Rd. 24 a hardpack dirt road 9.8 k - turn left on Meadows Circle Rd., head South on hardpack dirt 10.6 k - bare rt., still on Meadows Circle Rd. heading West 11.1 k - turn left on Dallas Court and head South, still on hardpack dirt 11.4 k - turn left on gravel driveway at "Alan's" real estate sign, head South up dbl. track 11.8 k - turn left on narrow rocky single track as drive bends rt. and head up hill to East 12.3 k - turn rt. through opening in wire fence and head South, bear left as tire tracks split This dbl. track trail is little used and rough with 2 steep rocky descents - go slow! 13.0 k - trail ends at gravel driveway, turn left and head downhill and East across river 13.5 k - turn rt. after bridge onto concrete bike path and head South to Ridgway 14.6 k - cross old RR bridge over river, some of this bike path is gravel 15.5 k - at North edge of Ridgway Town Park turn rt. on Charles (no sign) and head West This is the road just after the lovely trailer homes 16.2 k - Charles ends, turn rt. and head North on North Amelia (Co. Rd. 5) Charles has 3 stop signs you may run - BUT watch for traffic 18.3 k - turn rt. on Eagle Hill gravel driveway and head SE around lake 19.0 k - turn rt. onto single track horse trail by 2 posts, head NE up hill Trail crosses gravel drives 4 times, watch for markings on opposite side Trail enters a field by the lake, follow the mowed strip to gravel driveway 21.8 k - turn rt. on gravel driveway you entered on to exit Eagle Hill 22.3 k - turn rt. on Co. Rd. 5, head North on hardpack dirt road 23.7 k - turn rt. at stop sign on Co. Rd. 24, head NE on hardpack dirt road Watch out for 2 big speed bumps closely spaced - can be hopped 25.3 k - turn left back onto Ridgway State Park concrete bike path, head North *The remainder of the course is retracing the same route - working your way back to the swim beach parking lot over the same paths, and roads in reverse. *The next 3.5 k of path may have runners heading out to Ridgway and the finish. 28.3 k - concrete bike path ends and Cookie Tree trail begins, continue North and up hill 29.8 k - multiple trail intersections, keep left at all and start Wapiti trail West up hill 30.6 k - Wapiti trail ends on asphalt drive, turn left and head South 30.9 k - turn left onto Sunset Ridge trail at corner of parking lot by restrooms, follow Sunset Ridge and Skyline trails in reverse order of route taken earlier 32.3 k - turn left as trail ends on asphalt drive 33.5 k - turn left onto Pinyon Park trail after downhill on asphalt road 34.5 k - trail ends at parking lot, head East to swim beach parking lot *34.7 k - end of bike course *This kilometer total is a bit higher than actual length by 0.3 k, but you get the idea - right? Back to main info page