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Colorado is a state of mind. As well as one of the first two states to legalize weed. So lets get real high. This multi-day journey takes you from Durango, CO to Moab, UT. Starting out in tree filled valleys, you climb up to high desert and eventually wind up in the red rocks straight out of an episode of Road Runner.
The San Juan Hut System is a series of huts in very remote to remote-ish areas. They have bunks and well stocked with food, bars and beer. Yes, these people get us, nothing is sweeter than beer after a long day in the saddle. Now this is a paid operation, but if you divide it among your friends it is pretty reasonable compared to a lot of vacation options.
Before we get started let me just start off with the worst part of this trip. Logistics! Getting a group to pick a date, book flights, shuttles, find their way to the start of this is a minor miracle. And traveling with a bike, much less a mountain bike with your gear is a pain in the ass. Okay, buckle down your saddle bag and let’s get started.
We got a shuttle to Purgatory, which is not as hellish as it sounds, simply a ski and mountain bike resort up in the mountains. Now every day there is a standard route and some alternates, some are minor but the first day is a major deviation. Our party all got dropped off on the Colorado Trail. This trail was made for hiking, twisty, rocky and occasional unridable features. We spent hours climbing getting to the high point of the day, a wind swept pass before bombing down. We thought most the climbing was over but after several undeniably steep grades of pushing our bikes we got to the first hut.
Being a glutton for punishment I opted for the alternative route for day 2. It had a lot of up and down in very scenic areas. The wind had picked up as we descended some flowy grassland and I couldn’t hear Jade yell “BEAR!” I was on track to T-bone the furry dude running across the trail until the last few yards. The second cabin is in the forest near a rocky out cropping where we star gazed into the night.
Eventually you leave the confines of the forest and descend into the dry warm plateaus. While it required some pedaling a day of mostly descending double track was some much needed respite. There was enough time in the day to jump in the reservoir and do as close to washing up as we had got in a couple days.
Popping and weaving sandy double track while sending lizards scurrying. We are in the backwater part of the state near some oil and gas refineries. There was some more paved highway riding to connect to more dirt double track that turns to proper jeep road. The clouds roll in as we find ourselves on the edge of a high plateau in which we must scramble down. Ketchumup Stock Trail is the sketchiest part of the whole trip trying to get down the steep loose rocks with loaded bikes and stiff shoes. But we do it right as the rains come in. Luckily we are next to the only market of the entire journey in Bedrock, CO. The owner chats us up for at least an hour as we eat ice cream and the heavens dump rain.
We arise the second to last day all with a bit of mild dread by the profile. Elevation we had been largely losing the previous days was about to collect on that vertical debt. A slow slog into the La Sal Mountains while dodging rain clouds. In areas it really reminded me of the lone pine forests of Bend, OR. There were many herds of cattle that we had to try to shoo off the road.
The final day you start with a small climb before a single track descent that alternates between flowy grass and rocky woods. And the gives way to sandstone red rock. It strange to think not long before you were in the woods. At this point you have choice to make, take the road to town. Or finish out the trek with the famous Whole Enchilada mountain bike trail.
There are a few tricks to making this trip really work. The biggest is your group. The huts hold up to 8. Once you book 5 you get the whole hut to yourselves, no potentially weird interloper who booked the same date. Now if you have 8 riders you get to split the cost more. But… the other thing is the huts are small and you’re always needing people to awkwardly move or take turns cooking. I think ideal is 5–6 riders and spend a little more.
The second trick is timing. And this is a total gamble. The huts are open to book May–Oct. The closer to the beginning and end of the season the more chance of bad weather. And let me tell you we found a rain storm in Durango the day before we left and I’ve never seen more sticky mud. And I know my mud pretty well from a decade of cyclocross. Mud like this could easily make a hard day near impossible death march hike-a-bike. We went in September and the only bummer is there was a lot fewer wildflowers.
Last note, book early. Prime times fill up.
