Originally Posted by
ccd rider
How long does it take you to get up there (assuming you start at Echo Lake)? How long to get down? And what time is "early" typically?
I just checked on my 3 rides from last year. My quickest time from Echo Lake was about 2.5 hours and my slowest was 3.5 hours (riding with my wife, taking pictures, etc.). Even 2.5 hours is not cranking, just a nice pace.
General rule is to be off the summit by noon. I like to shoot for 11, but that is tough when starting in Idaho Springs or Evergreen. From Echo Lake, 8 or 8:30 should leave you enough time.
It takes about an hour to come down, but I descend slowly, especially on that road and I usually stop for photos.