This past Monday I was able to go with a friend of mine and ride from Idaho Springs to the Mount Evans summit. This was something I have wanted to do and was finally able to get it arranged. I have climbed several 10,000’ passes, but getting to a summit at 14,130’ was definitely uncharted waters for me. Weather was a little cool (46 to start, 41 and breezy at the summit) but overall it was a great day. Felt good the entire ride and the elevation didn’t seem to cause any major problems.

As I plodded along at my 3 ½ hour pace, I could really begin to appreciate the 1 hour 41 minute hill climb record. This ends up being nearly 16.5 mph up a 27 mi, nearly 6% average grade, at altitude. These world class cyclists continue to amaze me.

While I was being passed by vehicles driving to the summit it occurred to me that about 15 years ago I was driving this very same road thinking that these bikers I was passing were crazy for riding up this thing. Today, I guess I am one of those crazy bikers.

As both my friend and I approach our mid-50’s it also occurred to me how lucky we were to be healthy enough to look for challenges like this. Seems like age has a way of allowing us to appreciate these things more than when we were young.

Anyway, it was fun day and looking forward to more of them!

Sounds wonderful. Great accomplishment!

Cool. What gearing did you use? Are you a lightweight climber?

I've hiked Pikes Peak twice and the air really thins out above the tree line. I couldn't imagine biking it....or maybe I can. anyway congratulations on a difficult achievement!

I am about 170 lb so definitely not like my 130 lb friend who climbs like a mountain goat.

I tend to prefer a little higher climbing cadence than many so I actually changed the gearing on my Roubaix a couple of years ago when I was getting ready for the Markleeville Death Ride. I have a 52-39-30 triple and put on an 12-30 cassette. Didn't need the small gear on this climb but there were times when I climbed Ebbett's pass in CA and rode the Rist Canyon Road in CO that I was glad I had that low gear. Evans is a pretty steady 6% or so but when you get close to the top it felt more like about 10% to me.

and grab for the ring as often as you can.

I prefer a higher cadence as well, but , at 205 pounds, I usually end up grinding slow no matter what gear I have.
I've been curious about Mt Evans ever since I first read about it years ago. I've never climbed much above 10,000 feet, so I don't know how I would react there.

If you didn't have any problems at 10,000 ft, you might be fine. That's one of the problems with these mountain rides, though. You never are quite sure how your body will react to high altitude. We live at about 4,000 ft and I know that my wife does not feel well when she gets above 10,000 ft, regardless of what kind of shape she is in.

The other wildcard is always the weather. Those mid-day thunderstorms can pop up quickly and you have to got off the mountain now.

Hopefully, you will have a chance to give it a try. If you can have someone drive a chase vehicle you would have a safety net and also have a taxi ride down. That way you could avoid the descent down Mount Evans road, which is not a fun one due to the VERY rough road. The last half from Echo Lake to Idaho Springs, however, is wonderful. Not much shoulder but very smooth.

Congratulations!

My Evans climb was, and remains a... erm... high point of my life.

I agree with you on the descent. Not only is Mt Evans Rd the highest paved road in North America, it's the highest paved road in need of serious repair and resurfacing. Darned marmots.

Just do it. I live on in the ancient lakebed at 510 feet ASL. Lifelong lowlander and flatlander. Thirty-five year smoker with mild emphysema and several areas of partial collapse in each lung. Evans was the very first mountain I ever climbed, only 28 months after taking up cycling.

As the OP said, it's not the grade. Six-percent isn't bad at all. But it is relentless--27 miles from Idaho Springs, 14 from Echo Lake where I started--and it's the altitude that will get you if anything is going to get you.

A chase car or the sensibility to turn around are good things to have, because if you're going to get altitude sickness, this is the climb that will do it. The climb itself is easier than it sounds. Altitude sickness is bad, and can happen just driving a car.

If you don't get altitude sickness, which I didn't, then just plain breathing is the bigger chore than turning the pedals. At least for me it was, especially above Summit Lake. (I have only 70% of expected lung capacity.)

Like the OP, I used a road triple. I knew from the grade I wouldn't need ultra-low gears, but I like to keep my cadence up. I used an Ultegra 6600 16-27 "juniors" cassette (27-25-24-23-22-21-19-18-17-16) to keep the jumps between gears in tiny increments. Worked a charm. You can still order these cassettes if you shop around.

[QUOTE=tsl;18075026]Just do it.

Yes, I remember reading your report and I was impressed. I have a triple on one of my bikes with a 30x28 low gear, so I have that going for me. I did smoke cigarettes for 20 years and heaped all manner of abuse on my body back then but I still enjoy climbing.
I've done some of the climbs in the Sierra Nevada mountains and I should try and talk friends into going to Colorado. Maybe someday.

What's the total climbing feet of the 27 miles? I don't know the elevation of Idaho Springs......too lazy to look it up.

I was just up at Echo Lake today, talking to the guy working the bar at the lodge.
I did not realize until he told me, that those holes that appear in the middle of the road are the work of marmots.

The Bob Cook Hill Climb map shows 6915' of climb and 6575' of elevation gain.

Great job!! Thanx for sharing your ride with us. I've hunted elk in the Flat Tops region near Meeker, Co where our camp was at 10,300 feet. Took me a good 4 days to be able to walk uphill more than 6 steps without having to stop with my head down low. Oxygen deprivation is a revelation. Of course, I wasnt cycling in those days.

Definitely a notch on the belt. Never rode up Mt Evans though my dad did (English 3-speed) back in the 40's. His mom/dad drove up to meet him at the summit & took film of the high-speed descent. Pike's Peak is famous for the auto TT's but Mt Evans is far more scary with switchbacks with near-zero run-off room, a little freaky even while driving. & last time I drove up Mt Evans I saw a team of Skoda test drivers, apparently the altitude is so high that it's worth it for them to transport drivers & cars over from Europe.

I see camouflaged cars with mgfr plates every summer on the roads up there;
Most recent example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByFySb3NuqI

As someone who spends most of his time riding from sea level to 300', I'd have croaked shortly after starting! Nice job, sounds like you're in good shape.

Neat, thanks for the vid. Driving downhill there I pulled over to let a Skoda driver pass: he wasn't impatiently tailgating but I figured it was a small contribution to German automotive excellence LOL. Driver waved thanks, I was probably the only driver on the mountain who realized what was going on w/Skodas. BTW the road looks a bit bumpy even for motos.

RE altitude, I drove up Pike's Peak & just walking around at summit gave me a bit of a headache. I'm from lowlands but as a kid visited those places & the altitude didn't bother me. Combining altitude with the grueling climb, wow.

You think that was bumpy?

Then check out the Summit Lake section from the same ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hte-8JEsMV0


I was sooo thankful for the high ground clearance on my Versys!