[Closed] Holiday advice - Colorado and Moab

Sounds like a good plan

We were in the area early September until late November

November was getting cold in the Rockies so too late.

I'd say late September Early October

I found that even just on I70 the driving was interesting. It might be better doing the Rockies biking at the end as it took a while to acclimatize. Moab is high but not as high

I enjoyed the towns of Moab and Crested Butte(the old parts of the town the new bit is a concrete ski resort)

The only negative I've ever really heard was a friend whose MOAB trip coincided with a huge 4X4 festival in the town so maybe check for that

We went to colorado last year at the start of August and reported on it in a thread [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/our-holiday-in-colorado ]here[/url].

A few photos to show how rubbish it was:

[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2948/15371616946_1a048e4087_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2948/15371616946_1a048e4087_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pqkybo ]Strand[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/67967301@N02/ ]10000 rivets[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2950/15391545421_5c81086e96_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2950/15391545421_5c81086e96_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ps6GdM ]401-1[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/67967301@N02/ ]10000 rivets[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2949/15208192797_685dc927c5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2949/15208192797_685dc927c5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/paTXSD ]401-3[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/67967301@N02/ ]10000 rivets[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2950/15394329652_dff45a19f0_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2950/15394329652_dff45a19f0_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pskXSL ]Monarch crest[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/67967301@N02/ ]10000 rivets[/url], on Flickr

The snow had only just cleared from the high passes so some trails were only just open, like the classic 401 (2nd and 3rd pictures down), and we encountered some patches higher up. It was pleasantly warm but not roasting and the snow/rain had reportedly come in again by mid-october so you probably have an 8-10 week window depending on how heavy the winters each side are.

We wanted to go to Moab but it was a long drive, it would have been scorching, Crested Butte was great and had more than enough trails for the 2 weeks we were there, so we didn't go in the end.

If you want any specifics answered drop me an email (in profile).

Helpful advice for Crested Butte:
1. You will feel out of breath - don't forget to acclimatise and go gently. Limit your booze intake.
2. If you don't yet have a dropper post get one.
3. If you bought in to the 1x thing then either change back to something suitable for mountains or be prepared to do a lot of walking (also see point 1). Even the natives don't do it.
4. Only use the free bike bus if you don't care about your bikes paint work.

Denver has the bonus of one direct flight from the UK (with BA). Though the disadvantage that it's stupidly expensive now and much cheaper to have a two stage flight, which takes a lot longer.

If in colder months, watch for the change over dates between ski and bike in ski resort areas. Moab I guess is rideable all year round. If so maybe go skiing and riding 😀 (or fat bike the snow 😉 ).

Interstate driving around the Rockies is pretty easy and fairly interesting. 5ish hours Denver to Moab maybe? Same distance in the UK would probably be twice that with our shitty roads.

Thanks all - some good stuff to get us going and I will likely email you Shackleton so thanks for that offer. I remembered seeing your thread but couldn't find it when searching.

Moab isn't generally considered year round in that the winters are get cold

There are times of the year like autumn and spring where Colorado and Moab are both at good temperatures

Autumn has the benefit over spring of of the snow having had longer to clear. Snow clearing is always process that is variable year to year

Don't forget Fruita and Grand Junction area - conveniently right on the way to / from Moab from Denver. Certainly worth a stop-over.

[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8110996495_a756801a88_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8110996495_a756801a88_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/dmJYFa ]Fruita singletrack[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/40674021@N05/ ]Mark and Liz in Canada[/url], on Flickr

Early Autumn would be the best time; spring the snow is still melting.

Thanks to the all the forum members above for their advice and info.
Me and the GF just back from a great 17 day trip where we rode trails at Crested Butte, Moab, Fruita (great call sweaman2) and finished off at Golden - where we bumped into the Yeti factory guys and ended up back at Yeti HQ for a chat and look around (we are both Yetifans).

Highlight was riding the Whole Enchilada from Burro pass.

I'm just packing up for my trip..

Moab is top of the list, there is a bike festival on in 2 weekends time, also Red Bull Rampage is on around this time though I have missed out on tickets...

Watching this thread closely as I'm planning a Colorado trip for next year.

Not sure if we were lucky or had great advice but the weather was fine at all locations at this time of year. There were occasional thunderstorms in Crested Butte but they were brief and dried up. Moab was hot but not unbearable (I ran two camelbak bladders on the Whole Enchilada). Fruita also had occasional thunderstorm but wait an hour and trails dry again.

Happy to give what little advice I can, poonprice, if you have any questions.

Idle question to satisfy my curiosity: has anyone combined a ski and bike trip in Utah? Seems like a week in Park City, drive down to Moab for a second week might work in March. Or would you be gambling on the snow in both locations?