Telluride to Moab Bike Trip: September 2009

Part 1 -- Beginning of the Trip to the Graham Ranch Hut (111 Miles)

(Click Image for Larger Photo)

The four riders on our 2009 Telluride to Moab bike trip. From left to right are Kameron Kelsey, Brian Zehr, Bob Potts, and Kim Kelsey.

Not too long after biking the White Rim Trail in 2007 we became aware of a hut-to-hut mountain bike trip from Telluride to Moab. A former graduate student in Bob's office had done the trip a few years back and raved about the great time she'd had. So talk began and plans started to come together, but it wasn't until this year that we were able to pull it off. Unlike our self-supported White Rim trip, this trip was through the San Juan Hut Systems where you bike from hut to hut and all you have to carry is your personal gear. Each hut is a very comfortable shelter and are fully stocked with food and sleeping bags that you slide a personal sleeping bag liner into. In all the trip takes seven days and covers approximately 215 miles, for an average of 35 to 40 miles per day. The trip begins in the beautiful little mining town of Telluride, Colorado and finishes in the mountain biking mecca of Moab, Utah. Most of the riding is on dirt roads across the spectacular 9,000 foot Uncompahgre Plateau, through the red desert country on the Colorado/Utah border, past the snow capped Las Sal mountains and into Moab. We finished the trip by riding the classic Porcupine Rim trail near Moab. One of the biggest challenges getting the trip off the ground was finding people who were willing and able to do it. Of course our friend Kim Kelsey was up to it and he talked his son Kameron into it as well. Another friend of ours, Brian Zehr, was also able to join us. We had helped Brian put together a White Rim trip in 2008 and knew he would be a good fit for our group. Trying to find people who have the interest, fitness level, can get the time off, and can afford it was the challenge. In the end we had a great group. The first thing we had to do is put together the logistics of meeting up and making sure everyone had a good bike and all the right gear. The gear part was fairly straight forward as all of us are avid bikers and, other than a few details, already had everything we needed. We also were fortunate enough to have a really great base camp for our trip, the Castle Valley Inn. It is owned by our good friends Jim and Mari Germain and is perfectly located near the end of the Telluride to Moab route. The bike trip began on Monday, September 14, so we all used the weekend before to make our way to Jim and Mari's. Kim and Kameron drove down from their home in Montana and Brian, after flying in from his home in Indiana, joined me for our drive from Las Vegas. Brian and I arrived on Saturday evening and had Sunday to do a little shopping in Moab. Afterward we did a little canyoneering through Medieval Chamber just outside of Moab before Kim and Kameron arrived. Medieval Chamber is a wonderful three hour trip with two great 100 foot rappels; especially the second one off of Morning Glory Arch. This was the first time Brian had ever rappelled so it was a bit intense for him, especially simu-rapping off of the arch as pictured below. (Simu-rapping is where both people rappel at the same time off opposite ends of the rope draped over the arch. The weight of one person serves as the anchor for the other.) From the arch it's a beautiful hike through Negro Bill Canyon to the trailhead where our timing couldn't have been better meeting Kim and Kameron on there way to Castle Valley. Kim gave us a ride back to our car and we all met back at Jim and Mari's to get ready for our big day tomorrow when Jim would shuttle us to Telluride.
Brian took this picture from the top of Morning Glory Arch before we made our rappel. The people you can see standing at the bottom of the arch took the next picture and were kind enough to e-mail it to us.	Brian and I simu-rapping off of Morning Glory arch.
The first day is the shortest distance (13 miles) but you climb from around 9,000 feet in elevation in Telluride to the Last Dollar Hut at 11,000 feet. The altitude, like the scenery, takes your breath away but for very different reasons. This is a picture of Kameron coming up behind me on one of the switchbacks near the Last Dollar Hut.	The spectacular views from Last Dollar Pass down towards Telluride.
Looking back up the road we took to get to the Last Dollar Hut.	The Last Dollar Hut.
This was our first view of the Uncompahgre Plateau on the second day after leaving the Last Dollar Hut.	The weather was quite rainy (thank God no snow) and we all got incredibly muddy. It was surprising to me how well the bikes were working with so much mud in jammed in derailers, chains, and brakes.
Some of the spectacular fall scenery we rode through.	One of the most beautiful ranches I've ever seen.
There were many places to get off route, but between map and GPS we didn't have a lot of problems.	Much of the route is fairly level on remote and beautiful sections like this.
Kim making his way up to Divide Road at about mile 26 on Day Two.	Making dinner at the Spring Creek Hut. From this picture you can get a bit of an idea how well the huts were stocked.
The Spring Creek Hut.	The four of us on our way to the Columbine Hut on day three.
Brian in front of one of the newer huts, the Columbine Hut. The huts are 16' x 16' and designed to sleep up to eight people. We had originally booked our trip back in April and were hoping to have the huts to ourselves. As it turned out a group of four from British Columbia booked the same dates around mid-summer. There were concerns that sticking eight sweaty guys from two different groups in such a small space for over a week could be problematic. As it turned out we got along wonderfully and great friendships were made.	Kim and Kameron riding up to the Columbine Hut.
Brian and Kim eating dinner with our Canadian friends. From left to right are Rick Shapka, Brian, Ron Miller, Len Clarkson, Bob Weston, and Kim.	Porcupines are a problem at the Columbine Hut so we hung our bikes in the trees. Apparently they like the taste of sweaty (salty) bike seats and handlebar grips.
Enjoying some very relaxing hut time playing cards.	This is a panorama of the Uncompahgre Plateau as it drops off to the desert to the south. Click this image to bring up a larger image and then enlarge the view in your Web browser and scroll around for a detailed view.
Kim and Kameron riding through one of the many spectacular quaking aspen patches.	The Graham Ranch Hut. This is the only hut located on private land on the route and one we were all looking forward to because showers were available.
Myself and Ron Miller.	This great picture was taken by Bob Weston.
One of my favorite things to do at the end of each day's ride was to make a hot cup of tea.	Kim and Kameron Kelsey. A couple of great guys.
Brian Zehr putting on the sunscreen as we head out on day five for the Gateway Hut. Brian is a critical care pulmonary doctor and we often joked that the reason he was invited along was so we had an expert on the trip to stuff our lungs back in when we started coughing them up from exertion and altitude.	The whole gang before leaving the Graham Ranch Hut.

Not too long after biking the White Rim Trail in 2007 we became aware of a hut-to-hut mountain bike trip from Telluride to Moab. A former graduate student in Bob's office had done the trip a few years back and raved about the great time she'd had. So talk began and plans started to come together, but it wasn't until this year that we were able to pull it off.

Unlike our self-supported White Rim trip, this trip was through the San Juan Hut Systems where you bike from hut to hut and all you have to carry is your personal gear. Each hut is a very comfortable shelter and are fully stocked with food and sleeping bags that you slide a personal sleeping bag liner into. In all the trip takes seven days and covers approximately 215 miles, for an average of 35 to 40 miles per day.

The trip begins in the beautiful little mining town of Telluride, Colorado and finishes in the mountain biking mecca of Moab, Utah. Most of the riding is on dirt roads across the spectacular 9,000 foot Uncompahgre Plateau, through the red desert country on the Colorado/Utah border, past the snow capped Las Sal mountains and into Moab. We finished the trip by riding the classic Porcupine Rim trail near Moab.

One of the biggest challenges getting the trip off the ground was finding people who were willing and able to do it. Of course our friend Kim Kelsey was up to it and he talked his son Kameron into it as well. Another friend of ours, Brian Zehr, was also able to join us. We had helped Brian put together a White Rim trip in 2008 and knew he would be a good fit for our group. Trying to find people who have the interest, fitness level, can get the time off, and can afford it was the challenge. In the end we had a great group.

The first thing we had to do is put together the logistics of meeting up and making sure everyone had a good bike and all the right gear. The gear part was fairly straight forward as all of us are avid bikers and, other than a few details, already had everything we needed. We also were fortunate enough to have a really great base camp for our trip, the Castle Valley Inn. It is owned by our good friends Jim and Mari Germain and is perfectly located near the end of the Telluride to Moab route.

The bike trip began on Monday, September 14, so we all used the weekend before to make our way to Jim and Mari's. Kim and Kameron drove down from their home in Montana and Brian, after flying in from his home in Indiana, joined me for our drive from Las Vegas. Brian and I arrived on Saturday evening and had Sunday to do a little shopping in Moab. Afterward we did a little canyoneering through Medieval Chamber just outside of Moab before Kim and Kameron arrived.

Medieval Chamber is a wonderful three hour trip with two great 100 foot rappels; especially the second one off of Morning Glory Arch. This was the first time Brian had ever rappelled so it was a bit intense for him, especially simu-rapping off of the arch as pictured below. (Simu-rapping is where both people rappel at the same time off opposite ends of the rope draped over the arch. The weight of one person serves as the anchor for the other.) From the arch it's a beautiful hike through Negro Bill Canyon to the trailhead where our timing couldn't have been better meeting Kim and Kameron on there way to Castle Valley. Kim gave us a ride back to our car and we all met back at Jim and Mari's to get ready for our big day tomorrow when Jim would shuttle us to Telluride.

Brian took this picture from the top of Morning Glory Arch before we made our rappel. The people you can see standing at the bottom of the arch took the next picture and were kind enough to e-mail it to us.

Brian and I simu-rapping off of Morning Glory arch.

The first day is the shortest distance (13 miles) but you climb from around 9,000 feet in elevation in Telluride to the Last Dollar Hut at 11,000 feet. The altitude, like the scenery, takes your breath away but for very different reasons.

This is a picture of Kameron coming up behind me on one of the switchbacks near the Last Dollar Hut.

The spectacular views from Last Dollar Pass down towards Telluride.

Looking back up the road we took to get to the Last Dollar Hut.

The Last Dollar Hut.

This was our first view of the Uncompahgre Plateau on the second day after leaving the Last Dollar Hut.

The weather was quite rainy (thank God no snow) and we all got incredibly muddy. It was surprising to me how well the bikes were working with so much mud in jammed in derailers, chains, and brakes.

Some of the spectacular fall scenery we rode through.

One of the most beautiful ranches I've ever seen.

There were many places to get off route, but between map and GPS we didn't have a lot of problems.

Much of the route is fairly level on remote and beautiful sections like this.

Kim making his way up to Divide Road at about mile 26 on Day Two.

Making dinner at the Spring Creek Hut. From this picture you can get a bit of an idea how well the huts were stocked.

The Spring Creek Hut.

The four of us on our way to the Columbine Hut on day three.

Brian in front of one of the newer huts, the Columbine Hut.

The huts are 16' x 16' and designed to sleep up to eight people. We had originally booked our trip back in April and were hoping to have the huts to ourselves. As it turned out a group of four from British Columbia booked the same dates around mid-summer. There were concerns that sticking eight sweaty guys from two different groups in such a small space for over a week could be problematic. As it turned out we got along wonderfully and great friendships were made.

Kim and Kameron riding up to the Columbine Hut.

Brian and Kim eating dinner with our Canadian friends. From left to right are Rick Shapka, Brian, Ron Miller, Len Clarkson, Bob Weston, and Kim.

Porcupines are a problem at the Columbine Hut so we hung our bikes in the trees. Apparently they like the taste of sweaty (salty) bike seats and handlebar grips.

Enjoying some very relaxing hut time playing cards.

This is a panorama of the Uncompahgre Plateau as it drops off to the desert to the south. Click this image to bring up a larger image and then enlarge the view in your Web browser and scroll around for a detailed view.

Kim and Kameron riding through one of the many spectacular quaking aspen patches.

The Graham Ranch Hut.

This is the only hut located on private land on the route and one we were all looking forward to because showers were available.

Myself and Ron Miller.

This great picture was taken by Bob Weston.

One of my favorite things to do at the end of each day's ride was to make a hot cup of tea.

Kim and Kameron Kelsey. A couple of great guys.

Brian Zehr putting on the sunscreen as we head out on day five for the Gateway Hut. Brian is a critical care pulmonary doctor and we often joked that the reason he was invited along was so we had an expert on the trip to stuff our lungs back in when we started coughing them up from exertion and altitude.

The whole gang before leaving the Graham Ranch Hut.

Continue to Part 2 -- Graham Ranch Hut to the La Sal Hut

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