Altitude Compensators
Grand Lake is the kind of place where you're glad snowmobile manufacturers have developed good altitude compensation systems because this is serious elevation riding. You start out at about 8,000 feet, depending on where you begin your ride. You can start right in town, where snowmobiles are allowed on city streets. And riding just goes up from there. We've listed 10,500 as the top end of the trails but the adventurous can climb well past that. On one ride last winter we climbed to one saddle where we were sitting at nearly 12,000 feet. And there were still taller mountains around us. It really is an amazing feeling to be that high. Of course, those not used to that kind of elevation need to be cautious about altitude sickness.
It was when we dropped off that saddle that we saw big horn sheep. Seeing wildlife isn't rare while riding near Grand Lake, but that was a definite bonus seeing the sheep.
Even though we've sledded in and around Grand Lake several times, we have yet to tire of the stunning mountains that surround the town. They're steep, tall and imposing. Several 14ers (peaks that reach past 14,000 feet) are visible from various spots around the trail system.
The town itself is tucked away in a mountain valley at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, home to some pretty impressive peaks. It wasn't too long ago that you could ride the main road in Rocky Mountain National Park to one of the passes for some really gorgeous views but snowmobiling is off limits in the park these days. Okay, technically you can ride through Rocky Mountain National Park, but only the groomed trail that cuts across a very small portion of the park north of Grand Lake.