How far from Denver metro to

[PooSlinger]

good riding areas that aren't over-run with granola-headed stick people? I'm considering a move to the west and the Denver metro area is a top 5 candidate. Told the woman-part I wouldn't move anywhere there wasn't good powder riding relatively close-by.

 

[RX1Guy]

not sure how far Rabbit Ears is, but The snowies are only a couple hours away. Crested butte is about 3 hours i believe. Buena vista is 2 hours, Wolf Creek is 4 hours

lots of riding

www.coloradosledcity.com

 

[dragonpoo]

I would say rx1guy drives kinda fast crested butte is 4 hours from denver with good roads rabbit ears is 3 hours from denver but the riding at these areas is world class. once you get to know the front range there is some great riding under 1 1/2 hours from denver georga pass is looking good this year and so is jones pass at only an hour from town
I have lived and road here all my life and there are very many places that i havent had a chance to ride yet its a great place to live and ride. I really hate to say its so good here because i would rather not see it get any more crowded than it all ready is

Good luck with your decision

 

[vmaxfrank]

Depends on where in the metro area you are. Aurora is 30 to 60 minutes further than Littleton. If you're in Thorton, the Snowies are about as close as RE. From the I70-C-470 interchange Dragonpoo is about right on his times. Winterpark and Vail Pass are 1 to 1 1/2 hours from C-470 depending on traffic (could be much longer if there is an accident). They are better if you can get away for a quick ride during the week. I usually get up early to beat ski traffic and eat breakfast in Kremling, then head up the remaining 40 miles or so RE.

Grand Lake is also about same time as RE.

Haven't tried CB yet.

 

[milehighassassin]

not sure how far Rabbit Ears is, but The snowies are only a couple hours away. Crested butte is about 3 hours i believe. Buena vista is 2 hours, Wolf Creek is 4 hours

lots of riding

www.coloradosledcity.com

No way in hell you can do Crested Butte in 3 hours from Denver, not in a vehicle, airplane yes.


222 miles... I would say 4 hours, considering the roads you will be driving on.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

The riding is great in all of these places. You can't escape the granolas though, they are like gophers, cept ya can't shoot em!

 

[rotax]

rofl, yep, not in CO.. its enough to drive me into moving to NORTH MT or some remote locale.. sometimes i'm ready to load sled n clothes n leave. denver sucks!

hah hows that for a posative and inviting comment . =\ but some ppl love the city and possabilities...but the traffic and 80% of the ppl suck. but i'm a good ole country, small town boy. so may be swayed slightly.

The riding is great in all of these places. You can't escape the granolas though, they are like gophers, cept ya can't shoot em!

 

[sledskiing]

Just don't move to Boulder and you should be OK.

 

[Snoman69]

not sure how far Rabbit Ears is, but The snowies are only a couple hours away. Crested butte is about 3 hours i believe. Buena vista is 2 hours, Wolf Creek is 4 hours

lots of riding

www.coloradosledcity.com

WTF are you driving or flying? You couldn't make those times in the mid of summer on dry roads, let alone in the middle of winter!

 

[RX1Guy]

WTF are you driving or flying? You couldn't make those times in the mid of summer on dry roads, let alone in the middle of winter!

you are right. i have only made the drive about a hundred times because i go to college in Fort Collins. I have no idea how long it takes to go anywhere. I avg about 10mph over the speed limit.

 

[PooSlinger]

Hmm... great info! Thanks guys!

 

[milehighassassin]

you are right. i have only made the drive about a hundred times because i go to college in Fort Collins. I have no idea how long it takes to go anywhere. I avg about 10mph over the speed limit.

Your times are not realistic, it seems at least 3 of us have said that to you.

I drive from Fort Collins to Vail (Edwards) every weekend.

2.5 hours is possible if you don't get stuck in traffic or weather.

It has taken me 6 hours before.


I believe the snowies are about 1.5-2 hours from Fort Collins, correct?

 

[PooSlinger]

I believe the snowies are about 1.5-2 hours from Fort Collins, correct?

The oracle (google maps) says 2 hours and 40 mins from Denver to Centennial WY.

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

OMG, you guys must drive like grannies.

From Arvada, just east of Golden, it takes us 2 1/2 hrs to RE, same to Snowies. 2 hrs to Buena Vista, 1 1/2 to Vail, 2 hrs to GL.

We ride about 5 over speed limit, sometimes a little more if we bring the radar detector.

We leave here at 5:30 a.m., stop at the bakery in Kremmling, eat breakfast, ride the rest of the way to Muddy Creek, are offloading sleds by 8:30, riding by 9. CONSISTENTLY.

 

[XLR8ER]

For the most part at least 3 hours to avoid most the freaks, dealer morons, find good-untracked snow and find an open parking lot!

 

[DQ]

Just don't move to Boulder and you should be OK

So true....

PooSlinger....What about the 'Western Slope', IE all of CO West of the continental divide? Do yo need to be in the big city for work? Lots of great places to live, work & play on this side of the state....Also closer to Lale Powell & Moab!! DQ

 

[PooSlinger]

So true....

PooSlinger....What about the 'Western Slope', IE all of CO West of the continental divide? Do yo need to be in the big city for work? Lots of great places to live, work & play on this side of the state....Also closer to Lale Powell & Moab!! DQ

My GF and I would like to be closer to the big city just for the work and networking reasons. I'm looking for a nice area with good sledding and good opportunities. Seattle, SLC, and Denver are 3 biggies. No Wyoming, Idaho, or Montana metro areas really seem to fit the bill. If it were purely up to me, I'd move to a smaller town and be happy. But... What's that saying? If she's not happy, nobody's happy...

 

[milehighassassin]

OMG, you guys must drive like grannies.

From Arvada, just east of Golden, it takes us 2 1/2 hrs to RE, same to Snowies. 2 hrs to Buena Vista, 1 1/2 to Vail, 2 hrs to GL.

We ride about 5 over speed limit, sometimes a little more if we bring the radar detector.

We leave here at 5:30 a.m., stop at the bakery in Kremmling, eat breakfast, ride the rest of the way to Muddy Creek, are offloading sleds by 8:30, riding by 9. CONSISTENTLY.

While your times are realistic, they are also with clean roads and no major traffic. If you hit the Saturday skier traffic, Vail pass is not doable in 1/5 hours.

Crested Butte (not your post) is still not 3 hours from Denver.


Leaving early is the key get out of town beat the traffic, then when you are close to your riding area, you do stop and grab breakfast. I like first tracks but riding before 8:00 is not my thing. It is just too cold. Leaving around 8:00 is a good time but 9 is better. Any later and you don't get first tracks.

 

[backcountryislife]

WOW, it must suck having to drive in that sh*thole every day!!!!

Pooslinger, you sure you want to live down there? Listen to all these guys, you can't get to anywhere within less than a two day drive! (and then you've got to deal with the skiers!!!)


While the city may suck, there are plenty of other places to ride that are worthwile and really aren't much of a drive. Good area to be if we could just nuke the city.

 

[co_front_ranger]

PooSlinger,
I grew up in the Twin City area and rode just about everywhere there from Central and Northern Minnesota, Hayward and the U.P. of Michigan and let me tell you, you'll never grow tired of riding here. There are just SO many areas to ride, and really, how much time do you now spend driving in the quest for ridable snow now? A 1.5 or 2 hour drive here to some of the very best riding this country has to offer. Country as in USA. Now having said that... If you've never ridden out west, it is a different experience. No riding to a Leinenkugel bar for a brat every 5 miles or a gas stop. This is back country riding with some great trail systems... they just don't go to a "place" so you have to plan the ride for gas limitations, etc.
Just imagine... 12,000 foot mountain summits where you can see forever. Countless play areas you can grind up and come back in a few hours and it's fresh again. If you're into trail riding there's plenty of that too.
As far as an area to live here... I'd love to live in Idaho Springs or Empire, I really would... if it wasn't for the pesky job that keeps me on the flats. I dunno if I would want to live in the Denver Metro. It's just like any other large city, but better than most. I prefer to live a little further out. We have a decent highway system so travel in to the City isn't too bad (I spent 9 years in California traffic, so this is a breeze!).
Summer is great too. MTB'ing, Dirt biking, 4x4'ing, rock crawling all on USFS land or BLM land. Try that in Packerland! Oh, NO friggin humidity and two mosquitos... comparitively... and yes! there are a few liquor stores here that stock Leinenkugel!
Uh-oh... the natives will probably torch me at the stake for this post... I absolutely love it here.