Local Canyon Road Reports?

[Ghost]

Does anyone who's been out riding since the snow have any reports of the conditions of the local riding area for the weekend of 4/19 - 4/20?

I know we got dumped on, so I assume there's sand and melt water runoff everywhere, but IF you've actually been out and about could you PLEASE POST your report here?

This way, people heading out to ride can plan a route for Sat/Sun and know what to expect and what to avoid...

TYIA!

[dm_gsxr]

Don't know about conditions, but Rita said she was coming back down Canyon Blvd and there were half a dozen cops, one cop with a radar, and a sportbiker (red bike) pulled over with his head hanging.

Carl

[Ghost]

Don't know about conditions, but Rita said she was coming back down Canyon Blvd and there were half a dozen cops, one cop with a radar, and a sportbiker (red bike) pulled over with his head hanging.

Carl

Hmm, figures. First nice days of spring and they know we'll be out. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

Thanks for the heads-up! Keep the reports coming in... ;)

[mtnairlover]

I haven't been out since Wednesday, so I can't say for certain the conditions will be optimal...but, if anyone is planning on heading up the hills, then stick to roads that are south-facing...hwy7, for instance, is a south-facing road. It gets lots of sunshine, so the snow melts much more quickly and by the time we're out, it's non-existent. That's been my experience these past few months since February.

You can expect to find gravel in the middle and along edges on roads that don't get as much sunshine. One road I'm thinking of is the Peak-2-Peak hwy. There are stretches of that road that don't get much sun...so, ride accordingly.

Um, wish I did have a definitive report, but I'm going out tomorrow after having ridden only in the first half of this week.

[vegasbound]

I rode around Morrison and Turkey Creek today and the roads were really good.

[asp_125]

Did P2P last weekend from Golden to Hwy7. Gilpin county clear with sand along yellow lines, some wet spots with snow runoff crossing the road. Boulder county to Nederland same condition. Nederland to Ward, some light sand from local cross traffic, potholes and occasional rock (fist sized) due to snowmelt. Ward to Hwy7 mostly clean, some sand along middle.

Hwy7 to Lyons, clean very nice! YMMV it has been a week. Ride with caution this time of the season.

Oh, Gilpin county's finest revenue collectors were out with a speed trap along one stretch of P2P, near the top of Golden Gate Cyn.

[arcatacat]

Did a couple canyons late this afternoon.

Bear Creek is clean and dry. No sand.
Parmalee gulch has sand at the bottom (near 285)
S. Turkey creek is good.
Deer creek is great til you get to the few turns in the tight part of the canyon near the bottom.

Nowhere was there any runoff on the road.

[HOTCARCASS]

7 had a little sand starting about half way up. I rode it today.

[jsears1864]

i did 4 mile with another motard today and laid it down coming back. LOTS OF GRAVEL UP THERE. it looks good going up but the return lane has alot of gravel. It was my first lay down on pavement. (minus my dirt wrecks and slow stupid stuff.)

Thank you to wolverine boots, msr helmets, my split hoodie, volcom jeans, and my thor gloves. 2nd or 3rd gear slip on gravel in a right hander. my gloves wore through but my hands are fine??? my elbows are rashed but my hoddie has no scratches??? I swear i'm not making it up. my boots took the most of it. the strings and stiching were blown out as well as the metal lace loops, but my ankle is fine???? weird. my bars, throttle tube, lever, brake fluid resevior, left side number plate and exhaust got RASHED hard.

Im not a big dude or a tough dude so i thank my gear. I just remember saying "oh shit!" and seeing my bike slide across the lane with sparks flying off my pegs.

I rode it home. HONDA CRF450R sumermoto conversion. I love my honda i guess.

[Cassius32]

Rode golden gate up over and down coal creek canyon yesterday. Lots of gravel in some places but decent considering how much snow they got. Some runoof but not too bad.

[Ghost]

Thanks guys! If anyone's out today, please post your report...

[Sean]

i did 4 mile with another motard today

Glad to hear your alright.

btw, where is "4 mile"? I don't think I've heard of it.

[Nick_Ninja]

Glad to hear your alright.

btw, where is "4 mile"? I don't think I've heard of it.

It's about two miles west up Boulder Canyon towards Nederland.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/Nick_Ninja/Fourmile.jpg

[Jadam]

Haven't been up in the canyons much. But that short and twist road up to Cabrini shrine is hell of sandy.

[siriuschris]

I just got back from doing the pass from Evergreen to Idaho Springs.
Road has some cosmetic issues as usual and is quite sandy in just a few spots atm. Most of it, especially once you reach the less driven parts, is pretty good but be cautious as the sandy/potholed areas are really random.

It was fuckin beautiful up there.

Chris

[asp_125]

P2P between Blackhawk and Ned deteriorated since last weekend. More sand in the middle, dusty in places with the occasional cop. Ned to Boulder, clean.

[64BonnieLass]

How sandy was Deckers looking today for those that did that run?

[mtnairlover]

P2P I really used to like that road. Used to. Ok, so I agree with the gravel in some spots, but we took that road from hwy7 all the way to Blackhawk today and if it weren't for all the freakin potholes, I think I wouldn't be so grumpy right now. That, or I'm just getting old...yep, gray hair...old. Ok, so P2P has major issues besides the typical bumpiness in years past, it truly has lots of potholes...mostly between Ned and BH. Dodging those and then the dips in the road and all the other junk...um yeah...huge workout on the knees today.

Anyhoo, hoping the truck we saw today will bring out the road repair crews. There was this truck with cameras on all sides, flashing lights, etc, and a sign that read, "Stay back 50 feet" "Road survey truck"...or something like that.

[InlineSIX24]

Decent overall conditions today. Hwy 73 had some spots w/ sand/gravel. The top of Deer Creek Canyon was pretty nasty. Lots of gravel and a ton of tar snakes. Those patched areas are going to be no fun when it warms up into the 80's & above. We were getting tire wash all over until we made it down to lower elevation.

[mtnairlover]

Devil's Gulch Rd...up by Glen Haven off hwy34. I never thought I'd run through there anytime accept summer, but I found myself there this past weekend and now I know why I don't go through there. The switchbacks at the top are covered in gravel. No noticeable road to follow a path through. So, I downshifted way before getting to the turn, squeezed the tank and went through at about 5mph. Most of the rest of the road is negligible with gravel in turns, especially those that don't get much sunlight still...the ones with high cliffs next to the road.

My advice? Don't do Devil's Gulch until summer.

[lovinCO]

P2P I really used to like that road. Used to. Ok, so I agree with the gravel in some spots, but we took that road from hwy7 all the way to Blackhawk today and if it weren't for all the freakin potholes, I think I wouldn't be so grumpy right now. That, or I'm just getting old...yep, gray hair...old. Ok, so P2P has major issues besides the typical bumpiness in years past, it truly has lots of potholes...mostly between Ned and BH. Dodging those and then the dips in the road and all the other junk...um yeah...huge workout on the knees today.


I second this, and am embarrassed on behalf of CDOT for the condition of P2P. :scream1: We might have passed each other during the day, as we were headed in the opposite direction. :)

We went up GG canyon (bottom ok, the rest sandy) and rode P2P all the way to Estes Park. The day was beautiful, but we spent most of our time watching the road surface so we didn't bend a rim. I don't know if you went back on the Northbound side of P2P, but it was the worst from Ned to Hwy7. Very large chunks of road surface were scaled off, mostly in the right tire track side. I hope you're correct about the truck being for repaving.

On the other hand, I couldn't believe how good Hwy7 was. It was clean and smooth and there wasn't much traffic....we rode it 3 times yesterday it was such a standout compared to the other roads we were on.

[mtnairlover]

We might have passed each other during the day, as we were headed in the opposite direction. :)


I saw a white duc, but two-up. Saw lots of other ducati's during both Saturday and Sunday. Yeah and hwy7 just gets me going...:hump:

I think there were so many potholes that I forgot where they started and where they ended. The last stretch of road as you're heading south into BH is still smooth, as there is a very noticeable transition from old pavement to new about a couple miles out. The potholes, I think, started way back around Ward (mental had fun on the road, especially right at Ward). I digress. But, yeah I was on the P2P both ways Sunday...from hwy7 to Blackhawk (and back) and I'm finally recovering from the sore knees. Of course, it didn't help that I banged my right knee on the patio door right before leaving the house yesterday either (clutz).

One of these days, you and I are actually gonna be riding in the same direction...in the same group even.:)

[lovinCO]

I saw a white duc, but two-up. Saw lots of other ducati's during both Saturday and Sunday. Yeah and hwy7 just gets me going...:hump:


One of these days, you and I are actually gonna be riding in the same direction...in the same group even.:)

We were red duc, white duc. I pity anyone who has to ride pillion on one of these bikes, they're painful enough riding in the front. :)

Ci, we have to hook up for a ride--when's the girlie ride again? That's coming up.

[Sortarican]

The High Grade Road turnoff of Deer Creek was much cleaner than last week.
Just light sand on the lower twisties and a few heavier spots near the 285/Conifer intersection.

[mtnairlover]

Ci, we have to hook up for a ride--when's the girlie ride again? That's coming up.

Um...I'm thinking, June 8th. But, shhhh...keep it under your lid.;)

[Ghost]

Decent overall conditions today. Hwy 73 had some spots w/ sand/gravel. The top of Deer Creek Canyon was pretty nasty. Lots of gravel and a ton of tar snakes. Those patched areas are going to be no fun when it warms up into the 80's & above. We were getting tire wash all over until we made it down to lower elevation.

Kittridge had two CSPs waiting by the post office (or whatever that small building by the road is)

Evergreen had construction around Turkey Creek Rd.

73 had a LOT of centerline sand and moderate mid-lane and mid-corner sand as well as moderate-to-heavy shoulder sand. This was especially true in corners where cars are putting tires off and kicking up sand onto the road.

105 from Sedalia to County Line to Castle Rock was a mix of clear and then sandy, and County Line was in very poor condition with chunks missing and sand in every corner.

Tar snakes were amazingly slippery and I was playing slide recovery even at a sub-speed-limit pace.

We need like 3 days of solid rain to wash the roads. Not snow, snow brings sand, just rain. Lots of it.

And then someone to pave the F*in craters.

[Ghost]

Any updates after this weekend's rides?

[Wickid@$$Clown]

I rode Deer Creek on Saturday afternoon and I thought it was AWESOME... I saw a 1/2 naked woman peeing in the bushes. I had to honk and wave to her...
:shocked:

[arcatacat]

I rode Deer Creek on Saturday afternoon and I thought it was AWESOME... I saw a 1/2 naked woman peeing in the bushes. I had to honk and wave to her...
:shocked:

That's it. I'm riding Deer creek home from work every day, starting tomorrow.

:)

ok, maybe not. But I did ride it today. It's still a bit sandy down in the tight sections near the bottom of the canyon.

Bear creek doesn't have a grain of sand. But it still has slow-ass cars and a Jefferson County Sheriff when I went by this afternoon. :banghead:

Parmalee gulch still has some sand at the couple tight turns near the fire station and down near 285.

Santa Fe still haz teh traffic. :(

[IT WASN'T ME!]

Any updates after this weekend's rides?
I rode from the springs to deckers to 285. Roads looked great, but there was a fine layer of sand almost everywhere. If I rode directly behind someone, I got sandblasted.

[mtnairlover]

Boulder Canyon is fine, but there's always so much traffic, why bother?

Left Hand Canyon is great all the way to right before Ward and then you've got a boatload of sand to deal with still. But, since the speed through town is 15mph, meh...just don't try pulling off to the side of the road at the top.:crazy:

P2P from Ward to hwy7 still has gravel in the middle of the lane and rock-fall from some roadside cliffs.

Hwy7 all the way to Lyons...umm, need I say any more?:hump:

Hwy7 to Estes is fine.

Hwy34 from Estes to Loveland still has a bit of gravel in the passing lanes, but they're passable.

That is all from Sunday.:)

[daemon]

devils gulch is fairly clean from today...
still just a bit of sand in the double switchbacks,but not a butt clencher amount.
of course pinewood is great as usual.

i agree with cathy on 7 from estes to 72
P2P to ward is still riddled with sand in the middle.
left hand canyon is fair....with just a little bit of sand in a few spots.

[mtnairlover]

...oh my:shocked:

So, I took off from work a lil early today and decided to take a run up Left Hand Canyon with Chad. After being diverted with construction down on the flats just West of Longmont, we were on hwy36 just before the turn-off to Left Hand and I got stung again! This time it was this close to my crotch.:shocked: Luckily, I got the lil bugger before it could really sink it's tail in and was spared the agonizing pain of its venom.

Oh, Left Hand....um, yeah. So, we're taking it easy going up the road and those of you who ride Left Hand know what nice and tight turns its got. We're before the turn-off to Ward and as I'm coming up on a tight lefty about halfway through it, there's a street sweeper on the right shoulder. Like I said, we were taking it easy. After that, though, Chad said my tires were kicking up a good amount of dust from the recently swept road.

The road up to Ward is somewhat the same as the last time I was up there, but the town of Ward itself has a whole bunch more gravel and rocks in the middle of the road as compared to one weekend ago. Not sure what the deal is...maybe that street sweeper had also been through the area.

We saw several groups of riders out and about today, as well. A guy on a really nice Tuono followed us down to Lyons to chat with Chad about his Falco. Pretty cool the people you meet while enjoying a nice afternoon.

One last thing...after tomorrow's snow, I wouldn't be thinking about Left Hand for a bit, unless of course the forecast for the weekend hits dead-on.

[Ghost]

...and, more snow...maybe we'll have clear roads by August?

[Nick_Ninja]

10" in Nederland :roll:

[Ghost]

Updates from Friday/Saturday? ;)

[mtnairlover]

Hwy7 clean all the way from Lyons to about St. Malo (St. Catherine's Church). From there, the gravel is in the middle of the lane and along the edges and the double yellow.

Hwy34, there's a hazard of a different kind...After having lunch in Estes, I headed home to Loveland and took it easy coming down hwy34 because of traffic. I got behind an SUV and just stayed back and took it easy...you know, riding with one hand on the handle bar and floating through the corners? Yeah, so at one point the SUV decides to pull over and let me go by. I'm thinking ok fine, go a tad on the throttle...come around a left-hander and start down a hill and coming up the road in my direction is, you guess it...police officer. I think, oh wrong time to increase the speed a bit...look down at the speedo...it says somewhere between 50 and maybe 60, but I'm not too concerned, cuz I'm just taking things easy. Anyhoo, I look in my rear-view and sure enough, there's those lovely bright red cherries.

Yep, busted. I tell ya, if it were me being a dumb-ass and tail-gating, and haulin ass and crossin' the double-yellows, I would understand the lecture...but honestly, sheesh! 58 in a 45 is what the final assessment was. I'm guessing if I want to see P2P become a better road, I guess it will be money well-spent.

Moral? Keep the speeds down to speed limit close to home. None of this 5 - 15 over. How crazy is that? Honestly, tell me you have any inkling what it's like to be on a bike and just cruisin' and you are well aware of your speed? Put it differently...55 does not feel like 55. To me, it feels like 45. Time to invent a heads-up display for the helmet face shield.

Meh...oh well.

[elbromisto]

I ran the old Rist-Stove Prairie-Cameron Pass loop today. Rist was clean until near the switchbacks at the top, which themselves were relatively clean. Stove Prairie had a bit of sand in the middle in a couple places. The exception was the very tight uphill hairpin which was pretty much covered in sand. The Poudre was clear just about everywhere but the tar snakes above Rustic got pretty squirrely.
Does anyone know if there are different tar compounds? It seemed like some were totally stable and some jerked the bars pretty hard.
Lastly, I saw a Harley guy get tagged by a Larimer County Sherrif about ten miles above Rustic. Looks like Pueblo is the best place to avoid cops...

[modette99]

..

[Ghost]

I'm trying to keep a site up to date: www.cowrw.com (http://www.cowrw.com) or www.coweekendroadwarriors.com (http://www.coweekendroadwarriors.com)

Pictures and stuff will come in time, first I just want to get various roads up with Maps screen shots :-)

Nice! (but blocked at work, I'll check it later ;) )