Views from the Top of Columbine Climb

cycling, Leadville 100, mountain biking | UltraRob | Tuesday, August 15th, 2006 at 5:17 pm

Friday night we camped with Pat at Turquoise Lake so that we could get the stuff we needed to crew for him for the Leadville 100. We had left the girls with my parents since Monday was our anniversary. Instead of hanging around to wait for Pat to finish, we bailed and went to the Ores and Mine B&B;.

The Leadville 100 mountain bike race actually goes right by the Ores and Mine B&B; as you drop down the paved road to cross Hwy 82 to get to the Twin Lakes Dam. I really like the upper end of the lakes much better. The lower end is rather open with lots of sage brush but the location was convenient for us. We also wanted to hike over to Interlaken on Sunday and the trailhead is just past where the tents are for the Twin Lakes aid station. The B&B; is run by John and Donna and they are a very nice couple. They took very good care of us while we were there and the rooms are very nice.

After we took a short nap, we decided to drive up to the Columbine Mine since Julie has never been up there. She’s always sat at the aid station without having any idea of what the Columbine climb is like. At the spot right at timberline where you go right to go up the steep road instead of going straight to get to the Gold Basin Mine, there is a small cabin to the right and if you go behind it you can see Twin Lakes. On the way up it was too cloudy to see and on our way down it was getting too dark to get pictures.

This picture is taken from close to where I think the new turn around must be and looking to the southeast. The cabin near the old turn around would be just to the right of the picture.

Picture from the same spot. The old cabin by the old turn around would be at the left edge of the picture.

Picture from the same spot and looking in the general direction of Leadville.

Picture from the same spot and looking back down to where the course comes by the creek near timberline.

The old cabin near the old turn around.

Looking to the southeast from the cabin at the old turn around.

Another shot looking back down the course toward timberline.

View from off the ridge to the right as you get to the top of the climb before curving off to the left. Hwy 82 runs up the valley just past Twin Lakes as it starts the climb to Independence Pass.

Another view from the ridge to the right. You can see the inlet to the upper Twin Lake and the Mt. Elbert Forebay. Off in the distance you can see Turquoise Lake.