Bike and Ski on CBMR in the same afternoon!

It was Tuesday, November 27th and I had an itch to get on the mountain bike again. After a week of no snow, 40 degree temps, and no new terrain opening, it was a no brainier. It has been since November 18th since we have seen any snow, and it was a measly little inch. Columbine Hill trail had caught my eye every ride up the Red Lady Express Lift. What caught the eye, was the lack of snow although I couldn't know for certain, it seemed as if the trail was snow free. Even though I had heard other trails were ride able such as Lupine, and Upper Loop, I wanted to bike and ski on CBMR trails/runs in the same day, so I made that my goal.

I started at my house and took the rec path from the town of Crested Butte to the mountain. I made my way up to the resort and over to Prospect Road. My initial plan was to ride The Prospector trail and I started to, but quickly had to turn back as the snow was too deep on North facing slopes. My back up plan was to ride the Prospect Road all the way to the top where it enters the Crested Butte Mountain roads. I continued until I got to Painter Boy hill.

The Mountain Looks snowy on the North facing slopes, but its still very shallow. They were blowing snow up Paradise Bowl. From here I went down some double track to Columbine Trail.

Once i got to the top of the Columbine ridge it was smooth sailing, a few snow patches but mostly super tacky single track. Here is the fork for Painter Boy and Columbine Trails.

Here you can see the beginner run of Houston, a tiny little strip of snow!

 Here is where Houston meets up with lower Keystone.

Yet another spring skiing type of day, Lower Keystone was the only option until they opened the Teocalli Lift.

The jib park, it seems like the busiest part of the mountain as of late.

A whole lot of grass, and bush. Columbine trail was in spectacular shape!

And on to the ski hill to get a few runs in. This was a small goal of mine but it is tough because I'm  ready for ski season. I guess I have to take what I've got!

check out 2pedal.com for all your mountain biking trail maps and guide books.

Oh, and Pray for snow!

Tracking Snow on the Internet

In the past week or so the reality of ski season has started to set in. Although summer and fall bring out the real color of Colorado, it is hard not to enjoy the snow covered peaks, the cold brisk nights, and of course getting on the slopes. There is something about ski season that just feels so right and Colorado is truly blessed with not only some of the most beautiful vistas but also some of the most amazing ski terrain. Crested Butte Mountain Resort opened last Wednesday for opening day which happened to be free for everyone. There was not much options in terms of ski runs, and the lines rivaled a weekend at Vail resorts but it didn't matter, it was exciting to get back on the sticks for the first time since April. In order to make a ski season successful, we must have snow. Of course some years are better than others, but if you are a powder hound like me, you know there are plenty of resources to track the white stuff on the internet.

Opening week and its still a white ribbon!

OK, OK, we all know how bad it was in Colorado last year, minus the odd ball of Wolf Creek with over 100 inches before December and 396 inches on the season. Every storm seemed to stay far north of Colorado. With each passing day, it got worse and worse. I remember riding my bike on the Upper Loop on January 4th. In February there was a little relief, but it was too little too late. Crested Butte Mountain Resort didn't even see 100" from November 23rd to April 8th. It holds the record as the 2nd worst snowfall year ever for Crested Butte Mountain Resort. We kept waiting and waiting, and winter quickly turned into bike season. As a result, we were in panic mode the first half of the summer with high fire danger and our rivers and reservoirs were evaporating fast. Ok, well enough of that. As you should all know, it is impossible to predict how each winter will pan out.  I am not a meteorologist, however, I love winter weather and storms and do as much research and tracking as I can. This year forecasters had initially said that it would be an El Nino winter.
My understanding of El Nino is that the Pacific Ocean's surface temperature warms near the equator.  This usually increases the likelihood of storms in our area, thus dumping more snow on our ski slopes. Obviously, that is not a very scientific description, but the general idea is that El Nino could create a greater chance of snow.  As it stands now, most recent forecasts have shown a stand still. Meaning the weather has become neutral, somewhere in between El Nino and La Nina. This is making what some long range forecasters say one of the most difficult winters to predict.  Meanwhile the snow has for the most part stayed to the north of Colorado yet again. My goal every year is to improve, whether I am skiing powder, groomers or moguls. No matter what, we need snow to cover the grass and rocks to open more difficult and steep terrain. Here at Crested Butte it takes a bit more snow than most resorts because of some pretty extreme Terrain.






Here are a multitude of forecast/snow links that I use on a daily basis, in no particular order:


Snowforecast.com has been been in the game a while but I started to use there site last year. The recently updated website makes for very easy navigation and functionality. They do personal weather forecasts for each and every ski resort in Canada and the United States. Although when two ski resorts are next to each other the forecast tends to be the same. The homepage shows highest 24 hour snow totals and highest foretasted totals. A cool feature they offer is a map that shows a radar and winter weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service. The site includes a forum and you can sign up to get snow alerts.

Powderchasers.com has been another go-to source for me because it’s unique qualities. Steve or "powderchaser" chases storms to resorts that get the most snow or at least where he thinks the most snow will drop! The home page and entire website is very simple and easy to use. Although he might not update his "powder alert" every day he updates as needed. He forecasts the west and at times will forecast the east when warranted.



Opensnow.com formerly know as Colorado Powder Forecast is a very user friendly site. Joel Gratz and Andrew Murry started the sight last November and has since been a hit for Colorado weather freaks. Joel updates the Colorado forecast every day and sometimes multiple times a day. You can set up a "dashboard" and save your favorite resorts for convenience. Open Snow has yet to truly go region to region but it seems this is their goal. They do have a Tahoe Forecaster as well as a forecaster out East. Another character that sets them apart from the rest is that they have fun naming the storms.




The Crested Butte Avalanche Center is my go-to page for local backcountry conditions. The home page offers a weather synopsis and what’s happening in the backcountry. Detailing recent slides and what to expect out in the backcountry. It also includes the current danger graph for the region and trends. You can submit recent observations, which is a very neat feature. People post pictures and a quick write up of the conditions they experienced. The guys the run the site are all CB locals and love what they do.




Colorado Avalanche Information Center is a very useful site for all backcountry snow conditions in Colorado. Whether you're a skier, snowmobiler, or if you are just getting out in the backcountry, this site is a must view before you head out. It has a detailed avalanche and weather forecast for every different zone in Colorado. It also shares accidents in Colorado and the United States.

This is the National Weather Service website. These are the guys that release weather advisory for the United States. I use the Grand Junction NWS which issues statements for eastern Utah and Western Colorado. The sight is easy to navigate. the home page shows the weather story, radar, satellite, and weather map. It also includes any current advisories.


With that said, Check out the sites for your self. As far as weather, who knows what will happen. Last October we got a good amount of snow, and then moisture left the area. So far the moisture has been completely absent. It is all about the storm track and right now it is not in our favor. Regardless, winter is the time to hunker down, drink tea, eat soup, ski, and repeat. It is an excuse to wear long johns all day, and to enjoy an alcoholic beverage before noon. It may snow this year, it may not, that is the beauty of visiting other ski destinations. No matter what it is going to be a wonderful ski season, and I can't wait to share every moment with you!

whether your still biking or need to plan a backcountry tour route check out 2pedal for maps.

Specialized Stump Jumper Comp Carbon 29er

Late this summer, in August, I decided I wanted a new mountain bike. I had an opportunity to get a discounted 2013 bike from Specialized so I started my research. I had done a lot of research throughout the summer on race bikes, and narrowed my search to a hardtail 29er. The mountain bike community had declared the 29er as the next best thing. Every bike magazine has been saying how the 29er had finally been perfected after years of manufacturing and testing. I had friends jumping on the 29er bandwagon, and it was time for me to jump aboard. I got on the internet to see what my bank account could afford. I came up with the Stumpjumper Comp Carbon Hardtail 29er. I considered the the Expert Carbon but there were a few upgrades on the bike that were not worth the money. Once the bike was in hand, I tested it in a variety of conditions and circumstances, every day rides, races, and even a bikepack trip. I want to share with you my thoughts of my first 600 miles on the Stumpjumper Comp Carbon Hardtail 29er.

My Trek Fuel EX 9.8

I started Mountain Biking in July of 2010 when I purchased a 2010 Trek Fuel EX 6. It was a perfect beginner bike and a perfect bike for Crested Butte area trails. I road the bike the rest of 2010 and all of 2011. I sold it and upgraded to a Trek Fuel Ex 9.8 in March of 2012. This bike has been simply amazing; climbing, descending, rough terrain, it can manage anything. I raced on it and bikepacked the whole Colorado Trail on it. I had no real idea how a 29er rode, I tried out a few but knew I would just have to get one and test it for myself,  so that is what I did. Keep in mind, all of my opinions are compared to my experience riding 26er, as that is all I had ridden prior to buying the Stumpjumper 29er.

First impressions: My first impressions of the Stumpjumper were very positive. First off the look of the bike is very sleek, the black with yellow detail looks great. The simple things matter to me like the color and the two water bottle cage mounts. I got a large frame and it is a perfect fit for me at 5" 10'. The 12 millimeter thru axle with the Rockshox Reba works perfectly and the quick response and handling surprised me. The Roval Wheel set seemed a bit sluggish at first, the wheels are heavy but I got used to them. The bonus was the "2bliss" Ready Rim strip that came pre-installed! All I needed to do was add some Stan's and pump up the Specialized Fast Trak Tires, it was one of the more easy tubeless installations I have done. The tires seemed a bit thin on the sidewalls and I knew they would struggle in the mud. The drive train was the kicker on this bike. Specialized mixed and matched Sram and Shamano products. The cranks, chainrings, front deraillure, and cassett were all Sram and the rear derailleur and shifters were Shamano. What stood out here was the Shamano XT rear derailleur with clutch. Basically it is a derailleur that becomes ridged by the flip of a switch on the derailleur it self.  It is supposed to prevent chain slap and chain drop. Specialized switched from Avid Brakes to Magura on almost all of there Stumpjumpers this year. I like how powerful the Magura MTS (Specialized custom version of the MT4) are. The elongated brake lever is a bit awkward, something to get used to. Overall, I am happy with the components, but have plans on upgrading. The ability to upgrade to components I want is one of the reasons I purchased this bike over the more expensive Expert Carbon.

Trail riding: Like I said, I have done a lot of different riding on this bike since I got it in August.  It has become my go-to bike mainly because of how efficient it is. On relaxing rides I see myself going much faster then I had in the past. I read that people need to get over the hump of switching to a 29er; the first handfull of rides where you want to get back on your 26er, I never felt that.  The first thing that stood out was how the bike handled obstacles.  For Example, going up a technical rock a foot in height. With my 26er I would have to crank up on the handlebars and pop my font tire up and over. With the 29er all I needed to do was lift up on the bars a little but mainly just engage the tire with the rock and with enough momentum the bike would handle the rest of the work. It was amazing how much less energy I expended.

Racing: Normal rides were fun, but where this bike excelled was racing. I started to do a few races late this summer, because I knew the bike could hold it's own and I wanted to see if I would enjoy it or not. The two shorter races I did at Hartman's Rocks in Gunnison went better then I had anticipated. some people say that the pickup on bigger wheels such as a 29er is slower compared to a small wheel, I thought the pickup was pretty good. I had not done too much racing on my Fuel Ex so I couldn't compare but I was happy with the way it excelled. Hartman's is pretty sandy, the one race I rode the Specialized Fast Traks was a bit scary. I noticed in fast turns I would washout a bit more. Not sure if it was the tires or me not used to the lack of tire coverage that 29ers have? In general these two short races were tough but the bike handled pretty well, A few upgrades might make it even faster. The one race this bike excelled at was the Crested Butte Classic. It is a 100 mile bike race that take racers around three large loops in the Crested Butte area. There is a lot of singletrack but also a lot of road and that is where this bike felt like a rocket. It also surprised me in super steep descents. Because of the big wheel size, the bike's weight distribution is more balanced, thus preventing a dive over the handle bars. Even with the long saddle time my back never seemed to hurt, this also could have been due to adrenalin and proper fitting on my bike, but still I was surprised.

Bikepacking: More recently I took this bike on the Kokopelli's Trail for a bikepacking trip. Bikepacking is pretty much backpacking but on bikes. I add packs on my bike and cinch them down. This specific trip was short but such a blast.. This summer I started getting into bikepacking and thru biked the Colorado trail. I was really excited to take this bike on it's first bikepack. I plan on doing the Arizona Trail Race this April and I wanted to test the bike out with the packs on it. It did not disappoint. Not only was it a great test run, but I was surprised what the bike could handle through technical sections with all the weight on it. The only problem I had was my saddle bag was packed a bit to much and my rear tire would scrape against the large saddle pack every so often. I might have to consider a different way of carrying my stuff in the future. Overall this is a perfect bike for bikepacking.

Final Thoughts: The Fact IS 8m carbon frame gives just enough that you don't feel like your getting beaten around.Yet its tougher then the 6m carbon frame on all other higher end models. This was one of the deciding factors over an Aluminum frame. I love the Rockshox Reba, so far it has held up great. For my bikepack trip I added a little more PSI and it worked great. The lock out is a function I rarely use but when I do it works flawlessly. The Roval rims will be my next upgrade, not that they are bad but I just want better, they are a bit heavy. The Specialized Fast Track tires didn't last long, I just didn't like how they felt and I had heard to many good things about the Maxxis Icon exo's, that was my first upgrade on the bike. The drive train has preformed up to my standards with the highlight being the Shamano XT Rear derailleur with clutch. Countless times has it been used to the fullest going thru fast rock garden and it never disappoints. I have noticed the X7 front derailleur constantly needs adjusting, it tends to over shift I wondering if it has something to do with the 2X10 drivetrain? The SLX shifters don't compare to my XT shifters but you get what you pay for, this could be an upgrade for the future but not to high on the list. The Magura brakes have been so-so thus far, probably my most frustrating component. The brake levers just don't fit on the 680mm Handlebars. Now if you like to brake with two fingers this lever is for you, but I don't. I also already had to replace my rear brake pads. I love resin pads but they wore very fast. They also need to be re-bled already, this could be because it is one of the lower ends of the Magura MT series. I enjoy the 180mm front and 16mm rear Rotors, that contributes to how powerful these brake are. The other disappointment with the Maguras is the Modulation. When feathering the brakes the rear tire locks up and skids. In general this bike is fast, it is a race machine, and I have been very please with my purchase. I plan on getting 700mm carbon handlebars, carbon seat post, some lighter wheels, and maybe a brake upgrade. Whether it be trail riding, racing, or even  bikepacking this bike will suit your needs. Specialized has a winner in the 2013 Stumpjumper Comp Carbon 29er.

Updates:
 The 700mm Bars are what this bike needed. It offers much more control and its more conformable. 
 XT Brakes with Ice-Tec Rotors have worked great thus far. A far better option then the Maguras. The Modulation is what the XT is know for so that's one of the main reasons I went with them! I need my brake Modulation!!!!

My next upgrade will be a new drive train to accompany the already awesome XT rear derailleur. Xt cranks, cassettes, and chain.