Fall Colors of Carbondale, CO

This ride is a fixed-base or semi-fixed-base ride, please read the ride description for more details.

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW:   The town of Carbondale is located at 6,171 feet above sea level on the south shore of the Roaring Fork River.  Mount Sopris, the twin-summit mountain, dominates the southern skyline of Carbondale and is part of the Elk Mountain range of the Rocky Mountains.  Although it is not a “Colorado Fourteener”, the 12,965 foot peak is breathtaking.  Our tour this week will include portions of the forty-two mile Rio Grande Trail which follows the Roaring Fork River from Glenwood Springs to Aspen, routes throughout the eastern and western foothills overlooking the Roaring Fork Valley, a nine thousand foot high mountain pass and the awe-inspiring Maroon Bells - Colorado’s most photographed, postcard-perfect peaks!           

RIDE RATING:   The ride rating for this fixed-base tour is 3B.  There are multiple route options for    average to accomplished riders.  The terrain is as varied as it is beautiful, with daily averages of               35-50 miles and 2,500 to 3,500 feet of elevation gain. There are no mandatory ride days and this tour is  not sag vehicle supported.  Tandem riders may find some of the routes quite challenging, but are welcome; as are any riders preferring to use electric bikes.  Each evening during social hour, a suggested route for the following day will be reviewed and discussed.  The suggested routes are as follows (subject to change):

     Day 1    Fryingpan Road                                   58 miles           3480 ft ascent

     Day 2    McClure Pass - Marble                       35 miles           2550 ft ascent  

     Day 3    Sunlight Mountain Resort                  47 miles           2890 ft ascent

     Day 4    Maroon Bells                                       40 miles           2540 ft ascent

     Day 5    Missouri Heights                                  42 miles           3200 ft ascent

     Day 6    E Sopris - Snowmass                          50 miles           2610 ft ascent  

MAPS, CUE SHEETS and .GPX FILES:   All navigation information will be made available through software provider Ride with GPS no later than July 28, 2024.  I have curated all of the routes in order to create an interesting and memorable tour.  Riders need to download all digital routes from RWGPS onto their personal device prior to arriving for the tour.  Please contact me directly before arriving for the tour if you need any assistance.  In addition, I will provide a consolidated .pdf document with all of the maps and cue sheets for every route.  Printed maps and cue sheets will be the responsibility of each participant if required.   

WEATHER:   Fall weather conditions in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley can be best described as “crisp in the mornings and warming in the afternoons”.  Late September and early October temperatures average 45-55 degrees F overnight and 65-75 degrees F in the afternoon.  Occasional showers may materialize and snow is possible at higher elevations.  Cold weather kit as well as rain gear are recommended.

LODGING and MEALS:   Our host hotel for the tour is the Comfort Inn & Suites located at 920 Cowen Drive, Carbondale, CO 81623; phone 970-963-8880.  Parking is provided free of charge for the duration of our stay and bicycles may be stored in your room.  Indoor pool and spa, outdoor patio and on-site laundry are some of the available amenities.  In addition to seven nights lodging, there are two group dinners along with seven social hours which include appetizers, wine, beer and soft drinks. Complimentary breakfast is included each of our seven mornings at the Comfort Inn.  Lunch will be the responsibility of the participating rider during and/or after each daily ride. 

LOGISTICS:   Start and End Location:  Comfort Inn & Suites - Carbondale, CO.  Our first social hour will be Saturday evening September 28, 2024 at 5:00 pm in the breakfast room at the hotel.  Check-out will be 11:00 am Saturday morning October 5, 2024.  Important Note:  Several of our rides will involve remote starting locations and will require participants to transport themselves and their bikes to the starting location; please plan accordingly.

Carbondale is located four hours from Denver, forty minutes from Aspen and twenty minutes from Glenwood Springs.  The closest airport is Aspen (ASE); additional choices are Eagle Vail (EGE), Grand Junction (GJT) or Denver (DEN).  Transportation services are available from each airport to Carbondale and are the responsibility of each participant.  In addition, Amtrak does provide train service to Glenwood Springs.  Rental bikes may be available at Basalt Bike & Ski located at 571 CO-133, Carbondale, CO 81623; phone 970-963-0128.  Reservations in advance of our tour are recommended.     

COST and ADMINISTRATION:   The estimated cost for this tour is $1,500 and includes seven nights lodging, seven breakfasts, seven social hours and two group dinners. The initial deposit of $300 along with the BAC non-refundable Ride Registration Fee of $50 is due at time of sign-up.  The final payment of $1,200 is due July 28, 2024 (along with solo supplement payments of $728 if applicable).   

SINGLES and SOLOS POLICY:   It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until July 28, 2024 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the $728 Solo Supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC office by July 28, 2024. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check. They should be mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193. 

CANCELLATION POLICY:   The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY:   Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions. 

HEALTH and SAFETY:   Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned. Vaccinations for Covid are recommended but not required. 

INSURANCE STATEMENT:   Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents. This coverage applies when touring inside the US, regardless of your nationality. It’s assumed that members’ personal insurance will cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, so these have not been included in the BAC policy. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. You may want to consider personal coverage for emergency evacuation, as this is not included. The costs of treatment or quarantine for Covid and other unexpected illnesses are not covered. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date.

SIGN-UP:   To register for the ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC website to digitally accept the Release of Liability (ROL) and pay the tour deposit of $300 and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee of $50 by credit card.  As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participation List.  The final payment of $1,200 is due on July 28, 2024.  BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by “clicking” the name at the top of this Ride Description.