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Guanella Pass

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tshelfer

tshelfer

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Location
Centennial, CO
First Name
Tim
Last Name
Shelfer
Yesterday, I took a ride -- oops, I mean a drive -- up Guanella Pass. If you're not familiar with it, the road is a beautifully twisted piece of excellent pavement that runs between Hwy 285 on the south side, over the pass, and down into Georgetown, connecting up with I-70 west of Denver. Yesterday was a perfect day, plus it's pretty late in the season, so I hopped in the CR-V and went in search of fall color. I was rewarded.

I snapped this along 285, SW of Denver.
51560439842_255aa53b5e_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (1) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

Headed up Guanella Pass Rd from the south.
51561229761_8a07e1de8a_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (10) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

51561230216_6d0c6e52a9_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (11) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

51561230606_90ed6281a6_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (12) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

51561230861_e0b8163c70_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (15) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

Couldn't resist this closeup of aspen leaves.
51561920849_cd5967f3a8_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (16) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

Nearing the summit.
51561231606_f9ca6d381f_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (20) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

51561921659_03faef9f18_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (21) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

Did I mention there are some nice curves?
51562160805_1bb03b10fe_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (24) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

51562161445_b2eeab96a6_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (26) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

The view from Guanella Pass. Elevation just shy of 11,700 feet, according to my GPS.
51562162545_193d8a1626_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (27) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

Mt Bierstadt, a 14er.
51562161795_7115ac96e3_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (28) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

Coming down the north side, above Georgetown.
51561923344_67793b9846_z.jpg2021-1006 - Guanella Pass (29) by Tim Shelfer, on Flickr

It's a great motorcycle road that I've had the pleasure of riding a couple of times. It was kinda nice doing it in the Honda, though. For picture taking, it's easier to be constantly hopping out of a car than off a bike. Also, many of the pull-offs along this road have 3" pavement drops, which can be a bit tricky & unnerving on 2 wheels.

If you're in the area, you should swing by & check out Guanella Pass Road. Caution - there are some genuine 10mph blind hairpins on the north side. In my experience, those particular hairpins are a bit easier to ride if you travel south to north.
 
I sometimes wish I lived where you do. But I'd have to transfer my whole crew. I guess I'll just have to stay in Texas. (Of course, I'll never get Shan to move anywhere with a snowy winter.)
 
You can always just come visit. I don't have a spare bedroom yet, but Bec & Mitch have plenty of space. Of course, their house has stairs, and Shan has no knees. That would take some planning.
 
Definitely a great road, and might I suggest camping at Burning Bear Campground which is on that road so you can camp with views like this.

DSC00741-XL.jpg
 
Thanks for the pics.

I'm already itching to get back to the mountains on two wheels.
 
Jason, I actually drove through Burning Bear yesterday, checked it out, & mentally marked a couple of good tent sites since I no longer have the camping trailer. There are a number of NF campgrounds off 285 between Conifer and Jefferson. Before my wife got sick, it had been our plan to try them all out.
 
You've probably had plenty of time to acclimate to the altitude. I felt like I was running a marathon just setting up a tent up there. Just behind Site 7 is a path that supposedly leads up to a really nice view. A little old lady from Denver tried to get me to check it out, but she was obviously more acclimated than I was and the path was pretty steep. I decided to just enjoy the campground views, but if you head up there, be sure to check it out.
 
Yeah, after a year of running and bicycling at 5600 feet, I do okay. It took me about 4 months to fully acclimate. Don't believe people who tell you they acclimate in 5 days - it takes about that long for your body just to figure out that something's changed, and begin the process of manufacturing more red cells. Next summer, I'll probably look for some trails up in that area, but not at the pass itself; it's a traffic jam at the top.
 
You don't say?

GuanellaSummit-XL.jpg


The trail behind site 7 is like a 5 minute hike to the overlook, nothing big, but if you are camping there, it's supposed to be worth checking out.
 
tshelfer said:
Jason, I actually drove through Burning Bear yesterday, checked it out, & mentally marked a couple of good tent sites since I no longer have the camping trailer. There are a number of NF campgrounds off 285 between Conifer and Jefferson. Before my wife got sick, it had been our plan to try them all out.
Click to expand...
There is a NF campground right at Kenosha Pass on 285. I mention it because there is plenty of free camping just across the street from the campground.
 
Thanks, Gina. At least I didn't have to come home from this one in a tow truck.
 
Makes me miss my home and the crazy things we once did. Heres me on my DT400 and a buddy who still lives in CO at the top of Guanella on the elephant run. That was when the road was still unpaved for a good portion and on a cold winter morning... The real crazies spent the night camping at the base drinking whiskey. We passed on that and trailered to the base for the start of the run. No chains or spikes just new trials tires and dog paddling :-)
20210120_164712.jpg
 
We lived in Jefferson Co until November of 2019, we camped and jeeped up on Guanella, my wife learned to ride on our KTM on some of the side roads, and once it was all paved, she learned to ride her Vstrom up and over into Georgetown for lunch and back. I miss it, but as we are closing in on retirement, the cost of living in CO has become outrageous, for now, we are in west Texas in El Paso.
 
Real property and gas seem to be the massive hits in Colorado. Otherwise, the prices don't bother me much. I did spend 6 years in El Paso in the early 70s, graduating from UTEP and then doing some Army time at Wm Beaumont before going to Germany. I really liked El Paso.
 
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