Colorado Fun: Grand County Has It All
Crankworx & Trestle 101
by Robert Painter
 Imagine pedaling your
bike downhill, flying over a jump, zipping through a sharp turn and then
traversing a series of drops, dirt jumps, elevated wall rides and breath
taking stunts. It’s called “Slopestyle” and is one of the featured
attractions at Crankworx. Of course, you may prefer watching the Dual
Slalom with racers competing against the clock to get into the finals and
then racing head to head to determine the victor. Then there is the
Super Downhill – almost all high speed descent with a few short climbs. The
idea is to be the fastest one to the bottom of the hill.
 The events are open to
professionals and amateurs. They are all exciting to watch. If you
think you’re a downhill biker you might want to compete in the Super
Downhill. I wouldn’t recommend the Slopestyle as a starter – when you
find yourself upside down and thirty feet in the air you might realize you
made a mistake!
 Even though I live at the
edge of a mountain in New Mexico, we don’t have anything like the downhill
rides at Winter Park & The Fraser Valley – billed as Mountain Bike Capital
USA. We have plenty of single track trails through the foothills, but
nothing like the Winter Park Resort downhill reached by ski lift.
Excited about the events, I wanted to learn more about downhill biking
and signed up for Trestle 101 – the downhill biking introduction course.
It’s a great package for $69 that includes a 2 ½ hour lift ticket, bike
rental and instructor/guide. I was suited up in what my friends called
the “Iron Man” outfit complete with shoulder and rib pads, shin guards,
helmet, gloves – the works. The first thing you learn is how to operate the
bike – it’s a bit different from your typical mountain bike, but not at all
complicated. Then you learn to load the bike onto the ski lift and hop on
yourself. At the top they remove the bike for you, the downhill
instruction begins and you head downhill. I won’t try to give you the
instructions here – better take the Trestle 101 course yourself and learn
from a pro. But, I can tell you it’s a real bargain and gives you the
opportunity to try out a whole new adventure on a high quality bike. My only
regret is that I don’t have a great downhill run outside my door like I had
at Winter Park Resort.
Some of the bike trails are even open in the winter, but the main
activities run from June through early September. There are two
terrific bike parks with connecting multi-use trails that cover hundreds of
miles with a wide variety of terrain from cross-country to downhill. There
are paved trails along the Fraser River and extreme single track trails
throughout the Fraser Valley.
Of course, there are open highways for road bikes and, thanks to the
heightened biker awareness of the area; these roads may be a bit safer than
your roads back home.
 Winter Park Resort is in
reality a small village with shops, restaurants and living accommodations
surrounding the base of the mountain. You can rent a great little apartment
for your visit that will allow you to fix a few meals “at home” if you like
or simply walk out the front door, cross one street and be in the village
for lunch or dinner. If you want pancakes for breakfast at Doc’s
Roadhouse or crepes at Goody’s it is only two minutes from your front door
when you stay at Fraser Crossing/Founders Pointe.
 On the short walk you’ll
pass a pond, site of the newest addition to the Crankworx weekend and, I
believe, destined to be a fixture for years to come. The InterGalactic
Pond Crossing event was riveting – I think everyone at every venue showed up
for this event and stayed till the end. They laid out a course across
a 30/40 meter pond with inner tubes from truck tires and then lashed 8”
boards on top. The goal was for bike riders to cross from one side to
the other for some great prizes. I think one young boy actually made
it across. Most of the others managed indignant, embarrassing and
usually very sudden trips into the pond. The water wasn’t deep, but
they did have kayak rescue teams ready for emergencies. Most wounds were to
the pride .
 But, Crankworx is only a
part of the Fraser Valley. If you like being outdoors you will love being in
Grand County, Colorado. It really doesn’t matter what time of the year you
arrive because it is a year round paradise for those of us who would rather
be outdoors than sitting in front of our computers and television sets.
 On the western edge of
Rocky Mountain National Park you’ll find a variety of lodging choices.
Winter Park Resort is a wonderful place to start, but the lovely Village of
Grand Lake also offers lodges, cabins, motels and resorts to suit your
needs. The Western Riviera Lakeside Cabins is right on the shore of
Grand Lake and provides a pleasant opportunity to just sit and watch the
boaters on the lake. If you happen to be there during one of the
sailing clubs’ regattas it’s even more fun. And, you can take a boat tour
from the Grand Lake Marina. The views are outstanding and you’ll learn
some of the history of the area while you’re on the water. It’s a great way
to spend a few hours relaxing if you’ve been burning calories on one of the
biking or hiking trails. Hint: Watch closely when you pass some
of the boathouses along the shore. Grand Lake boaters have a penchant
for classic Chris Craft wooden boats and they are beauties.
 And, speaking of hiking,
Grand Lake is the perfect base for exploring the western side of Rocky
Mountain National Park. It is a beautiful drive into the park and you
may reach an altitude of over 12,000 feet. Watch for elk, moose, deer, bears
and other critters. I spotted a fox in the middle of one of the ski
runs at Winter Park Resort and saw a few of the larger animals in the
National Park.
 Stop in at the Kawuneeche
Visitor Center for information about the park. Ask about the trail to
Cascade Falls. If you have the time and ambition you may want to
consider the Green Mountain Trail leading into the Continental Divide
National Scenic Trail. It joins up with several other trails and offers
plenty of opportunities for back country exploration on foot. You can
actually walk all the way across the Rocky Mountain National Park from Grand
Lake to one of my favorite hikes – the climb up Long’s Peak at an altitude
of 14,259 feet.
 From your room at Grand
Lake you can do plenty of hiking as well. An easy hike is to Adam’s Falls
with several impressive viewpoints along the way. Just walking around
the village is a treat in itself. Find the ice cream shop along the
waterfront for a delicious homemade treat. If you’re seeking an evening’s
entertainment you might want to check out the Rocky Mountain Repertory
Theatre to see if there is a production in process.
There is a public swimming area near the ice cream stand and close to the
marina. I won’t even try to give you directions. Grand Lake is a small town
and friendly – if you need anything, or just directions, all you have to do
is ask – anyone!
 O.K., so you’re not a
biker or a hiker. That’s fine, too. If you’re a driver, or just a
passenger, be sure to traverse the highest major highway in North America.
The drive from Grand Lake up to the Alpine Visitor Center goes all the way
up to over 12,000 feet. You can drive all the way, get out of your car and
watch the backpackers who have trudged up to this elevation with 40 pounds
on their backs. Take a nice little stroll, enjoy the view, the birds
and probably a yellow-bellied marmot or two, explore the exhibits in the
center and coast back down the hill to your cabin on the lake in time for
supper.
 Another approach to the
easy way is to take a ride on one of the friendly horses at the Winding
River Ranch. A two hour ride into the Rocky Mountain National Park may
be the perfect way for you to enjoy your time there. Maybe you’ll get
lucky and see an elk or a moose. They can be anywhere. This is their
home and be sure to keep an eye out for them while driving the roads.
 One more suggestion.
Whether you’re a hiker, biker, horse rider, backpacker, boater, or just
visiting for an easy relaxing vacation, be sure to check in
 at Adventure in Whitewater.
An easy float trip down the Colorado River will have you watching for eagles
in the treetops and humans jumping off boulders into water holes. If you’re
a fisherman, you can arrange for a half-day or full day of gold medal trout
fishing.
When you check out the Grand County and Winter Park websites you’ll
discover that the area is a winter paradise as well.
I want to leave you with a special treat. If you’re a
hiker/biker/backpacker I discovered a super surprise for you at the
Crankworx event. A couple of young men with a great concept. If you’ve
had your fill of cardboard granola bars you have to check this out – I’m
even taking them with me on my next adventure, a 200 mile trek in the
Himalayas. Try Hulee Super Cookies. All natural, lots of protein,
fiber and calories and low sodium and no trans fat. Best of all, they
are delicious.
Keep on Traveling.
When You Go:
Crankworx:
www.crankworxcolorado.com.
 Learn more about Grand
County and plan your own adventure here:
www.crankworxcolorado.com <
Rocky Mountain National Park:
http://www.nps.gov/romo
Winter Park:
http://www.winterparkresort.com/index.htm
Hulee Super Cookies:
www.huleesupercookie.com
Story and Photos by Robert Painter <
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