High country highlights around Aspen, Colorado
This Espresso Adventure MTB tour in Colorado has been designed by our local guides to give you, not just the best 4 days of riding around the Aspen and Snowmass region, but also an unforgettable wilderness hut experience, sharing stories round the campfire and gazing up at the stars.
This is a real locals’ view of mountain biking around Aspen, and we’re very happy to welcome you into the fold!
- Skill level: Intermediate+
- Fitness level: 6/7
- 4 nights / 5 days
- £1,980 / $2,673 / €2,376
- Max. group size: 10
In the golden light of late summer our photographer Ross Bell had the joy of capturing the vast and diverse landscapes and jaw-dropping trails that Colorado has to offer on our mountain bike tour Colorado…
“What a trip. Colorado is my new favourite state. Such variety; so stunning. Beautiful Aspen groves in amazing autumn colours, and descents from 12,000ft. Great accommodation and hearty food. Do it.” Nick M., Canada
Trip Highlights
This mountain bike tour Colorado is a real must-do for passionate mountain bikers, looking for a quick – but thrilling – ‘shot’ of adventure. Here are some special moments you can look forward to in Colorado:
- Overnight in a wilderness hut, cooking on the campfire under the stars
- Enjoying a private BBQ dinner watching the sun set over the mountains
- Experiencing the local craft beer culture of Aspen and Snowmass
- Following the lines of your local guide as you snake through aspen groves
Tour dates 2023
- 27 – 31 August
- 10 – 14 September
Private groups
Travelling as a group of friends or family? Contact us to create your own private trip.
Is this mountain bike tour Colorado for you?
We want you to have the best experience in Colorado, so it’s important to be sure that this is the perfect mountain bike adventure, with the right level of challenge, for you.
You’re an experienced mountain biker, riding at least twice a week through the season and comfortable on: steep singletrack climbs; technical singletrack descents with switchbacks; rooty, off-camber forested singletrack; high altitude trails with some exposure; and rock gardens. Read more on our intermediate+ skill level.
Mountain bike tour Colorado Itinerary
This epic mountain bike tour Colorado will take you from high alpine wild flower meadows and Aspen forests, over mountain passes and into lush valleys. You’ll be riding at over 2,000m / 6,500ft much of the time when we are in the mountains, so be prepared to pace yourself as you acclimatise to the altitude.
- +Arrival in Colorado - refresh + prepare for your adventure
So that you’re ready to ride the following morning, we recommend arriving in Snowmass the day before the tour start date, to give yourself time to relax after your travels.
- +Day 1 - Gold medal warm-up ride
Your guide will meet you at the H+I preferred hotel in Snowmass in the morning, enjoy a coffee with everyone whilst chatting through the all-important pre-trip briefing. He will set the tone of the week ahead, explain the trails to come and answer any questions that you may have.After your guide meeting you’ll build your bikes or set up rental bikes, before hitting the flow trails in and around the world-famous Snowmass natural trail network, including the IMBA Gold Medal Ride Center. Your guide will build you up progressively to warm up the legs and the mind, before returning back to your Snowmass hotel for your mountain top BBQ dinner, watching the sunset.
Distance cycled: 20km (app. 4 hours)
Accommodation: Mountain condo Snowmass
Meals included: L
- +Day 2 - High mountain traverse to Aspen + overnight in wilderness hut
This morning we’ll head out to our favourite café for breakfast and plenty of fresh coffee to prepare you for your first big day on Colorado trails.
We’ll set off today from the door of your condo to bike to Aspen on a fabulous mix of flow trails and technical singletrack, that will see you riding through aspen groves and open meadows filled with wild flowers. It will take us all morning to reach the town of Aspen where we have the option to head out for more riding before lunch, or we can call it a day here and enjoy some food and good local beers. It’s up to you!
Late afternoon we’ll drive to Margy’s Hut, where we’ll spend the night out in the wilderness. This backcountry hut is part of the 10th Mountain Division hut system and is a unique high country experience at an elevation of 11,300 feet (3,450 metres).
Your guide will cook up a delicious meal before we enjoy some beers around a bonfire under the Colorado night sky.
Distance cycled: 24km (app. 7 hours)
Accommodation: Wilderness hut
Meals included: B, L, D
- +Day 3 - Descending back to civilisation!
Following breakfast, we will bike from Margy’s Hut into downtown Aspen.
This great high country ride will have us descending more than 2,700ft into the old logging town of Lenado before biking up to the Four Corners, followed by a fast descent into town.
Out of Four Corners, there are a lot of ride options that would allow us to link trails together and make for a longer ride if you are game.
We will stop by the Maroon Bells to take photos and enjoy a box lunch before heading back to Snowmass Village for the night.
Distance cycled: 25km (app. 4 hours)
Accommodation: Mountain condo Snowmass
Meals included: B, L,
- +Day 4 - Last dash through the aspens
Today will be a great day of riding that will end the trip on a high note.One of our favorite rides, Hay Park starts with a climb along the shoulder of Mount Sopris – one of Colorado’s most scenic peaks. We then pass through high alpine meadows with panoramic views of the Elk Mountain Range before a fun, fast descent back to the trailhead.
During the ride home, we will stop by Capitol Creek Brewery for a cold one before heading back to Snowmass Village.
We will enjoy a final dinner together in Snowmass before saying our farewells and heading off to bed.
Distance cycled: 30km (app. 7 hours)
Accommodation: Mountain condo Snowmass
Meals included: B, L, D
- +Day 5 - Departure
Sadly today we leave Colorado behind, say our farewells and transfer to Aspen airport by 10am for your homeward journeys.Meals included: Breakfast
Please note: Your mountain bike tour Colorado is a living thing, being influenced by multiple factors such as changing weather conditions, group riding abilities, trail damage, to name a few. Your local guides are experts in guiding mountain bikers in Colorado and will be continually assessing these factors and making tweaks to the itinerary where necessary to ensure that every member of the group has the best possible experience on our mountain bike tour Colorado.
- +Tour price
Mountain Bike Tour Colorado Price
£1,980 GBP / $2,763 USD / €2,376 EUR per person (ex. flights, based on two sharing a room)
Price includes:
- Services of fully-qualified, expert local mountain bike guide(s) for the duration of the trip
- 4 breakfast, 4 lunches, and 2 dinners
- All transportation mentioned in itinerary
- 4 nights’ accommodation
- All park and all access fees
- Luggage/ bike transfer (as required) for duration of your mountain bike tour Colorado
- Airport shuttle on final day
- All group safety equipment
- Global Rescue security evacuation services
Price excludes:
- International/ domestic flights
- Bike rental – TBC
- Travel and activity insurance
- Single supplement:* £600 / $810 / €720
- Tips in restaurants and hotels
- Alcoholic/ non-alcoholic beverages
- Personal safety and cycling equipment
- Any other items not mentioned as included
*Single supplement is only applicable if you are travelling solo and do not wish to share a room with another rider of the same sex. If you’re happy to do that, you need not add the supplement.
- +Skill + fitness levels required
Does this sound like you? Your vacation time is precious and we want to be absolutely sure that you’re making the most of it, by finding the perfect mountain bike tour for you. Be honest with yourself, if this adventure isn’t right for you, we have other mountain bike tours that may well be a better fit for your mountain biking experience and ability.Please note: The skill level required reflects an overall rating for the trails on the trip but you should expect to find sections and obstacles that push your ability levels.
Skill level: Intermediate+
- You are generally comfortable riding most types of terrain in different conditions: singletrack, double track, muddy, dry, loose, bedrock…
- You can brake, use gears and corner instinctively
- You’ll have a go on moderate technical features, such as small rock gardens, small drops and steeper sections, but may get off and walk certain technical features
- You mountain bike two or three times a week throughout your biking season
- And the ‘+’ part of ‘Intermediate+’ means that you will be aiming to tackle more of those moderate technical features
Fitness level: 6/7
- You have a reasonable level of mountain bike fitness, exercising at least twice a week for one hour or more, throughout the whole year
- You can ride a mountain bike for up to six hours per day at a moderate pace, with snack and photo stops, for four or more consecutive days
- You are capable of tackling one or two moderate mountain bike climbs per day, of up to 600 metres each
Typical trails you’ll be riding
- Much of the riding you’ll do on our mountain bike tour Colorado is over 7,000ft/ 2,000m with exposure present on some trails
- Double track: undulating forest roads made up of hard-packed dirt and small rocks
- Singletrack: rustic singletrack, high alpine trails and forests trails with roots crossing, and at times you will encounter golf ball-sized rock gardens, and occasionally purpose built flow trails
- The trails in the Rocky Mountains are hundreds of years old, so are not always buff purpose built trails, they are natural high alpine walking trails that link regions and surfaces may be soft and muddy at times
- +Arrival + departure details
Your mountain bike tour Colorado will start and end in Aspen.You should arrive the day prior to your tour start date and spend one night in Snowmass, allowing for any delays to flights and luggage, ready for your guide to meet you there the following morning. Your guide will meet you in the foyer of your hotel and he/she will be holding an H+I Adventures sign and wearing an H+I ride top.
On the last day of the tour, your guide will ensure you are dropped off at Aspen airport on time to catch your flight home. Therefore, we would advise booking your flights home no earlier than 11am on your day of departure.
If your departure flights differ from this, we would be happy to help you with booking an airport hotel. Or perhaps you’re thinking of spending some extra time in Aspen? You could hire a car and head to Glenwood Springs, home to the world’s largest hot springs pool. Then why not treat yourself afterwards to a beer at the Aspen Brewing Company – you certainly will have earnt it!
- +Travelling to Colorado
Aspen, Colorado is well-served by many major airlines from all over the world.For up-to-date timetables and booking visit: www.delta.com; www.aa.com; www.united.com; and www.swiss.com. You must book your bike on to your flight in advance, otherwise you could face a heavy charge at the airport.
Here are some handy tips and video on how to pack your bike for travel.
Visas
Canadian Citizens generally do not require visas to visit USA. You must have your passport as proof of citizenship. All other citizens should check the Visa and ESTA requirements on the Travel.State.Gov website. A tourist/landing card may be given to you aboard the airplane during your flight to USA.
- +Preparing yourself + your bike for your adventure
Please read the full kit list before you start packing for your mountain bike tour Colorado, so that you have everything you need!Our mountain bike tour Colorado is for intermediate+ riders with level 6 fitness. The ideal bike for the Colorado trails is a good quality full-suspension bike with around 140mm of front travel. To get the most out of your mountain bike tour Colorado you should plan some training in advance of your tour, and it is essential that, if you’re bringing your own bike, you must ensure that it has been properly serviced before the trip.
You will experience altitudes of between 7,000ft/ 2,000m when mountain biking in Colorado, so we have some advice on mountain biking at high altitudes.
We recommend that you do travel with your own bike, and have some handy tips on how to do this, however if this isn’t possible for you we can arrange bike hire for you for a high quality full suspension mountain bike for the duration of your mountain bike tour Colorado.
- +Your mountain bike guides in Colorado
Our mountain bike guides in Colorado are of the highest level.They are qualified in first-aid and they have the knowledge and experience to lead a group safely in these remote, wild and beautiful parts of Colorado.
Our guides have years of experience in the saddle on the trails of the Colorado area and will be able to enhance your holiday with facts and fables on local history, flora and fauna. They’re also genuinely nice people and will do their best to make sure that everyone in the group has a great time. Meet Colin.
- +Accommodation + food
One of the things that sets our holidays apart from others is the unique local accommodation we use. We aim to use the best, locally-run accommodation in each country, and that which is traditional to that specific area, whether it be city or mountain.On our mountain bike tour Colorado you’ll be staying in a mountain condos in Snowmass and a wilderness backcountry hut, where a warm welcome awaits all mountain bikers.
Most of the food you will enjoy on our mountain bike tour Colorado is traditional food influenced by surrounding states, all prepared with the greatest of care and skill.
- +Health + safety
No vaccinations are required for visiting Colorado.We recommend you check before drinking tap water, but 99% of this is safe for consumption. Bottled or filtered water will be readily available throughout the trip.
Also, please let us know if you have any special food requirements, allergies or pre-existing conditions your guides should know about.
You should always consult your own doctor or physician before travelling to new countries to seek their advice on matters concerning your health abroad.
Your health and safety is on our mountain bike tour Colorado is our top priority so when you travel with us you also have the peace of mind knowing that you will be covered by Global Rescue emergency medical and evacuation services.
- +Currency + foreign exchange
The official currency of Colorado is the US dollar. ATM machines are readily available throughout Colorado.Tipping
It is not compulsory to tip your guides or drivers in Colorado, but if you feel that you have had a good service or experience on your mountain bike tour Colorado, you can tip at your discretion.
It is not compulsory to tip in restaurants, however should you wish to tip your servers, 15% – 25% of your meal cost would be acceptable.
- +Holiday insurance
You are required as a condition of booking to be insured against medical and personal accident risks. In this policy you must include cover for mountain biking and we recommend that you take out a policy which covers cancellation and baggage.We work closely with WorldNomads whose policies are specially designed for mountain bike adventures and you can arrange your insurance cover directly with them.
- +Permits
H+I Adventures Ltd. operates in partnership with Blazing Adventures and COBC with all riders operated under their special use permits from the USFS and BLM.
Please note: our mountain bike tour Colorado is a living thing, being influenced by multiple factors such as changing weather conditions, group riding abilities, trail damage, to name a few. Your local guides are experts in guiding mountain bikers in Colorado and will be continually assessing these factors and making tweaks to the itinerary where necessary to ensure that every member of the group has the best possible experience.
Submit your review | |
Awesome week riding some of Colorado’s finest. Starting out with the buffed flow trails of Aspen Snowmass, then on to Crested Butte’s rugged backcountry and finishing with an incredible high alpine ridge ride that dropped into a seven mile chunky descent. The trip did not disappoint. Not only a fantastic trail selection, but Colin, Ben and Mitch were top notch. They moved us around CO with ease all while taking a diverse group riders and elevating their confidence and skills day over day.
Thanks! Mike and Karen
Colorado is stunningly beautiful and H+I provides a trip that never fails to deliver breath taking views and scenery. The climbs are tough and the downhills were sometimes steep and technical, but each day delivers something different. Hartman Rocks, with its miles of fun, flowy single track and technical rock features, brought smiles to everyone. This IS high altitude riding that adds an extra challenge. I personally found this trip harder than the Intermediate + Switzerland trip. Guides Colin and Ben, and shuttle driver Mitch all kept the trip flowing from one day to the next. If you love long climbs and rocky technical downhills with stunning views, this is the trip for you!
What an amazing adventure! I am so greatful for H+I as well as our awesome guides Colin, Ben and Mitch for this trip. It's an absolute must do! The scenery is simply breathtaking, the trails are endless, the variety of terrain will keep you constantly challenged. The accommodation and locations were really enjoyable, check out the Bonez restaurant in Crested Butte for great food, margaritas and atmosphere 🙂
Vast is probably the only word I can think of to describe the landscape in Colorado.......oh and high! This place is simply stunning and nothing quite prepares you for the scale of the scenery. We had an amazing week with our guide, Ben. The trails more than lived up to their billing and the countless YouTube videos (just check out pretty much anything from Yeti if you don’t know what I mean....).
The trip is varied with an opportunity to ride some of the classic Colorado trails as well as some hidden gems that only the locals know about (Dr Park is my personal favourite although the descent into Greens Creek did have me grinning for hours afterwards).
You will also get to experience some of the different styles of mountain living in Colorado. Crested Butte is my favourite - really cool little town!
One word of caution though, riding at altitude is tough.....really tough, especially for the first few days. Please pay attention when Cat advises you to get there early otherwise your first few days will be a real struggle. Give it 48hrs and your body starts to settle down though and you can enjoy this amazing trip......
Wow. Breathtaking scenery. This tour has everything - forests, desert landscapes and alpine meadows. The riding conditions were varied: fast & flowy; and technical & challenging. Our guide Colin was a true pro and continually entertained us on our tour.
What a trip. Colorado is my new favourite state. Such variety; so stunning. Beautiful Aspen groves in amazing autumn colours; challenging desert single track, and descents from 12,000ft. Great accommodation and hearty food. Do it.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) mountain bike tour Colorado
- Q. How many people will be in the group?
We only run small group mountain bike tours to ensure that everyone has the best experience possible, and there will generally be between six and eight people in each group. We can stretch to a maximum of ten if it’s a group of friends. The minimum number of people we require to run this mountain bike tour Colorado is four.
- Q. What’s the age range of people who come on this holiday?
Our mountain bike tour Colorado caters for a wide age range; typically between 30- and 55-years-old. As long as you have a good level of physical fitness you will enjoy this mountain bike tour Colorado no matter what your age.
- Q. What style of mountain bike tour is it?
This mountain bike tour Colorado is a guided mountain bike vacation, ideal for intermediate+ mountain bikers. The terrain you’ll be riding on consists of double track and singletrack through thick forests, villages and across mountain passes. You’ll encounter some steep climbs and rooty sections, as well as fabulous, swooping descents. Altitude is a factor in this trip and we have some tips for riding at high altitudes and managing the effects of altitude.
- Q. How far will we be mountain biking each day?
The distances we cover each day range from 20km to 50km, in accordance with the altitude and height gain/ loss on each stage. Each evening your guides will chat with you about the following day’s mountain biking and give you an idea of the sorts of trails you can look forward to. If there’s anything you feel anxious about, your guides will be happy to discuss it with you.
- Q. Do we have to carry all our gear with us?
No, you only need to carry a day pack with you whilst riding. We have your large kit bags transferred to your next accommodation each day, and have it ready and waiting for your arrival. Due to the mountainous environment you will need to bring a 20L backpack to ride with.
- Q. What if I come across a section of trail I can’t ride?
Your guide will be very happy to give you some bike skills help during your trip to help improve your confidence and your enjoyment of your mountain bike tour Colorado. If there is a section that you would prefer not to ride, then you can simply hop off your bike and walk. You won’t be the only one to walk certain sections and it’s not a competition in biking ability; it’s a mountain bike holiday!
- Q. Who will be guiding us?
Your mountain bike guides are local to Colorado and experienced professionals who have a real passion for mountain biking and for the culture and landscape of Colorado. Your safety is their number one priority, closely followed by your enjoyment of your mountain bike tour Colorado. They will always be on-hand to answer any questions or requests you may have throughout your trip.
- Q. What sort of accommodation will we be staying in?
On this mountain bike tour in this beautiful region of Colorado you will be staying in a mountain condo in Snowmass mountain village and a wilderness mountain hut.
- Q. Which meals are included in the tour price?
All lunches starting on day one, all breakfasts starting on day two and a welcome BBQ with a celebration last night meal. Colorado has a diverse and high quality offering when it comes to food, pulling on influences from around the US and further afield with its dishes.
- Q. What type of mountain bike is best for the trip?
A good quality full suspension with 140mm front travel would be ideal for this mountain bike tour Colorado. It depends on your style of riding because this mountain bike tour is fairly unique in that riders of differing abilties and experience can enjoy the trails equally; the more confident bikers can just ride faster!
- Q. What clothes and kit should I bring?
The daytime and nighttime temperatures vary greatly in this part of the US, so you must make sure that you have plenty of layers of breathable clothing to ensure that you are always warm enough and can remove a layer if you get too hot, and you should bring a down jacket for the evenings. It is possible that you will experience some rain in the afternoons in the mountains, so you must remember to bring a waterproof jacket too. You should bring cycling shorts/trousers, gloves, padded undershorts, specific shoes for cycling, sun cream, insect spray, and Advil or Ibuprofen. Read the full kit list to find out what you need to pack for your mountain bike tour Colorado.
- Q. Will there be a chance to get laundry done?
Yes, you will have the chance to have laundry done most evenings.
- Q. Can I bring a drone with me?
Unfortunately not. We are working hard to provide each and every customer who rides with us an unparalleled mountain bike experience in every destination we ride. This takes years of experience, riding and planning to get right, and a drone adds a very real danger to the group’s riding experience and health & safety.
Our guides
