XC: Steamboat vs. Winter Park?

[rideit]

So, on this years jaunt to Colorado, wifey and I are trying to decide between these two. She is a non technical fan (she likes Gooseberry, so there is some hope). We rode Emerald at Steamboat, sho LOVED that. Is there a good 2-3 hour ride in WP/Granby/Fraser that would fit the bill? Probably good for around 2500ft of climbing or so. We know Steamboat has great food, thoughts on WP?
Thanks in advance!

[doebedoe]

Steamboat has a better town IMHO if that is an important draw. But both have tons of great riding.

Not to throw a wrench in your plan, but consider Crested Butte too. The 401 isn't techy, and the town rules.

[Name Redacted]

I prefer steamboat for biking, drinking, eating, and everything else. But the trail system on the south side of the hwy in WP is pretty fun. Idlewild is one of the trail names. Definitely worth 2-3 hrs of pedaling. Back side of emerald in the boat is awesome too.

[gravitylover]

It's a bit more than 3 hours but the 1101 from the top of Rabbit Ears to the top of Buffalo Pass then down the main road to the Spring creek descent is a wonderful all day ride. Get a ride up so you don't have to leave the car up there and need to get it after riding. You're welcome

[Foggy_Goggles]

I go to Steamboat a couple times a year for the town so there is that. I haven't ridden much in Routt County but my take on MTB in the Fraser Valley:

What we got - miles and miles of trail accessible without driving from almost anywhere, 2 good bike parks, tons of great bootleg trails

What we don't have - a signature alpine ride, an easy to navigate trail system, some janky blown out trails that need work.

Idlewilde is a good recomendation. It is an old XC ski trail network so you get lots of short ups and down and mostly buff trails. Tipperary is great for the views. If I had a couple hours to take an intermediate rider from out of town I'd probably go Chainsaw>broken spade> Upper Aiko > Lower Aiko or Blue Sky>159>Sunset Pink>Twin Bridges

Grain of salt - a quick google find that a few highly illegal "non-system" trails built by dirtbikes by my friends are posted with maps on popular mountain bike websites with really easy to figure out emails of local douche bags who do zero to maintain our trail network. Sucks for me but probably a good thing for out of towners wanting to goods (I'd give this info to Rideit in a PM if he wanted).

Not hypothetical - this is how trails get shut down. Front Range fun boy crew rides right past the twig pig, GPS map in hand into a well hidden trail entrance where the battle has been on for years with well built established trails being shut down. FUCK YOU INTERNET IDIOTS WHO POST UP GPX FILES FOR ILLEGALLY BUILT TRAILS. LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF HOURS HAVE GONE INTO THESE TRAILS. THEY ARE PERFECTLY SUSTAINABLE AND ANYONE CAN RIDE THEM. OUR BOOTLEG TRAILS EXISTED FOR DECADES BEFORE YOU JACKASSES HAD TO START SPEWING ABOUT YOUR "EPIC RIDE BRO!" FUCK OFF!!!

[Shredhead]

When is this years jaunt?


Since you've already done Steamboat, have you thought about Snowmass?
They are on an aggressive trail building binge and we kind of have the food thing down.

[adrenalated]

Grain of salt - a quick google find that a few highly illegal "non-system" trails built by dirtbikes by my friends are posted with maps on popular mountain bike websites with really easy to figure out emails of local douche bags who do zero to maintain our trail network. Sucks for me but probably a good thing for out of towners wanting to goods (I'd give this info to Rideit in a PM if he wanted).

Not hypothetical - this is how trails get shut down. Front Range fun boy crew rides right past the twig pig, GPS map in hand into a well hidden trail entrance where the battle has been on for years with well built established trails being shut down. FUCK YOU INTERNET IDIOTS WHO POST UP GPX FILES FOR ILLEGALLY BUILT TRAILS. LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF HOURS HAVE GONE INTO THESE TRAILS. THEY ARE PERFECTLY SUSTAINABLE AND ANYONE CAN RIDE THEM. OUR BOOTLEG TRAILS EXISTED FOR DECADES BEFORE YOU JACKASSES HAD TO START SPEWING ABOUT YOUR "EPIC RIDE BRO!" FUCK OFF!!!

Good rant, 8/10

[Foggy_Goggles]

Seriously though, PM me if you end up around here and I'll get you pointed in the right direction. Not sure what your lodging plans are, but look at St. Louis Creek Campground or surrounding dispersed camping. One relatively unique feature of this valley is that we have waterboard roads high up on either side of the valley and the trail system is located both above and below these roads. They are basically passable in a car so you can really easily get out of town.