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Summit County Bike Guide: Aspen Alley (video)

Summit Weekender staff report

By the numbers

Distance: 1.3 miles one way

Rating: Advanced

Time: 15 minutes

Elevation: 9,867-10,376 feet (509 vertical feet)

Type: Singletrack, descent

Season: Mid-June to September

Extensions: Boreas Pass Road

SUMMIT DAILY — The term “roller coaster” gets tossed around a lot these days in the mountain-biking world, but not every trail is worthy of the title. Aspen Alley lives up to the name and then some — taking riders on a loopy, whip-fast joy ride through a mix of pine trees and, of course, the must-see aspen groves. The trail also provides stunning views of Breckenridge Ski Resort from start to finish. Trail improvements from 2015 include mellow berms on the numerous switchbacks and natural-rock pavers on flood-prone sections. The trail sees a ton of traffic from late May until the start of winter. But, when the aspen change colors and drop leaves in the last week or two of September, few experiences compare to barreling over a carpet of multi-colored singletrack. This one is a must in the fall.

Trail Highlights

Pedal through the Boreas Pass access gate and take an immediate right onto Aspen Alley. The 1.3-mile one-way trail is downhill from start to finish, with only a handful of brief flat sections to catch your breath and rest your brake finger. The singletrack is more flowy than technical — don’t expect massive roots or jagged rocks — and thanks to the addition of switchback berms, it’s now faster than ever before. On average, a single run only takes about 15 minutes, making it a prime candidate for looping three or four times via the Summit Stage bus. Due to high volume, portions of the trail tend to get rutted or dusty depending on the conditions.



Parking

From Interstate 70, drive south toward Breckenridge on Highway 9. Turn left onto Boreas Pass Road (also known as Broken Lance Drive if taken to the right) at the stoplight on the south end of town. From here, you have two options: Park at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena lot and hop on the free Boreas Pass loop bus. Ride the route for about 15 minutes until the bus reaches the Bluffs Condos stop. Pedal up Boreas Pass Road for about 1 mile to the trailhead.



2) You can also drive 3.5 miles up Boreas Pass Road to pavement’s end. Park in a pull-off on the left where the road becomes dirt. The Aspen Alley trailhead is on the right immediately after passing through the brown access gate. The trail ends at a small dirt lot about 1/4-mile east of the ice arena. You can either pedal back to the Boreas Pass lot or save your legs by taking the bus from the ice arena.


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