Mount Evans

Mount Evans, now officially named Mount Blue Sky, takes you from Idaho Springs to the highest paved road in North America. Nearly 44 kilometres separate the town from the road’s end, and the opening climb on Highway 103 is an exercise in restraint. Follow Chicago Creek into the forest and let the impatient riders go. The gradients are mostly manageable; the distance and thinning air will collect their dues later.

Echo Lake marks the turn onto Highway 5, with a little breathing space before the climb resumes. Above the bristlecone pines of Mount Goliath, the trees give way to open tundra and a much bigger sky. There is nowhere to hide from the wind. By Summit Lake, even a modest effort can leave you searching for breath, and the remaining road is plainly visible on the bare mountainside above.

The final switchbacks lead to a finish around 4,306 metres above sea level, just below the mountain’s actual summit. Keep the pedals turning rather than chasing your usual speed: at this height, the numbers tell only half the story. The Front Range opens beneath you, but leave something for the long descent and carry warm layers. This is a climb whose scale becomes clearer with every kilometre.