40 Colorado Mountain Passes in 40 Hours. Why? 
Because I Turned 40!

Pass 5 Loveland Icy


Nya Wishing Me Well on My Adventure
My daughter Nya wishes me well on my adventure. She’s nearly 17 now, and this picture would mortify her.

Attempting a Selfie Before the Ride
Attempting a Selfie Before the Ride

One Foot (Boot) Out the Door
One Foot (Boot) Out the Door

These are two stories of my attempts to traverse 40 Colorado Mountain Passes in 40 Hours simply because I had turned 40! The first attempt was in September, and the second in October.

First Attempt

In short, two minor tumbles broke enough parts off the Scrambler to keep me from continuing.

On the second day, I explored the Alpine Loop area around Lake City. But the bike needed proper repairs before I tackled any more serious terrain, so I headed home.

The crazy rainbow at the end of day 2 is not photo-shopped. It’s odd that it cuts off so sharply, but that’s how it appeared as I came back down Route 285.

Second Attempt

I repeated some passes on my second attempt and tried several new ones.  In the pictures, you can see the difference a mere few weeks makes here in Colorado.

Ultimately, I was thwarted by snow, early darkness, and a lack of signage in several locations. I also misidentified the location of several passes. Regardless, I had great fun trying, and it was still an adventure I will never forget.

https://youtu.be/FopbIR9FODw

About the Photo Albums (Below)

I separated the two trips into multiple photo albums for easier viewing. There are two folders for each Attempt, Day 1 and Day 2.

I apologize for some of the blurry shots. They were included for posterity.

Click on a Header to view the album. You can select individual photos or scroll through them. I hope you enjoy what you see and are inspired to create your own personal adventure.

First Attempt Photos

Scroll down to see pictures from the second attempt.


Attempt 1 / Day 1 – 1 of 2


Attempt 1 / Day 1 – 2 of 2


Attempt 1 / Day 2 – 1 of 2


Attempt 1 / Day 2 – 2 of 2


Early Morning Departure


Ready to Suit Up


Goodbye Marriott


Ready to Navigate


Off to Squaw Pass


Pass 1 Squaw


Obligatory Mirror Selfie


Pass 2 Juniper


Berthoud Pass SIgn


Pass 3 Berthoud Pass


Pass 4 Loveland Pass


Twisty Dirt


A Stranger took this Shot on Dillon Lake for Me


Toward Shrine Pass


Pass 5 Shrine


Pass 6 Vail


Pass 7 Battle Mountain


North Mountain


VIew from the Top


Pass 8 Tennessee


Posing at Tennessee Pass


Old Cabin and the Scrambler


Pass 9 Freemont


Fremont Pass Sign


Out of Gas


Leadville Homemade Welcome Sign


Leadville CIty Limit


Broken Foot Peg


Pass 10 Trout


Comanche Drive In


Pass 11 Cottonwood


Beautiful Lake


Leaving Cottonwood Area


More Twisty Dirt


Gunnison Timberline


Stating the Obvious Sign


Taylor Vista Road 619


Pass 12 Tin Cup Welcome Sign Sign Missing


Heading up Hill Again


Tin Cup Switchbacks


Alpine Tunnel Entrance Rd 839


Pitkin Tincup Sign


Pass 13 Cumberland Pass


Restored Water Tank 1


Restored Water Tank 2


Heading Toward Woodstock


Woodstock Sign


Sherrod Loop


Old Rail Tracks


The SouthPark Line


Pass 14 Williams Pass Road


Pass 14 Williams Pass road Selfie Shadow


Attempting to Get Lost


Pass 14a Hancock Tamichi


Bit off a Bit Too Much


Red Hills Moon Rising


Beautiful Aspens


Pass 15 Waunita Pass


Stripped Down


Waking Up in Lake CIty


Matterhorn Hotel


Matterhorn Hotel Story


Lake City Bridge


A River Runs Through Lake City


Quiet Streets of Lake City


Something Seems to Be Missing


Clutch Pedal Snapped


Electrical Tape Pretending to be Duck Tape


Entering the Alpine Loop


Alpine Loop Destinations


Welcome to the Alpine Loop


Looking Back Toward Lake City


Blue Green Waters


Hard Tack Mine 1


Hard Tack Mine 2


Hard Tack Mine 3


Hard Tack Mine with Scrambler Photo Bomb


Hard Tack Mine 4


Hard Tack Mine 5


Hard Tack Mine Keep Out


Hard Tack Mine Visit from Dorthy


Hard Tack Mine Dorthy Scrambler Photo Bomb


Beautiful Morning in the Moutains


Who Needs Photoshop with Roads Like This


So Much Green


Capitol City Ghost Town


Capitol City Lee’s Legacy


Capitol City Old House


Capitol City Old House Windows


Capitol City Old House Scramble Photo Bomb


Capitol City Leaves Changing


Capitol City Trees Growing into House


Scrambler and the Aspens


Capitol City Old House Roof


Scrambler and Aspens 2


Whitmore Falls Overlook


Whitmore Falls from Above


Whitemor Falls Overlook Platform


Rose Lime Kiln Sign


Waterfall Trickles


Whitemor Falls


Whitemor Falls 2


Whitemor Falls Selfie


Whitemor Falls Downstream


Whitemor Falls Stairs


Rose Lime Kiln


Single Family Unit Best Offer


This Building Has Seen Better Days


Story of White Death


Oh Look, Another Warning


Oh, That’s where I left my luggage


Fine I’ll Just Walk


I think its Just Up Here


Why Not Stop for A Pic


More Mirror Selfies


GPS Says its Right About Here


Perhaps Home is a Good Plan


Water Flowing Through the Colors


Turquoise Lake Stop


Turquoise Lake Wheel Shot


Turquoise Lake Glamor Shot


Pass 16 Monarch


Pass 17 Red Hill


Storm Approaches 1


Storm Threatening Skies


Where There’s Rain There’s Rainbows


Rainbow Storm Arch


Rainbow Storm Scrambler Photo Bomb


Rainbow Storm Arch 2


Rainbow Storm Arch 3


Final Results Trip 1a


Final Results Trip 1b


Awesome Greeters 1


Awesome Greeters 2

Second Attempt Photos


Attempt 2 / Day 2 – 1 of 2


Attempt 2 / Day 2 – 2 of 2


Attempt 2 / Day 2 – 1 of 1


Here I Go Again


Candlewood Suites Departure


Where’s the Sun?


Pass 1 Indian Hills Pre-Sunrise


Early Morning Location Documenting


Off to Squaw Pass


Highway 74 in the Dark


Entering Kitteredge


Pass 2 Squaw


Pass 3 Juniper


Echo Lake Sign


Pass 4 Berthoud Snow


Berthoud Snowy Lot


Ice Warnings Toward Loveland


Pass 5 Loveland Icy


An Icy Loveland Pass


Loveland Pass Looking Down


Boreas Pass Road Entrance


High Above Breckenridge


Just a Little Snow


At Least I’m Not Going Up There


Clear Trail Ahead


Bakers Tank


Bakers Tank SIgn


Looks Like it Will Blow Over


Pass 6 Boreas


Boreas Pass Train Station


Boreas Pass Train Car


Railroad Crossing


Boreas Rail History


Getting Away from the Snow


Off to Como


More Warning Signs


Como Pub


Pass 7 Kenosha


Pass 8 Red Hill


Alma City Limit


Pass 9 Hoosier


Alma Welcome Sign


Pass 10 Trout


Glorious Mountain Tops


Pass 11 Poncha


Headed to Marshall Pass


Pass 12 Marshall


Descending Marshall Pass


Aspens Changing


The Day Begins to Clear


Dry Roads Ahead


O’Haver Lake


White Mystery Horse


Poncha Springs


Pass 13 Monarch


Entrance Old Monarch Pass


Pass 14 Old Monarch


Adventure Hermit Shadow Selfie


Easing Down Old Monarch


Power Lines


Into the Great Wide Open


Cows Gotta Moo


Black Sage and Waunita Pass Route


Pass 15 Black Sage


Time for a Detour


The Sun Starts to Find Me


Route 763 No Maintenance


Old Fencing


Rail Split and Falling


Pass 16 Waunita


Another Detour Just for Fun


Just Follow the Leaves


Sunset Approaches


Turquoise Lake


Sleepy Sky


Turquoise Lake Scrambler Photo Bomb


Avoiding Elk in the Dark


Pass 17 Cerro Summit After Dark


Days Inn Montrose


Entering Ouray in the Dark


Pass 18 Red Mountain


Top of Red Mountain Pass


Silverton City Limit


Trickling Waterfalls


Waterfall


Pass 19 Molas


Pass 20 Coal Bank


Pass 21 Ute


Edgemont Ranch NOT Eagle Pass Whoops


Yellow Jacket Ranch NOT Yellow Jacket Pass Whoops Again


Continental Divide


Wolf Creek Pass Sign


Pass 22 Wolf Creek


Park Creek Road


Just Another Day


Snow Returning


Pass 23 Elwood Maybe


Lake Shot Just Because


Red Hills


Scrambler Crossing on Bridge


Enjoying the Sun


Pass 24 Stunner


Pass 25 Robinson Gulch


Pass 26 Cumbres


AH posing at Cumbres Pass


Pass 27 La Manga


Manasa Jack Dempsey Birthplace


Pass 28 Trinchera


Pass 29 La Veta


La Veta Pass Sign


Pass 30 Old La Veta


Old La Veta Marker


House on Old La Veta Pass


Old La Veta Pass Church


Pass Creek Road Entrance


Red Rock Road Entrance


Midday Shadow Selfie


Pass Near Beulah


Pass 31 Name Unknown


Pass 32 Bigelow Divide


Bigelow Divide Sign with Scrambler

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