2023 was RMCC’s 30th anniversary as a club, and there was no better way to recognize that than to do the ride that in many ways started it all—the Denver-To-Aspen Classic! Over that 30 years the format of the ride and the route have gone through various iterations. This year's version utilized the newer version of the course created in 2017.
It was a cool, grey July 8th morning as twelve riders rolled out from Sloan's Lake Park to the west of downtown Denver. The course ventured west, initially climbing Lookout Mountain and Mount Vernon Canyon, Idaho Springs and Georgetown. As the morning progressed, the sun came out and it became a perfect Colorado mountain morning.
The second major challenge for the riders was the long climb up Loveland Pass, one of Colorado's most spectacular passes at 11,990 ft. The course then traversed into Summit County, passing the ski resorts at Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, and Copper Mountain. The next major climb was the beautiful 11,318 foot Fremont Pass. From there it was a steady descent with a quartering tailwind to Leadville and down toward the turnoff to Twin Lakes. Turning west toward Twin Lakes the gusty headwinds make the going more difficult as the day also became quite warm. The final major challenges was Colorado's famed Independence Pass, peaking out at 12,095 feet. Unlike in most prior years it was perfectly sunny for all of the riders, with no hint of rain.
Riders then make the twisty descent down the western slopes of Independence Pass through Aspen and ending in Woody Creek. The complete ride was 181 miles with 16,000 feet of climbing! Reflecting the good weather conditions, we had a very high finishing rate with 11 of the 12 riders making it to the finish!