Highs and Lows on the Colorado Trail - A Bikepacking Story

[@FancyMcDancy]

And let's hear it for the mountain bike! What an amazing invention.

[@mhilde7744]

You saved yourself from deadly apathy!....and inspired countless viewers to do the same. Well done!

[@published1789]

There is so much personal drive and natural beautiful (gotta love the Rockies!) you are sharing here. It's wonderful to see. But what brought joy to my heart is the part where you acknowledge, thank and support the trail building volunteers. Well done. And for your own efforts trail building, as well.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment! Our short time with the Colorado Trail Foundation had a big impact on us. Trail travel is important - trail building is essential.

[@vannarit4078]

i like how yall show everything, camp, eat, tent, stops, breaks, rides, gears, and so on.

[@alexcorral5829]

One of the best CT videos I've ever seen. Nice job & congrats on this epic journey!

[@bike2think]

Thanks so much for packing all the camera gear! Loved to watch this while spinning.

[@michaelmathis1961]

Great video you two. Please make more.

[@michaelmathis1961]

Aww Silverton! Me and a buddy raced the train back around 2006 and loved it. I have been to Silverton several times before as a kid. Just beautiful.

[@michaelmathis1961]

I liked the video of you guys carbo loading in town! Do more of these videos! Show us how more beautiful the Rockies are than we already know! Thanks for taking me along!

[@danpost18]

Many thanks for trail tour. Great video.

[@fatbikefarm]

THAT is how to make a bikepacking video - loved it!

[@johnm5385]

Hi from the UK. Fantastic video, hope you do more

[@claydogmadman7843]

True hero's to the sport of mountain biking...👍

[@yvonnedetweiler922]

Way to go Andy.....I don't have time to look at the whole video, but I will. Thank you for sharing!

[@danpost18]

Thanks to the guys that maintain the trails.

[@andybrubaker4766]

...and gals and other folx!

[@david-pascoe]

Thanks for the great film guys. It really captures the fun and spirit of the trip, along with the hardships. I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of when I go on trips like this with my friends. :-)

[@BadaiRimba]

With bikepacking style, looks more concise and easy to control......Great video...

[@allydidier791]

Great video! I love coming back and watching it. I've done some long backpacking trips but I'm excited to start bikepacking! This trail is definitely on my short list.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Good luck as you get into the sport! Feel free to reach out if you ever have questions. bikepacking.com/ has great info as well if you haven't seen it yet.

[@peteturner7613]

Thank you for an entertaining 33 minutes. Well done.

[@TonGGG997]

Good view content bike

[@twjclarke1]

Breathtakingly beautiful video this.

[@theCECkicker]

Great video! Thanks for sharing! Inspirational! Now I have another thing to add to the bucket list

[@bayani1977]

Vastness of the mountain in view is so wide, your all very happy face😁🚴

[@stevewilliams904]

Thanks for sharing. Extremely well done!

[@lauiman]

Unbelievable Tour, fantastic pictures, amazing ride - oh my god, i wish to turn back the time - congrats !!!

[@fabianeguiguren1163]

Congratulations on you journey. Super video for this lockout. However, probably too tough for me once this is over! Thanks for sharing. Greeting from Ecuador

[@denisewasher6115]

Wow. Great video. You worked on the CT with my husband for those 4 days near Buena Vista. Thank you. What a great adventure for you two.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks! Working on the trail crew was one of the unexpected highs of this trip. Thanks for watching!

[@drcrackers922]

Awesome trip guys. A great production as well

[@davidcoomber4050]

Very enjoyable and informative well done guys looking forward to doing the same trip

[@AdamJStoryDC]

This video makes me want to sell my cyclocross bike, my road bike, my beach cruiser, my wife's bike and my BMX bike, get a mountain bike and go to CO.

[@mikedamat]

You could probably manage it on your cyclocross bike, the best bikepacking bike is the one you already own.

[@KrazyKrzysztof]

@@mikedamat ya or just buy a mountain bike and keep all the other crap

[@mikedamat]

@@KrazyKrzysztof This is the right answer. N+1

[@karlstine2065]

Adam J. Story, DC do it.

[@karlstine2065]

Adam J. Story, DC do it. You don’t need a wife.

[@FancyMcDancy]

VERY nicely put-together video. Thanks.

[@FancyMcDancy]

No, it's not nicely put-together. It's OUTSTANDING!!!!

[@knordberg]

This has to be the 3rd time I've watched this. Such a great adventure. Love that you guys never seemed to get down or curse at tough situations. (unless you edited that all out) I can't imagine hike-a-biking at 13,000 ft.

[@andybrubaker4766]

There were definitely low moments - we tried to include some of those, but it's hard to really capture on video how hard a route like this is. But you keep chugging along and do what you can (much like life). Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jtelvis3]

Awesome video and adventure, guys! Thanks for bringing us along for the ride!

[@davesnothereman81]

Inspirational stuff guys... thank you for sharing the journey.

[@DARRENTRANCE]

Views looked amazing 👌. But some of them climbs looked absolutely brutal 😩😰.

[@thatbikelife7978]

16:28 I hiked that Mt Shavano trail just a few weeks ago. Had to take the Colorado Trail to get to it. Never imagined biking on it but now I've got a new goal for next summer. Great video guys

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks! I enjoyed the Mt. Shavano/Tabeguache hike when I did it as well. Good luck this summer!

[@coreyreeder2321]

Glory! +1 to my bucket list

[@roberthipple8859]

Epic!!! What an adventure. I’m so inspired!

[@wesdenham3847]

Well done guys; thanks for sharing!

[@thriftyendurance]

Gnarly and Epic! 👍🏻 So doing this trail! 🌺

[@thedukesadventures4323]

Well done lads ... & great video 👍🏻👍🏻

[@BrandonScales]

Great video. Looks like such a fun ride

[@briandeblanc1476]

Damn. Thanks for that. Now I gotta get out on CT sooner rather than later.

[@budchestnut9303]

You lugged a drone across all that? Killed two cameras? Glad you arrived safe. Perhaps when drones are 1/4 the size I would consider hauling one!

[@trailjunkie7302]

Nice video. Did it this past summer as well and it was wet! Thru riding it again in 2018 and hoping for normal monsoon season weather without the sustained rains we had so much of.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Yeah, we didn’t really dry out for the last 4 days. I think we missed the worst of it from what I’ve heard. Too much rain can turn a hard trip into a miserable one.

[@michaelp1109]

Fantastic job!!! Very impressive. Congrats.

[@gbakhuis]

Wow, what a ride. Great landscape. And it is so empty of people, try to find that in Europe.

[@bencousins4687]

Rather easy honestly.

[@tonyhussey3610]

Just back from a trans Pyrenees mtb trip in Spain and was very very quiet, even in July. Just a few other bikepackers, a few hikers and at the weekend a few 4 wheelers. I bet if you did it in May it would be totally deserted. 3 week off-road adventures are easy to find in Spain.

[@iancolquhoun6249]

best vid of the CT I've seen yet, nice job!

[@GeekonaBike]

Bummer about the GoPro, I think San Juan's between Silverton & Durango are among the Hardest, Most Scenic part of that trail. Of course, I did it Northbound so going a lot of up slowly. #CTR2015

[@BeddLstudios]

11:00 help building trails. How to do that: Step one: get a shovel Step two: right click on a ground with grass There you have a full square lovely trail

[@itsyoutubemartin]

Nice f'ing video Andy! The last few seconds/song are brilliant. And you guys have inspired me to ride (part of) the Colorado Trail.

[@andybrubaker4766]

+Martin Criminale Thanks for the feedback! Best of luck out there - it’s an incredible experience.

[@morrisdonald]

that is one epic trip. i would love to do something like that. how many days did the whole trip take.

[@andybrubaker4766]

13 days, with a 24 hour rest in the middle.

[@CyclingLabs]

I shouldn’t watch this type of video, makes me sooooo jealous.

[@BeddLstudios]

Where can I get a best buddy like you two are to make this kind of trip with me?

[@DonnaDoveWinters]

Awesome video quality. And it looks like a lot of fun! Subscribed

[@NastyAustin11]

Great video guys. Really inspirational

[@BackpackingandBlisters]

Awesome job! Really impressed with the drone shots! Thanks for putting this together Andy. I might reference this video on an upcoming episode of the Backpacking and Blisters podcast. :)

[@andybrubaker4766]

Please do!

[@copernicusvanstruselclit9508]

Hi, I am planning to do this trip, I can't find any informaton on how possible this trail would be on a rigid frame mountain bike? I don't have the budget for a proper full suspension bike and already have an old fuji. Do you think it is doable? How often is the trail super chunky? From the video it seems like most of it pretty smooth. Awesome video!

[@nomadesbtt307]

awesome job guys, thanks for sharing!

[@mikearthur6965]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@pauljordan3064]

Fun video guys! Thanks!

[@corsomagenta]

Great video, thanks! do you guys have a list of equipment list that you used? I'm interested in your back packs. Did you ride hardtails? Who operated the drone while you both had hands on the bars? What month was it? So many questions...

[@andybrubaker4766]

My gear and bike list: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5iTaHR9iKZghtE&t= Ben's gear and bike list: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGGsmIibYqh7aKc The drone is a DJI Mavic Pro (original version) and can auto-track subjects once launched. We went in early July of 2017.

[@corsomagenta]

@@andybrubaker4766 Thanks for the info!

[@vrk1131]

Even when looking at the people’s kindness there, I wanna go there and ride.

[@CaseyRice]

How did you approach training for this ride? How many months prior etc? Did you both have a lot of mt. bike experience? I lived in Breckenridge for a year and love CO. Well done guys!

[@azuARz]

great adventure, thumbs up, guys

[@svbluewater]

Great footage. Nice soundtrack....how about a playlist!?

[@andybrubaker4766]

Adventure Freaks Thanks! Check the video description for a complete playlist. Glad you enjoyed the music - I used some of my favorites!

[@mechanicaldavid4827]

Nice music selection!

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks! Glad you appreciated it.

[@dannyzuehlsdorf3697]

Time to get the band back together and do it again!

[@alexloweh1]

Great video guys well done!!

[@ebhkkc1]

Great job. How many days did it take you. I am thinking of doing it

[@andybrubaker4766]

13 days. Good luck!

[@ebhkkc1]

one more question. How many drone batteries did you bring. I am thinking about bringing my mavic air 2 but it is 3lbs of extra weight to bring everything I need

[@SuperSnipehunter]

I am doing this next year. Thanks for the vid!! By any chance, could I get the overlay of your route? Stops? If you documented them of course. Thanks, Matt

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks, Matt. I'll direct you 2 places. The first is my riding partner Ben's blog that meticulously details each day (including a video summary). pedalspacksandpinots.com/ Scroll down a bit to find the posts about our CT ride. The second is a write-up about our trip on bikepacking.com - www.bikepacking.com/plan/gear-lists/colorado-trail-video-journal/ This has much of the same info but is a little more condensed. Enjoy, and let me know if you have other questions!

[@SuperSnipehunter]

Andy Brubaker thank you brother. I'll get back to you.

[@magnanimous_1442]

Cool video guys!

[@randyjorgensen8363]

Well, I am impressed! I was thinking about doing this next year, but after seeing your vid. I realize I won’t have the fitness for it. But dang guys, nice job and what an epic memory you have made for your selves.

[@andybrubaker4766]

You don't have to give up on the dream! There are quite a few sections that would be fun to do in smaller trips. That way you can get a feel for the trail and build your fitness at the same time. We first did the Breckenridge to Denver segments in 4 days and it was a great "intro." Check out the CT Guidebook for more info. Good luck!

[@arthurjohnson2759]

Andy Brubaker Andy looking to take same trip with an e bike. Would love to know more about your planning and resources used. Not sure how to privately exchange info through this medium. I’m on LinkedIn and have a superficial page on Facebook.

[@padude131]

Amazing video. And to capture a lot of it by air was sweet!. Do you have a video of your bikes and gear that you used?

[@andybrubaker4766]

You bet. Here's the link to mine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5iTaHR9iKZghtE And to Ben's: www.bikepacking.com/plan/colorado-trail-video-journal/ Hit me up if you have other questions. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@leotard2536]

Mountain biking done right.

[@nateums]

awesome video!

[@augustogoncalves9098]

Hi guys. For long I've thought of doing similar rides (perhaps not as long), but one question I always struggle with is how in the world did you (how would I) get back, after so many days on the bike and pretty tired by then?

[@colinhughes9709]

Great video for setting expectations on the trail. Would love to know how many days it took, average speed, etc.

[@andybrubaker4766]

The trip was 13 days including one 24-hour rest period in Buena Vista. Average speed is tricky to calculate because of all the hike-a-bike, but Ben did a super thorough data report and packlist at bikepacking.com. Check it out: bikepacking.com/plan/colorado-trail-video-journal/

[@tubenachos]

Wow incredible 😍

[@bromeisterbryce]

Surprised by the quality of this! Thanks guys. Think this thing would be doable on a hard tail?

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks! I appreciate your feedback. It's definitely doable on a hardtail, although I'd recommend plus tires for the additional traction and cushion. My riding partner did it on a 27.5+ hardtail.

[@chrisfreer6329]

Great video! Enjoyed that. Starting to plan my own CT adventure, although I don’t think I’ll do it all in one shot. How long did it end up taking you?

[@christopherhusta9915]

hey! my friends and I are planning to re-attempt in 2020 (this year to early and had to much snow). But hardtail vs full sus? how did each do? I have a fuel EX and a trek stache. It seems like the ability to do the accents and detours (road and gravel) outweigh the fairly quick descents. I'm planning on bringing the hardtail, did you regret full sus or appreciate it.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Chriss Rhodess I heard the snowpack this year was crazy! I would take my full sus again in a heartbeat, and my friend would take his hardtail. I preferred the extra bump absorption to reduce fatigue (both descending AND climbing - some of the climbs are super rocky and there were times when I could stay seated while my friend had to stand). I was jealous of his extra frame bag space, but I’d still go full-suspension. There are trade offs for both and you just have to decide what’s most important to you. Good luck on your second attempt and I hope the weather cooperates!

[@deezerdeezer]

Question: Being from lower altitude, did you do anything to acclimatize to the higher altitude before embarking? Or did you just go for it? Great video, thanks for everything that went into it!

[@andybrubaker4766]

I was able to get out to Colorado almost two weeks before starting the trail, so I had some time to acclimatize. Even one or two days of acclimatization can make a real difference. Also, traveling north to south on the trail will give you more time to get used to the altitude since the highest sustained elevations are on the southern end. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@mtbph9763]

Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@garretta.2611]

Nice video dude!

[@TheLeesto]

I live only about 30 minutes from where your trip began and cycle there all the time. I'm just curious because you mentioned training for the trip; where did you come from?

[@andybrubaker4766]

I'm from Indiana, Ben's from Oregon.

[@droubledibble]

Great, inspiring adventure and superb video! What software do you use to get the Google Earth trail fly-over bits?

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks! I used Google Earth Pro, which is now free. If you create waypoints, there's a way you can record flying between them.

[@droubledibble]

@@andybrubaker4766 Think I've nearly worked it out! Did you load in your actual GPX file and then create a Tour from this or a custom path with waypoints? Any helpful links much appreciated!! (I'm creating my end of season bikepacking vid!)

[@andybrubaker4766]

@@droubledibble I searched for and found the hiking route for the CT, and then added a few waypoints of my own for the wilderness detours. Best of luck with the video!

[@alejandroortegav2278]

Excelente ruta.

[@aggieforlife13]

What type of bikes were you running? One looked like a hardtail

[@andybrubaker4766]

One was a 2016 Kona Hei Hei DL Trail, a full-suspension rig. The hardtail was a Why Cycles S7.

[@DeanJohnson67]

great video! Like the Leadville footage!! Most don't stop for long! Decided after this video that after doing LT100 in 14/15/16 and volunteering in 17 that If I don't get in to LT100 for 18 I am for sure doing the Colorado Trail but of course I will likely spend 2 days in Leadville and Twinlakes before continuing on.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Thanks for the feedback, Dean. Best of luck wherever your mountain bike adventures take you!

[@relikvija]

I wish there was a high five every 4 seconds

[@Majkey]

Great Video!

[@hauschildt]

What where the two bikes you guys rode?

[@jennycornely9693]

Amazing video. How can I gain permission to show this film at our upcoming movie night fundraiser for our non-profit trails group? Our community would love this film on the big screen.

[@andybrubaker4766]

Jenny Cornely Sounds like fun! You have my blessing to show it wherever and as often as you would like. The purpose of the video was to create as much stoke for adventure as possible. Out of curiosity, what area of the country is your group?

[@jennycornely9693]

@@andybrubaker4766 New Castle, Colorado

[@deezerdeezer]

Do you keep the burritos cold or frozen somehow? Or just let them go at ambient temp?

[@andybrubaker4766]

Ha! Yeah, no refrigeration. Kinda gross, but they're super processed and sealed. Neither of us had issues with them. It would get well below 40F at night (colder than a typical refrigerator) so they had some natural cooling.

[@aliciaroberson1684]

Thanks for sharing your trip! How long did it take you guys to finish?

[@andybrubaker4766]

13 days, including one rest day.

[@antonioaguilera9321]

Hey guys how many days it took you to complete the Colorado trail?

[@antonioaguilera9321]

@@andrewbrubaker2038 Thanks very nice video!!

[@juliusulit1141]

This is already in my plans either 2020 or 21. How often did you meet thru-hikers?

[@andybrubaker4766]

Julius Ulit Daily, but the closer you get to cities the more hikers you see. We’d usually see a few hikers a day, but a lot more closer to towns.

[@claudiusliberalis8374]

which bikes did you drive? could you tell me somethings about the Suspension setups. was both bikes Plus bikes? which forks have this bikes. thank you you, best regards from switzerland

[@andybrubaker4766]

Check out my video on bikepacking gear (click on my name or picture to access all my videos) to find out more info about my bike and the gear I used. My riding partner Ben's bike info is linked here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGGsmIibYqh7aKc&t If you have other questions, let me know. Enjoy!

[@claudiusliberalis8374]

hy Andy, thanks for fast answering ;o)

[@MM-kq7eu]

Yes! It can be done!....On a bike!

[@rahkinrah1963]

There ain't no shame in pushing your bike. I love using it as an "ascender".