Monarch Crest
The IMBA Epic: 35 miles of Continental Divide ridgeline singletrack starting at 11,900 ft with views into four mountain ranges, ending in town with a beer.
Trail beta
Classic route: shuttle to Monarch Pass, ride the Crest south to Marshall Pass junction, descend Silver Creek to Rainbow Trail, finish on Hwy 285 back to Poncha Springs or pedal into Salida. ~35 miles with ~3,000 ft of climbing despite being 'downhill.' Bring more food and water than you think. No resupply for 25+ miles. Weather changes fast above treeline.
When to go
Snow above 11,000 ft typically melts out late June to early July. Even July 4th can have snow drifts on the Divide. Best window is mid-July through September. Afternoon thunderstorms are real above treeline. Start early.
Shuttle
Shuttle from Salida (7,000 ft) to Monarch Pass summit (11,312 ft). Both Absolute Bikes and High Valley run the route. Without shuttle you'd climb 4,300 ft of highway. Nobody does that.
E-bikes
Monarch Crest proper (pass to Marshall Pass) is motorized-legal, but Silver Creek descent is non-motorized. Full classic route is NOT legally rideable on an e-bike.