Corona Pass offers amazing views of Winter Park and the Continental Divide.
Fall leaves were at their peak this first weekend of Fall.
Easy access from Winter Park.It was technically difficult and we felt like real badasses for making it to the view at the top!!
It was mentally exhausting to navigate the lumpy, bumpy, rocky terrain.
Descending was slow, jarring on the upper body and tiring on the hands.
Occasionally, ATVs sped by and kicked up a lot of dust.
Do this ride if you want to challenge yourself on technically difficult unmaintained forest roads (not single track) with the reward of spectacular views and beautiful fall colors.
When we were on the edge of our comfort zone, it was important to acknowledge our larger ride goal of having FUN. Taking occasional breaks to enjoy the views and breathe helped us also break up the ride into incremental steps so that we didn’t get frustrated and give up.Additionally, when riding on such technical terrain, it was critical to give each other space since we had to bob and weave all over the road!
We were riding on 700x35 Panaracer tires which were doable, but we would have been much more comfortable on a wider tire.
Remember a wind-proof jacket- it is breezy and cool at the top.
The Perk Coffee in downtown Winter Park is our favorite place for a cup of coffee at the end when we need a “perked up”!
The back side of this pass is Rollinsville Pass, so the two routes could be combined for one killer ride or done as a two-day bike-pack trip.
We started from our campsite, but you could easily find parking and start in the town of Winter Park.
Laura & Rose
Laura Karpinski and Rose Barcklow are the creators of Gravel Bike Adventures. Click on the About page to learn more about them.
