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Genesee Mountain s(u)
No other paved road, this close to
Denver, reaches as high as the paved part of the
road to Genesee Mountain. But you could say that
about infiinitely many places, including almost
every inch of Mt Blue Sky (or Evans) road, before
it reaches the summit. But this road is still in
the foothills, and within "reasonable" reach of an
impromptu Denver-based bike ride. City View
Drive (sh) is ~350ft higher than the two way
summit: Genesee
Park s(u), but it's also further south of
Denver.
From the 2-way summit a short out-and-back road
goes to the top of this gentle cylindrical
mountain. The very last section is gravel. In the
forest are luxurious picnic facilities with stone
picnic structures, fit for large crowds and kings.
The forest is calming and cool in the summer, but
it's actually difficult to get a far view in any
direction from this area. Continuing on the road, the last yards to the top
of the mountain, there are fine views framed by
forest onto the foothills around Centennial Cone
to the north. Searching for gaps in the high
branches you can also make out the peaks along the
continental divide. I included a couple of
pictures, taken with a telephoto lens and a very
long focal length. The flagpole itself has to be located -of course-
on the highest spot of the mountain. Its purpose
was ceremonial during the inauguration of the
first Denver Mountain Park, all the way back in
1914. The current stone pedestal that holds the
flagpole came much later. From here the vantage
point is strictly to the south east.
From West. This
involves a short walk through the forest. Best to
have cycled the 2-road-approach summit (Genesee Park s(u))
before, so you know what you are heading for.
Going up, the junction between the Genesee
Mountain Trail and the road is located at the edge
of the fenced bison-area, and signed as "open" to
cyclists. |
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