Jérôme, François & Pauline
What do enduro riders do between competitions?
You might say they rest, or perhaps they train hard...
That could be a logical answer if Pauline Dieffenthaler, François Bailly-Maître, and Jérôme Clementz were only competitors. But these three are not just some of the fastest time chasers on the planet; they are also driven by passion, challenge, adventure, and nature.
Objective: Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado at 4,401 meters.
Fans of challenges and with a penchant for conquering summits with their mountain bikes, our three companions set out to tackle Mt Elbert, after making sure of the route and the necessary permits.
BYE-BYE ASPEN
The three friends leave the Hollywood setting of Aspen with its private jets, luxury hotels, dream villas, golf-course-worthy lawns, and “vegetarian or gluten-free” restaurants, heading first for Independence Pass. This mountain pass at 3,687 meters allows them to cross over to Twin Lake, the base camp for the ascent of Mt Elbert. This pass also marks the watershed between the Atlantic and the Pacific. From up there, the panorama is already exceptional, with lakes and forests in the valley giving way to an alpine landscape above 3,000 meters.
Arriving at Twin Lake marks a change in the American landscape. The luxury of Aspen is over; they find themselves in deep America. A small gas station, a fake police car, a little convenience store, dismantled car parts in front of houses, and three small hotels. Of course, these are all full, and our adventurers, having made no reservations, find themselves out on the street, with the next village 50 km away. Not very practical, knowing that the ascent is scheduled to start at 4:30 in the morning.
But don’t count our riders out too soon; they have resources. A few kilometers from the village, they come across a rustic B&B, which unfortunately is also full—August is high tourist season, with the Colorado Trail attracting hikers wishing to cross the state from north to south. Another failure? No, because with some persuasive effort, they manage to convince the owner that they would accept just a roof to sleep under. At that point, she admits to having a dormitory, but the bathrooms are out of order. No matter—they’ve experienced worse and will rinse off in the river rather than under a hot shower.
Once settled in, they discover their lodging is more like a museum than a hotel, with collectibles everywhere. The sunset by the lake allows for a moment of admiration before a ping-pong tournament to decide who will sleep in the double bed! François wins hands down, having hidden from his opponents that he used to play table tennis in his youth! A meal in town is quickly eaten while planning the expedition, and then off to bed, as the wake-up call will be early.
3:50 AM
The alarm rings, a quick breakfast is eaten while making sandwiches, gear is checked before taking the vehicle to the trailhead, and off they go.
4:30 AM
It’s pitch black in the forest; having brought no lights, they improvise by attaching flashlights to their handlebars and using a headlamp to tackle the start of the climb.
6:30 AM
The start is at 3,000 meters, in an aspen forest; the trail follows a stream impossible to see in the dark, but the sound of water is unmistakable. After a relatively smooth start, the slope becomes steeper, and they have to push the bikes. In the dark, it’s hard to gauge the distance covered; with the altitude, the pace is not fast, but the progress is steady. The stated goal is to reach the tree line for sunrise around 6:30.
After 90 minutes of hiking, the trees become sparse before disappearing altogether—an ideal spot to enjoy the sunrise while having a snack. Everyone takes out their phone for souvenir photos of a sunrise at 3,800 meters, eats a bite to regain strength before the rest of the ascent, which will certainly not be easier. Indeed, with the altitude, oxygen is scarce, the slope does not ease, and every step is an effort. It’s not easy to climb at this altitude on foot, so imagine with a 13 kg bike to carry. No one complains; everyone wants to reach the summit, enjoy the view, but above all, ride the trail, which looks perfect for bikes.
9:00 AM
They did it—our three adventurers are at the summit. The view is a 360° panorama with many peaks all around. Overlooking them gives a magnificent perspective, and the view of the lakes from which they started promises a long descent and a great moment of pleasure. The wind is blowing, and the temperature has dropped, making it hard to linger too long for fear of getting sick or freezing to death (we exaggerate a bit, of course). That’s all the excuse they need to hop on their beautiful machines and throw themselves headlong down the slopes of Mt Elbert, satisfied to have succeeded in their crazy bet and brought their bikes to the roof of Colorado.
It will take more than 30 minutes of descent to reach the car. The initial rock fields give way to a path winding through alpine meadows before reaching the fir trees. As they descend, the vegetation appears and becomes denser until the aspen forest bordering the lake. The riders warm up quickly, the pleasure is real, and they are all surprised that a trail at this altitude is so suitable for biking. In Europe, it’s rare to find such enjoyable trails above 3,000 meters!
High fives all around, a recovery beer with a burger, then a swim in the nearby rivers—enough to end the trip in style. The true spirit of mountain biking, in a way. The fuel for success, whether in competition or for an adventure like the one our Julbo riders experienced, will always be the pleasure of accomplishing what has been undertaken, with a touch of challenge and uncertainty to spice it all up!
