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Cycling Left Hand Canyon to Brainard Lake via Jamestown
Ride 23.6 miles gaining 5,222’ at 3.8% average grade.
This is a long but generally mild climb, although you will be tested for a mile near the half-way point with a mile 10.4% segment beginning at mile 10.6 and 2.5 miles at 9.4% from miles 9.2-11.7. There are 2 sets of multiple short descent segments from miles 12-15 and 22-23.
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The climb begins by riding west on Lefthand Canyon Drive from Hwy 36
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We ride along Left Hand Canyon Creek the first 5 miles and then Little James Creek for another 5 or so.
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Enter the National Forest at mile 3.5
We pass through historic Jamestown at mile 8.
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Photo: westernmninghistory.com
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Photo: westernmninghistory.com
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Turn onto Peak to Peak Highway at mile 14.7 and Brainard Lake Road at mil 19.4
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Finish at Brainard Lake.
The roadway is in great shape and traffic fairly mild along this climb. There is a 1 ½ mile gravel section after Jamestown just before Peak to Peak Highway, but it is manageable on a road bike, particularly with 28mm and above tires. From Jamestown, it’s ~4.5 miles paved and then ~1.5 unpaved to P2P. Unpaved not ideal on 23mm road tires.
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2.1 miles of gravel/dirt at 1.5% beginning at mile 12.5 and continuing to Peak to Peak Hwy