28 Apr Snowmobiling to the Continental Divide in Colorado
Snow weighed down the branches–the trees looked like they were going to buckle under the heavy blanket of snow that we received the prior evening. We flew through tree lined trails, around sharp corners and climbed higher and higher in elevation on our way towards the top of the mountain.
Right after our dog sledding adventure, we hopped on the snowmobile tour at the same place: Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge, Colorado. Last time we went snowmobiling, we just rented them and went out riding on our own, but this time we were joining a tour with around 8 other sleds.
We weren’t too thrilled about the group experience, but the scenery was so stunning that it was easy to forget that we were following a long string of snowmobiles. However, at times it was still a bit frustrating because we were at the end of the line and a few of our tour mates were driving incredibly slow…which meant we were stuck driving slow, as well.
At the halfway point, we stopped for a break and there was an old outhouse if anyone needed to use the facilities.
When we were ready to start up again, our friend’s snowmobile wouldn’t start and the three of us ended up getting left behind when we tried to help him get it started. Thankfully, after about a 15 minute wait, our guide came back and found us–we knew that he would eventually see that the last couple of sleds were missing. After he performed a magic trick or two, the snowmobile started up again and we were on our way. This time, however, since it was just the four of us on our way to catch up with the rest of the group, we were able to fly. It was so fun racing up the mountain and not having to wait behind a slower steam of others. After the tour, we were laughing because the snowmobile issues actually made the experience even more fun in the end!
Our destination was the Continental Divide at the Georgia Pass, and the elevation was 11,585 feet. Snow capped mountains poked up over the horizon in every direction. We had some time to soak up the views and take some photos of the gorgeousness that surrounded us.
Before heading back down the mountain, we took a few speedy laps in the clearing at the top. The tour was around 2 hours in total, and Micah and I ended up sharing a sled again–next time I think I’ll have to drive myself. I don’t mind riding along, but it would be even more fun to have some control!
If you don’t have your own snow gear, you are in luck because Good Times Adventures has snow suits, boots and helmets available at no additional cost. Make sure to bring your own eye protection, gloves, hat and a scarf though because they don’t have an extra stock of these items. Before we made our way to the mountain, we had a quick lesson on how to drive the sleds and then we went to the practice track to get a feel for driving the sleds. We knew how to operate the snowmobiles, so the practice wasn’t necessary for us, but I liked how they had it set up for those who were driving a snowmobile for the first time. A quick practice run would definitely make me feel more comfortable if it were my first time, and it definitely helps if you have any hesitations.
We really enjoyed our day at Great Times Adventures–joining both the dog sledding and snowmobile tours was a jam-packed but exhilarating day full of adventure!