Swift Campout is the annual, global call to go bike-camping to celebrate the summer solstice. For the tenth year in a row, adventurers will pack camp gear on their bicycles and head out on June 22nd and 23rd, 2024 to kick off summer with a bike-overnight. Swift Campout is an ode to spending the longest day in the saddle and the shortest night under the stars. It is a celebration of the stellar community that rallies to share this stoke. To capture the magic of the event, we’ve called on Navigators around the world to guide their communities on a Swift Campout adventure.
We’re pleased to introduce you to Seth Holmes from The Pro’s Closet!
My name is Seth Holmes and I’ve been into adventure riding and bikepacking for the last 10 years. First on the East Coast exploring the Hudson Valley and Connecticut, and for the last 7 years Colorado. I love riding the historic passes and trails of Colorado, always finding new areas to explore.
Swift Campout is a great opportunity to get outside and experience wild Colorado with new people, and a great way to celebrate the solstice! For the last few years, I’ve been dipping my toes into ultra-endurance bikepacking races, which are a blast – but the most fun hands down is getting outside with friends new and old, and not racing the clock.
Lastly, there’s no wrong way to bikepack! Getting outside and trying or doing something new is what it’s all about. I hope you’ll join me on this adventure!
The Details on Seth’s Campout
Campout Destination: Yankee Doodle Lake (wild camping – no restroom/running water)
About the ride: The ride will start at Salto Coffee in Nederland. We’ll ride to Tolland, and then onto Rollins Pass (an historic Native American hunting ground and trail, & early railroad route over the Rocky Mountains) We’ll Camp in the vicinity of Yankee Doodle Lake where folks can fish, and hopefully snag a rare tiger trout! There will be snow on the route, which will mean hiking over snowbanks, as well as running water on the trail – be prepared to get your feet wet with snowmelt.
We’ll be camping at ~11,000′ – it will be chilly at night, with lows in the 30s not out of the question.
This route is best ridden on a gravel bike with 45c+ tires or a mountain bike. Rollins Pass is very bumpy and ledgy!
There is a chance that the lake will still be iced over at the end of June – if this is the case, we can camp a few miles down the road, which has a nice clearing and a stream. That decision will have to be made the week of.
Lastly, I’ll be riding from Boulder the morning of, so if anyone is interested in making this an epic day with 7k+ of climbing, let me know!
The Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46577334
Difficulty Level: Moderate – For active individuals who are ready to ride for a full day. Expect variety in the route with a few serious climbs and descents.
Registration: Can accommodate up to 20 people. Interested? Email Seth@theproscloset.com
