0.0 Ride east out of town on the road you drove in.
0.4 Turn right on the uphill road to Hancock, FSR 295. This is the railroad grade.
2.2 The road splits. Ride the left hand road.
3.1 The road splits. Choose the left hand road through the rocks across the wooden bridge.
3.5 Stay on the railroad grade as a road turns left to the Mary Murphy Mine.
5.3 Pass one of the most interesting old mining buildings in the area. Ms. Pac Man.
6.1 Enter the town of Hancock, est. 1880. There is almost nothing left. Look for an interpretive sign off the trail on your left. Continue across a bridge, until the road forks. Turn right, following the sign to the Alpine Tunnel Trail. This road is closed to motor traffic and is the original railroad bed. Ride around the locked green metal gate.
6.6 The trail forks. Take the right hand trail to the Alpine Tunnel. Step over the low gate and continue riding.
8.9 Stay straight ahead as a singletrack splits to the left. This trail leads to Tin Cup Pass and you will come back to it. The Alpine Tunnel lies straight ahead.
9.0 The East Portal of the Alpine Tunnel, used from 1882 to 1910, and built by the DSPPR as part of the great railroad race to cross the Rocky Mountains. Engineers expected to blast through this “hardrock” section quickly, but instead of finding solid rock they found loose rock. They had to shore up the entire length of the tunnel with California redwood. Both ends of the tunnel have collapsed, but the last explorers to weasel their way inside found the entire central section of the tunnel intact.
Turn around and ride back to the singletrack that heads uphill to Tin Cup Pass.
9.1 Turn right on this steep traversing singletrack. This is a stiff climb, crank or push!
9.6 Top of the hill. Turn right (north) on the signed CDT. For a great view of the West Portal of the Alpine Tunnel, leave your bike at the CDT sign and walk to the southern edge of the saddle. There are several restored buildings below and part of a round house. Return to the CDT and ride north up the short steep hill.
9.6 to 11.9 This singletrack winds through challenging high alpine terrain. There is only one trail and no trail markers. Keep your eyes open and look ahead so you don’t loose the singletrack – it does not follow the most logical contours.
11.9 Drop through the deep forest on smoked singletrack served on a bed of fragrant pine needles.
13.7 Cross 2 wooden bridges over the North Fork of Chalk Creek.
14.1 T-intersection with a dirt road, Tin Cup Pass. Turn right downhill. This road is rocky and fast with huge water bars. Many 4WDs and ATVs also use this road, especially on weekends, and you can encounter them at any point along this road.
17.9 Intersection with CR 267. Watch for traffic! Ride through Saint Elmo.
18.1 Turn right across the bridge over Chalk Creek.
18.2 Main Street of Saint Elmo. Not bad, eh?