The Don of Mountain Biking
Trail building, advocacy and a life of adventure in Crested Butte
BY KATHERINE NETTLES
Don Cook was a trail blazer in the truest sense. He built his first trail in 1980, connecting some cow trails along the old railroad grade of what would become the Lower Loop. He and his brother Steve opened a bike shop called Paradise Bikes and Skis, building and selling bikes that handled rough terrain better than “klunkers” and were early iterations of the high-tech mountain bikes we all ride today.
Don, his wife Kay Peterson Cook, and fellow singletrack enthusiasts continued building trails in and around the valley for decades. Their handiwork can be ridden in all directions, as they helped create the network and fostered a sense of stewardship that has made mountain biking in the valley so famous.
“When Don would lay out a trail, he would think about it from the vantage of having some breaks in the climb so it wasn’t a suffer-fest the whole way up unless it couldn’t be helped,” says Kay. “He was really smart about laying things out so it would drain properly.” She says he spent a lot of time learning from US Forest Service rangers so he could adhere to their standards for usability and longevity.
“When I think about what biking was when I started biking in 1980, and what we had in Crested Butte, people weren’t riding singletrack trails. They weren’t riding trails [at all],” says Kay.
Later, Don pieced together the Deer Creek Trail and many others by scoping out just the right path from the cockpit of his low-flying experimental two-seater aircraft.
“It was him wanting to build trails, but it was also just him wanting to fly,” Kay recalls. She still has the flight logs from those early and often wild adventures.
Not long after, they founded Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association. “It was a multi-faceted thing,” says Kay. “One year these ranchers showed up during Fat Tire Bike Week and said there were bikers out there leaving their [cattle] gates open. Out of necessity, we developed CBMBA as an advocacy organization and then we took care of trails as well as building. We wanted to honor ranchers and make sure we were respecting their land.”
Don died unexpectedly from a coronary event in 2025, doing what he loved on a trail he’d ridden countless times.
As the valley celebrated Don’s life and legacy over the past year, Kay has continued caring for his old airplane, his memories and one of his favorite trails: Snodgrass.
She marvels at how mountain biking has grown across the valley, the nation and even the world. And to this day she cherishes the memories of those first singletrack rides with Don more than 40 years ago.
PEARL PASS FLASHBACK
Fifty years ago, in the fall of 1976, the first group of Crested Butte riders made the journey over Pearl Pass to Aspen on their “klunker” bikes, which were mostly old Schwinns reclaimed from a Denver junkyard—no suspension or gears, underpowered coaster brakes and ape-hanger or old BMX-style handlebars. What began as a handful of fun-seeking locals rambling through the mountains in the 1970s became an annual event, at times drawing hundreds of riders to camp along the way and ride the rough terrain. Don and Kay have been instrumental in keeping the event alive over the years.
Don’s Trails
Don Cook mapped out and built many trails and segments in the valley. A few favorites:
THE LOWER LOOP TRAIL SYSTEM
A beginner-friendly network located on primarily on Crested Butte Land Trust Property that continues to evolve and grow. Access via either the Woods Walk Trailhead on Kebler Pass, First and Teocalli Ave, or First and Butte Ave. Add-ons include the KB Connector, the GB Loop and the Budd Trail.
SNODGRASS TRAIL
This classic, intermediate ride has aspen groves, wildflowers and views for days. Starts at the trailhead off Gothic Road and ends on Washington Gulch Road. Opt for the out and back or take Washington Gulch back to town, or connect with the Mt. CB rec path and ride back to Snodgrass trailhead.
LILY LAKE TRAIL
An intermediate loop off Kebler Pass, this cross country trail is less travelled than many that are accessible from town, but it’s just as satisfying and provides great views around Splains Gulch.
STRAND HILL AND CANAL TRAIL
A flowy intermediate+ loop in the Brush Creek area. You can either take the steeper (albeit a little shorter) doubletrack route up from Brush Creek Rd., or a little further out the road you can access the Canal Trail to Strand Bonus and eventually merge onto Strand Hill Trail proper. It’s a lung-buster of a climb but the downhill payoff is worth it.