Category Archives: Hagerty Silver Summit

2016 Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Two Preview

Day one of the Hagerty Silver Summit was dominated by tight, twisting roads with multiple switchbacks going back and forth. With fantastic weather and new driving friends, the group awoke excited for what day two would bring. The Driver’s meeting was held outside in the sunshine, with a promise of perfect driving weather ahead…

Normally, when we dismiss the driver’s meeting there is a small version of a LeMans start as driver’s and co-driver’s try not to look like they are running for first position on the road. Our group today, however, was interestingly different. Despite cars being warmed up before the driver’s meeting, despite bags packed and washroom breaks taken, the group wasn’t jockeying for first spot on the road. No, instead it seemed road-groups were forming, everyone making sure each car was ready before heading out. 

Today’s route was designed with the ‘bigger’ cars, in both size and engine, in mind. We looked for highways and byways which we consider to be great ‘touring roads’. They meander through the countryside, offering elevation changes and sweeping corners. Rather than rowing between 2nd and 3rd gear in the switchbacks, driver’s were predominantly moving between 4th and 5th gear throughout the day. 

We certainly didn’t forget about the twisties though! Each hour of faster touring brought a section of twisting corners or a mountain pass to challenge both car and driver alike. Whether it was carving corners through the canyons on CO-114, or climbing one of the many mountain passes…the route found something for everyone to enjoy. 

Especially enjoyable today was the way in which the whole event seemed to spend time hanging out with each other. The first group stop I came upon in the Rally Beetle was at the summit of Monarch Pass. Here, over 11,000ft up, a group of cars were building snowmen from the snow on the side of the road. We had our usual meet ups at the Petrol Stations, but it was in the town of Del Norte that the group really found a bond. 

The first cars to arrive at Del Norte decided on an outdoor patio and wood fired pizza for lunch. Just as they were finishing their meal, the next wave of cars arrived. A third wave arrived, just in time to see the first set of cars off. Just as the 2nd and 3rd wave were preparing to leave, the final set of cars from our group pulled in. Throughout the course of an hour the entire event enjoyed a well organized, but completely spontaneous, lunch together. 

The afternoon continued our mix of touring roads and mountain passes, climbing to over 10,000 feet on Spring Creek Pass, and then over 11,000 feet on Slumgullion Pass. In the late afternoon, climbing through one of the passes, the view suddenly opens up and the West Elk Mountains, completely snow capped, suddenly dominate the horizon. For the rest of the day we drove towards them, eventually arriving in Mt. Crested Butte for the finish of day two. 

A preview gallery of photos from Andrew Snucins Photography is available below:

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2016 Hagerty Silver Summit – Day One

Typically, the week of an event, I stop watching the weather reports. By time our first driver’s meeting begins, it’s too late to worry about it. The weather is, what the weather is. Last year in Colorado, however, taught me differently. No where else in the world does the saying “don’t like the weather, wait five minutes” ring more true. 2” of snow on our first day last year wasn’t what I was hoping for…so this year, I’ve been watching the weather like a hawk.

By the time this morning’s Driver’s meeting began, I knew today would be a weather hit. True, there was a threat of rain for part of the afternoon, but we’d be in the lower valleys by that point, and snow free for certain. With a final check of the road reports, I opened the morning’s participant meeting. 

By the time we departed the Hagerty Collector Car Insurance Denver office, the anticipation and excitement for what lay ahead was palatable. Right off the bat, half the entrants turned right instead of left…Yup, this was going to be just as fun as all our other events! With a quick correction, or meeting up around the block, we were off onto the first highway into the mountains. 

Today’s morning route took the group through Golden, up Mt Evans and over Squaw pass into Evergreen. We enjoyed gorgeous pine forests, tight switchbacks front range mountain passes. The morning route took the group by some snow, to remind them of our opening year, but fortunately this year it was just on the side of the road and not falling! After passing through Evergreen, we explored twisty low roads and then climbed up towards this historic mining town of Victor, before descending down into Canon City for our evening finish. Along the way we found B-roads and C-roads that even our lifetime Colorado residents didn’t know existed.

The day wasn’t without it’s mechanical difficulties. Kevin and Mary’s beautiful bug-eye Sprite decided to give them only 4th gear  in Evergreen, and unfortunately won’t be repairable this weekend. They’ll be meeting us tomorrow in their “other Sprite”, cleverly disguised as a Honda S2000. The Mercedes guys seem to be having fuel issues, but suspected problems before the event mean they’re traveling with a trunk full of filters and simply change out at regular intervals. Duncan’s Mustang has a curious case of vapour lock. Curious, because it carries a fuel-injected modern drivetrain! Otherwise we haven’t heard of any problems, and the two cars we anticipated to have issues (the beetle and the 442) are humming along nicely.

No trip to Canon City is complete without a run up, and down, Skyline Drive. With 800 foot drops on either side, this 1903 road follows the spine of a ridge and gives a most unique perspective of the city as you arrive. Upon arrival,  it seemed dinner wasn’t that important. Everyone was more interested in sharing stories, debating the best road option, or discussing the details of cars and friendships. Never before have we had to encourage folks to get up and join the buffet line, usually it’s a stampede! 

A preview of photos from Andrew Snucins Photography is available below:

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2015 Silver Summit Photo Gallery

It seems like so long ago we were exploring the Colorado mountain roads with our new classic-car-friends, but good things take time! Between engagement photos, ceremonies, and cake cutting, our Photographer-Extraordinaire was busy editing the Hagerty Silver Summit gallery and has finally finished! Andrew Snucins has posted 121 images from our Hagerty Silver Summit Colorado Adventure. Click the thumbnails below to head over to the image gallery!

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Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Three

I awoke for day three of the Hagerty Silver Summit at 4am. Something didn’t sound right. I could hear water flowing off the hotel, which meant the storm from the evening hadn’t moved on. Would we awake to rain…or snow?

A 6am look out my window, and I knew I had a challenging morning ahead of me. The snow was definitely sticking, though the roads appeared clear. The mountain pass we were planning to use out of Keystone was so snowy, chains were required. The back-up plan, through the Eisenhower tunnels, wasn’t going to work either. Road reports and cameras showed a slushy, icy, slippery mess. One entrant awoke to find his flights home from Denver had already been cancelled. The snow had certainly hit the fan!

Having explored all the roads in the area earlier this year, I knew there was one last option, but being a smaller route it wasn’t featured on our usual sources for road conditions. I’d have to go for a morning drive. Andrew Snucins was deployed in the role of organizer, relaying the message to entrants that the driver’s meeting would be delayed but I was working on an alternate route. I buzzed down the highway, exploring our last opportunity to get out of the resort…and wrote a new route book at the same time. While our entrants dined on breakfast, I typed up a quick and dirty set of route instructions.

I explained our new route in front of the windows of our hotel, as the snow fell behind me. We handed out route instructions and maps, and ensured that everyone understood the plan exactly before heading out. We were standing at 9,280 feet above sea level, and I was sending the group over Hoosier pass, an 11,000 foot mountain pass a little to our south. Despite the group being incredibly adventurous and easy going all weekend, it was understandable that some of them were a little concerned. I took on the role of sweep this morning, not because I wasn’t willing to lead the charge over the mountain (I had been up there once already), but because I wanted to ensure each and every one of our guests made it over without problems. We loaded up, added another layer of clothing, and set off down the road…

There is something magical about following a group of enthusiasts who are determined to make the best of any situation. Instead of simply blasting off onto the route, groups of friends (newly formed over the weekend) traveled together. At the top of Hoosier pass, snow falling but not sticking, a number of cars stopped for a group photo. Without it, no one in their respective clubs was going to believe the story!

A few miles down the road, on the other side of the mountains, the snow and rain stopped…and the sun came out. We enjoyed mile after mile of winding pavement, dark menacing clouds over the mountains to the left, and blue skies above us. Soon we rejoined the original route in the book, and cars were pulling over to remove windows and clothing layers. Central City, Blackhawk and Rollinsville rolled on by, and soon we were together as a group for one last time in Nederland.

Patricia Fredrick was awarded the Hard Luck Award, her T-Bird failing on day one. Kevin Lewis was awarded the MacGyver award for his ingenious repair for a broken exhaust hanger. Without any wire to hold it up, he used the lanyard from his name tag! Knowing it was going to melt, he recruited a few other entrants to ensure he had enough lanyard to make the finish. Fred Phillips was awarded our first ever “Spirit of the Summit” award. Not only was his enthusiasm throughout the weekend contagious, but he also roped four other friends into joining the Hagerty Silver Summit.

Honestly though, I wish I had created 46 Spirit of the Summit awards this year, one for each person on the event. The weather, at times, was more than anyone had bargained for. But each and every person smiled, shrugged it off and made the best of it. The roads were enjoyed to maximum, every entrant was watching out for each other and ensuring each and everyone one made it through the adversity. When we met at the end of each day, it was smiles and laughter and cries of “Adventure!”

Often at the end of an event the fatigue and desire to ‘get home’ clears out the finish pretty quickly. Not so with the Hagerty Silver Summit. Our friendships forged over the weekend became obvious as each guest was ensuring they said goodbye to each and every other participant. No one was to be missed, we had come too far together to simply drive off without a goodbye.

A year and a half ago I fell in love with Colorado because of the roads. I cannot wait until next year’s Hagerty Silver Summit. We’ll be planning great roads, anticipating your great cars. But the truth is, I’m coming back for the people. We have a new ‘Colorado Classic Car Family’, and can’t wait to add more members next year.

-Dave

A selection of Andrew Snucins Photography photos below:

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Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Two Photos

Whew! The weather gods smiled upon us today, and we all enjoyed a proper day of Classic Car motoring.

With an official winter weather warning looming over a short portion of the route, the day began with a slightly foreboding driver’s meeting. Were we destined for more of yesterday, or would today be better? Dave assured the group he had scoured the weather maps, and the route would be mostly below 6,000 feet. With Dave’s lucky flannel (ineffective on day one) retired for the weekend, we headed off and hoped for the best!

Today’s route started with roads that were all about flowing, swooping corners instead of arm-pumping switchbacks. It was a little more relaxed than yesterday, perhaps aimed at the grand tourers vs. the tiny sports cars. We explored abandoned mining roads, hidden farm-country access roads, and finished the day with an amazing mountain pass. Imagine, if you would, a bored road engineer who scribbled his idea of an amazing race track from point A to point B. The ambitious sketch was mis-filed, and Colorado ended up with our chosen pass of the day. As we enjoyed a post-drive beverage at the bar, we were struck by how the group is starting to feel like a close group of friends.

Sunshine (okay, brief sunshine), great roads and more importantly great people. Day two of the first ever Hagerty Silver Summit will go down in the books as a great and memorable day!

A preview of photos from Andrew Snucins Photography is below:

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Silver Summit – Day One Photos

SilverSummitd1-0845Day one of our first ever Hagerty Silver Summit is in the books!

The theme for today could best be described as “adventure”, and we sure delivered loads of it.

The day started with our best start location to date. Next door to the Hagerty Collector Car Insurance office in Denver is the “Club Auto Colorado” facility. Once our entrants had checked in, they enjoyed the usual getting to know one another, while exploring the automotive museum and collection at Club Auto Colorado. Once the driver’s meeting was finished, Dave changed into his “lucky flannel”, and we were off!

SilverSummitd1-The first road out of Golden delivered interesting curves and climbs through the sunshine…but it was not to last. The ‘adventure’ started with a brief thunderstorm, with (as Dave would say ‘a slight touch of weather’). But a couple of hours down the road we got some real Colorado weather. Slightly damp in one moment, and 6″ of pure SNOW the next! Perhaps ten miles up the road, sunny and warm for the lunch stop.

SilverSummitd1-1142And so our day went. Fantastic weather one moment, and a “heavy touch of weather” the next. The mechanical gremlins attacked more than a few cars, with electrical issues being the most popular ailment on the tour. Arriving into the finishing hotel, we were a bit surprised to find smiles, laughter and friendly faces. Even our teams who limped in late were excited about the day. Despite the weather, the road selections were spot on. Our entrants reported that we managed to find some incredible “driving roads” to entertain those holding the steering wheel, and amazing scenery for those in the co-pilot seat. We even managed to surprise Colorado locals with some selections they hadn’t driven before.
Our first day running a Classic Car Adventure in Colorado has taught us two things: 1) the state serves up a healthy portion of ‘adventure’! and 2) we’ve found yet another amazing group of Classic Car friends. Incredible people, and perhaps a touch nuts…just like our Classic Car friends in BC.

…we can’t wait to see what Day two has in store for us!

A preview gallery of Andrew Snucins photography is below:

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