Update #2

For anyone interested, I finally got around to pulling the times and distances from the recon ride off the file and thought it would be helpful to post splits to various areas based on an 11 hour ride (8 hours ride time, almost 11 total hours) around the peak. This included a very leisurely stop at the KOA for food (we had to wait for them to finish cleaning the bathrooms before opening up the store, so sat around for quite a while). We stopped multiple times to chat with folks on the trail and spent an hour at the KOA, so you can assume a faster time if you keep moving. Here are the splits:

Ruxton to Hwy 24: 45 minutes (3.5 miles)

Hwy 24 to the top of Esther: ~1 hour (6 miles) (with some riding in circles trying to find the trailhead)

Esther to Crags Campground: ~2.5 hours (14 miles) (again with picture taking and stopping to chat along the way – assume faster if you keep moving)

Crags Campground to Horsetheif Park/Hwy 67 junction – 1 hour (5 miles)

Hwy 67 to KOA: <30 min (5 miles)

KOA to FS 376/Gold Camp junction: 35 min almost all downhill (9.5 miles)

FS 376 to Deer Park: 1:45 (6.5 miles)

Deer Park to Colorado Ave: 1:30 (14.5 miles)

Then an easy ride back to town!