-There are good baskets, and they catch all good putts that are thrown at them, but don't allow missed putts to stick. There are not really unfair chain outs on these baskets.
-The tees are good, cement and long enough for a proper length run up.
-As the title of this review suggests, there are almost all types of shots here. The first nine are extremely different from the bask nine. The front nine are shorter, with super tight gaps, when the back nine you have the option to take the tighter lines but because the trees are a different kind of tree you can also go over the top. This could be advised on the back nine because the holes are much longer then the front nine.
-There is good elevation changes here, like holes 2,3,12 having a decent amount uphill and holes 1,7,18 being the more downhill holes.
-The tee signs are helpful, providing a decent knowledge on where the obstacles are on the hole as well a accurate distance.
-Not a heavily used course. I was there on a beautiful Sunday morning in the middle of June and our group was the people that were there.
-The views are absolutely amazing here. You have great views of the vista from the more open second half, and you can catch glimpses through the trees on the front nine.
-Places to sit on a few of tees, as well trashcans on almost every tee.
-There were two par fours, witch was nice because it provided some longer throws.
-This course loops around nicely putting the 18th basket near the first tee.
-Its free to play!
-This course is located on a collage campus so kids can get into the sport.
-This course had had a lot of work put into it. You can tell this from the fact that there are little paths lined with stones connecting fairway to basket on the front nine, and the absolutely perfectly carved fairways on holes 4,5,6,7,8.

-The bask nine were hard to follow. The front nine were fairly straight froward with well marked trails from one basket to the next tee, and every basket was visible from the next tee. However on the back nine you can't see the basket from hardly any of the tees, making you have to run up the fair way to get a look. Also the tees and baskets were more spread out, for example you will be walking for around 3 minuets from basket 17 to tee 18.
-The tees were sloped and that can impair a persons run-up .
-Holes 10 and 11 have big bushes (Brush) in the fairway that liked to eat discs (Use a spotter).
-The par 4's are not real par 4's and are just harder (real) par threes.
-There was no bathrooms, or practice basket here. Nearest bathrooms are in the collage.
-Basket 11 is warped and extremely tilted.
-Fairways 9 and 18 cross and it can be confusing as to what basket your shooting to. Also this could be dangerous.
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*Please note these cons are very minor and should not be considered as things that are wrong with the course, merely things that is keeping this course from being perfect *

This place is a beautiful course that should be honored to be allowed to play on. It has been there for quite some time and for the amount of people that must have played here over the years it has held up great! It is a really peaceful playing alone or with your buddies in the woods. The shots are not easy, but every hole is birdieable. You get rewarded for hitting your lines and very punished if you miss them. That the most simple way of putting it. The way that the two half's of the course are so different really gives this place a great challenge. Its a very unique course in I have never seen a come close to being similar. All players get rewarded with a even amount of lefty and righty shots, open and tight shots, and long and short shots, this course really has everything. If you are in the area come play here, you will definitely not regret it. Even you live within a hour or two drive it might still be worth the trip just for the experience.

This is a nicely varied 18-hole course located behind the local college, at the lofty elevation of 10,000+ feet. The views of the surrounding mountains and forest are simply amazing.

Hole lengths vary from 231' out to 396' and fairways range from tight and wooded to fairly open. .

The front nine winds through mature pine forest, making for some tight fairways where you'll want to hit your line accurately. The ground is clear so you won't lose your disc, but a tree hit may send you way out into the tight woods.

The back nine is more open, and plays over low sagebrush and through more widely spaced trees. Keep a close eye on your drive as finding discs in the sagebrush can be a bit of a challenge.

There are a couple of nice downhill drives (1 & 18) and a few modest uphill holes, but this course didn't really strike me as "very hilly".

Excellent concrete tee pads with good descriptive signs. Some of the baskets are a bit beat up and leaning, but they catch fine.

Navigation is a snap out here, as there are rock lined paths leading from each basket to the next tee. And for the most part the next tees are quite close, so this course plays pretty quickly.

In the dappled shade some of the baskets are tough to spot from the tee. That big yellow band would be welcome here.

The baskets for holes 9 and 18 are fairly close together, and when driving (blind) from 18 you can easily drive onto folks playing 9. I did this on my third round, and will start giving a yell before driving off this pad.

The popular "Mineral Belt" hike and bike trail runs alongside a couple of holes, so be aware of potential traffic.

This course is at a very high elevation with some hills. If you're visiting from lower elevation plan to take your time and bring plenty of water.

1) 14 out of 18 holes are a delight!
2) Elevation change. Lots of courses in Colorado boast elevation changes, but few use the terrain so well. Here "elevation change" doesn't mean "throw straight up a cliff, because we had to wedge a hole in here somehow," instead players will enjoy two massive drives across a deep ravine, one long, winding, narrow downhill, two scenic graceful holes that gradually decline and elegantly bend, and some uphill plays that are genuinely interesting.
3) A great variety of distances. Too often it seems like designers throw in some obligatory shorties to keep new players happy, but here, the <250ft holes offer meaningful challenges and can just as easily trip you up as the longer holes.
4) A classic figure 8 layout. In addition to the obvious value of this layout, CMC is benefited even further because the front and back nine play very differently, and this layout gives players with limited time the option of conveniently playing whichever nine they're in the mood for.
5) Intuitive course flow and quality tee signage make it easy to navigate the course on the first try. Although I think this course, like most, would benefit from a few more "next tee" signs, the paths from baskets to tees are so well-worn that players should be able to figure it out.
6) Most the course plays, not just through a wooded area, but the right kind of wooded area. So often wooded courses are a brambled mess just feet off the fairway, but CMC Leadville has fairways flanked by beautiful pine forests that are light on undergrowth and low-hanging branches making it possible to find recovery lanes after errant shots. Also, it's the kind of forest one can walk through and enjoy.
7) Holes 1-12 and hole 18. The front nine has a very consistent feel while still offering a variety of challenges and opportunities. Hole 10, in addition to being fun to play, is simply beautiful. Hole 18 is a silly-fun way to wrap up as players are given the opportunity to fire back across the gully at full force.

CMC Leadville came highly recommended, and I wasn't disappointed, but it's not perfect. Building and maintaining a disc golf course is hard and I offer these light critiques respectfully, and with a spirit of appreciation toward those who did/do the work to make the course happen.
1) If the college would allow it, some signage at the parking lot would be helpful. The first tee is quite a distance away from the campus and it's hard to find.
2) Some of the baskets are getting pretty beat up - to the point that it affects shots. Also, basket heights aren't consistent.
3) Holes 13-17. This may be nothing more than a matter of taste, but I just don't appreciate the holes that feel like one is throwing into a forest with no obvious flight path toward a basket with no approach avenue. I enjoy pulling out the overhand approach, and I like the natural feel, but these holes on the back nine felt like they weren't designed with nearly the care that was put into the others. Of course, there may be all sorts of land use reasons for this that I don't understand.
4) I'm not sure, but I suspect that this land was either a landfill or was/is a landfill service road. On the lower elevation holes like 1,9,10, 11, and 18, there's broken glass everywhere; far more than the lazy drunk that carelessly discards a bottle here or there. I'd strongly recommend skipping the sandals on this course in favor of solid closed-toed shoes or boots.
This isn't a negative reflection on the course designers, maintenance team, or regular players. It's clear the glass issue isn't their fault, and, as long as you're wearing shoes, it doesn't affect play.
5) The course crosses over itself on four holes. Normally this is an enormous turn off for me, but it wasn't all that odious at CMC. In fact it was sort of fun playing under the golfers driving on one while I drove on nine. They were respectful of me and I returned the favor; it wasn't an issue. Plus it was fun to watch their drives from directly below while still feeling safe. It's not an angle I get to watch the sport from very often.
As I type it occurs to me that this con may be a pro in its own way.

This course gets an awful lot right, and it's just plain fun - which, I think, is still the point of the sport. For an experienced player, it will feel like unwrapping a very thoughtful Christmas gift from someone who knows you well. For newer players a few holes will feel daunting, but most will provide healthy, non-soul-crushing challenges that will prompt improvement.
The glass thing isn't a big deal if you know it's coming, and the course is still absolutely stunning. The course by no means feels like a trash pit (there are garbage barrels at every tee box and the place is totally free of litter).
If you're from Colorado and you love disc golf, you've probably played this course aplenty. If you're not, make sure to put it on the list of must-plays for your next road trip through the Centennial State.

Brand new tee signs with pin location. Awesome course. Super technical front 9. Wide open for the majority of the back 9. Nice to have the contrast.

A couple of holes that could really use a few less trees(12) In particular

A tournament here would be awesome!!!

The front 9 is in a amazing pine grove. It has some real cool shot. Lots of garbage cans and benches. Good tee pads and baskets

The back 9 is not quite as good as the front 9 its mostly wide open long shots. In a much more desert like area with lots of sage.

One of my favorite courses in Colorado.

-Very good course design. The front nine are wooded with tighter fairways while the back nine opens up a little bit more. The course has a lot of baskets guarded by trees. This course punishes you for bad shots as if you go off the fairway you will usually find your self in some tight trees. The course has a lot of elevation changes, including some really awesome downhill shots and hole 12 is an awesome through straight uphill over some trees.
-Concrete teepads
-The course flow is really easy to follow and most of the holes have rock lined paths between them leading the way to the next holes, making the holes really easy to find.
-The course has some beautiful views of Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert, the two tallest mountains in Colorado.
Update: July 2012- There are quite nice new tee-signs and the missing basket is back

-The tee-pads are a little short and it would be nice if they were a little longer.
-Several of the holes play really close or over each other which could lead to some safety issues especially when the course is crowded

This course finally got maintained and fixed up a little bit which definitely improved it. It is a great course with a wide variety of holes, a good mix of distance and open and wooded fairways. This course is definitely worth traveling to, if you are anywhere near Leadville definitely make a stop at this course, you wont regret it.

This is one of the top 5 courses in Colorado. At 10,000 feet a mountain course rarely gets better than this. I call it a "professional course" because while it may not be maintained every day, the layout and design of the course is clearly professional. Beautiful fairways cut out between the pine trees are in a perfect mixture with natural formations within the woods. The course starts out a bit hard to find, but once you are there it is well worth it. The front nine are much more technical, short, and have much tighter fairways. The back nine are more "free" mountain holes in terms of manicuring the fairways, and require much longer (yet just as accurate bombs). This course will certainly take every throw in your bag! Hyzers, anhyzers, s-curves, bombers, thumbers, scoobies, and tomahawks. When... and yes I say when, not if... you get stuck in the woods, expect to get creative and take some risks. The course requires a lot of hiking, and is at 10,000 feet in elevation, and will take a group of two fit guys about two hours to play. I have ran and played the course myself which took about 1.25 hours with no distractions. While this is fairly tucked in the backwoods, it is very easy to find your way from hole to hole. Leadville is certainly the most beautiful course I have ever been to: Gorgeous red, brown and white rock, loads of pine trees, and a majority of the time there are gorgeous views of 14,000 ft. snowcapped peaks and that blue Colorado sky. This course is also rarely visited, and in the six times I have played here I have only ran into four other groups of people (and that includes running solo past three groups). There is not much else to say besides this place is gorgeous, very technical, very long, very hard, and extremely well thought out. It would be wrong to miss this course if you are in the area... they don't make too many like this one.


After playing this course 10 or so times I have come to the conclusion that holes 2-9 are truly what make this course unique, ultra challenging, professional, and entertaining. These 8 holes are some of my favorite ever. Very tight lines beautifully cut out through chunks of tight forest. Straight away gaps, deep hooks, and one cut out anhyzer (hole 5, one of my favorites). After hole 9 the course was clearly left as is, and no trees were removed. While the back 9 are more open spaces with scattered trees, they are still very fun. They are not SUPER creative, but the distances and pin placements make them very hard. While they are all fairly similar, you will not find yourself getting bored with shot style, as each hole still requires a different shot and has a fairly well define "fairway" you want to hit.

This course is a bit in the middle of nowhere.... but thats probably what makes it so uncrowded and gives it such a relaxed vibe.

This is one of my favorites in the state. It is a very hard course, but can be played extremely well if the proper lines are hit. Play it. Disc at 10,000 feet.

I probably would rate this course a 3.5, but holes 2-8 really make this course for me! Enough to bump it up a half point. The back 9 truly only gets a bit boring after you have been a regular at this course for some time.

A very lovely place for a course,Beautiful scenery of Mt.Massive,pines and purple sage.Course flows thru the dense forest nicely,fairways definately wide enough to gun thru yet tight enough to mess up a few skilled players.The use of the elevation is decent as well.

Every hole is right in front of you. holeHole 1 and 18 were the only long holes.No baskets are tucked into the dense forest.Usually college courses lie this way not sure why.Makes it easier alot easier.Or another way to put it boring.Make the course longer, harder utilize the environs to the utmost tuck some baskets into the woods a little.

The purple sage here was really fun to play thru at 10152 feet Similar to the fields of it at Fire Mountain in Rifle.Definately one of the better courses i've played along the I-70 corridor.

Nice tight fairways on the front 9 while preserving a "warm up" for the back 9. Seriously challenging back 9 with some crazy angles, obstacles, and terrain.

This is the second Colorado course I've played and I'm not sure they're kept to be rough, but the back 9 had almost no fairway(if you loose discs easily you need a spotter, and even then you'll probably loose a disc to the sage or trees). Definitely needs new signs - I'm pretty sure the distances on this site are way off on some holes.

Friendly players on the course, 10k feet up in the mountains, and in a town with tons of "wild west" history.

Love this course and play it every chance I get. Very challenging but well laid out. Most times we're out there we've got the place to ourselves, but hard to tell with the trees. Tight trees on the front 9 make for some interesting drives. These holes tend to be short.

The gun shots from the target range can be unnerving, but only during disc golfer hunting season.

Haven't lost a disc there yet!

On Tee Pad # 1 (10,152 ft elevation) you are looking at a basket and 3 of the five highest peaks in Colorado - which makes them 3 of the 7 highest in the continental US. La Plata Peak (14,336), Mt Elbert (14,433 & highest in Colorado), and Mt. Massive (14,370).
The front 9 is a woods layout with lots of elevation change. Upon entering the back 9 you will find yourself playing open yet hidden holes while picking up views of yet another peak called Mt. Sherman (14,036). More elevation change is also the norm on the back 9 as you play an absolutely amazing course in the heart of some very Legit mountains. You will be blown away!!

Its high up there, so the season is short....NOT the courses fault though.

If you need to see what Colorado Mountain Disc Golf is all about, this is a mandatory stop.
Hook this up with Thunderhead in Steamboat, Spring Valley in Glenwood, and Aspen Mountain in Aspen and you have gotten it done.

270 degree views of high mountains. No one on the course. Front nine heavily wooded, tight fairways. Back nine much more open, with some great, difficuly holes. Unique course!
Soccor field at the start a good place to play catch.

The alititude. 10,200 feet. You really feel it. Drink lots of fluids and EAT too!
Send out a spotter. Too easy to loose a disk in the waist high sage brush.

Great course in the mountains. Moderately challenging, but wooded holes give a reasonable fairway and other holes are pretty wide open. Amazing views of the mountains and a great escape from urban areas.

Trees are mostly pine and one errant throw can get sap on your disc for the rest of the day.

Great course, anyone who does not enjoy the disc golf and the mountains is crazy