Mile 437.8 - 460.8 We're thankful to be at this point in our hike. With a trail that seems to want to twist an ankle or cause a fall, and the constant threat of wildfire, we're aware that completing a thru hike requires a lot - that is not in our control - to go … Continue reading Day 24. Grateful

Mile 414.4 - 437.8 We're beginning to work our way down to lower elevations overall and, with that, our focus is starting to shift to the end of our hike. It is coming too soon. The trail is becoming more crowded as we are passing more trailheads in this less remote region. We've also started … Continue reading Day 23. Changing Focus

Mile 365.6 - 391.8 After a restful town stop in Lake City, we're turning our attention to a long stretch of trail without a lot of camping options. I think a lot of hikers break up this section into multiple days by going off trail to camp near lakes at lower elevations. We have that … Continue reading Day 21. A Marathon Day

Mile 356.2 - 365.6 There is a bit of lore, it seems, around the San Juan range. Maybe it comes from the CDT where it is common for hikers to encounter snow here earlier in the season. Or maybe because it contains the longest stretch of above treeline hiking on the CT. That, combined with … Continue reading Day 20. The San Juans

Mile 325.3 - 345.8 We've been in an extended area lately without many trees. The air is cool up here, but the sun is intense. While the weather has been good, we still try to find some shelter for camping each evening. There is still a lot of climbing, but we've been enjoying some unusual … Continue reading Day 18. Routine

Mile 283.4 - 304.5 Something we've noticed in the past is that when crossing between land management boundaries, the trail can get a bit incoherent. This seemed to happen today as we were leaving one national forest and entering another. We spent all day on forest service roads, highways, and crossing random fields. One highlight … Continue reading Day 16. Just Connecting

Mile 65.7cw - 82.3cw + 260.7 - 261.9 After a restful night off trail we started out in the morning with an energetic climb back up the steep Jeep road to rejoin the CT. We looked forward to another amazing pass and less-than-amazing off-season ski area Around mid-afternoon we reached the Monarch Crest gift shop … Continue reading Day 14. Monarch Pass

Mile 28.5cw - 49.1cw Today we get to see what all the Collegiate West fuss is about. We've been trying to describe the difference between these mountains and the Sierra. Maybe here there is more vegetation, even above treeline. Both provide the feeling of being immersed in an unending expanse. And plenty of walking through … Continue reading Day 12. Cottonwood Pass

Mile 166.7 - 181.8 + 0cw - 5.4cw We planned a brief stop in the tiny town of Twin Lakes to resupply and hopefully get lunch. We started a little early because the town is a bit off trail and we wanted to leave time for walking in and back out. 1.4 mile road walk … Continue reading Day 10. Twin Lakes

Mile 145.2 - 166.7 Some moments from today as we get into some more remote areas...