Mile 123.9 - 145.2 There were no worries with rain today. Instead, we had sunny skies for miles of above treeline walking. Sunscreen is essential Near the end of the day we found a group of PCT hikers from a few years ago out doing trail magic. We stopped for a bit to chat and … Continue reading Day 8. Kokomo Pass
Mile 103.9 - 123.9 Today came in two distinct sections. First, some of the highest elevation passes yet were absolutely stunning. We lingered for long periods of time along the high ridge just absorbing the beautiful day. Then we descended into the Copper Mountain ski resort in all of its sad off-season splendor. It took … Continue reading Day 7. Copper Mountain
Mile 63.4 - 84.2 Most of the Colorado trail overlaps with the Continental Divide Trail and today we joined the combined path. We will follow roughly along the Continental Divide most of the rest of the way to Durango. Storm clouds We've quickly learned that afternoon thunderstorms are common this time of year. So far, … Continue reading Day 5. Continental Divide
Mile 27 - 44.5 One thing that stands out so far about this area is the wildflowers. This probably isn't the peak time for them, but still they are plentiful. We're also seeing wild raspberry everywhere. Rocket was able to accumulate a meager harvest for snacking today. Starting a new trail, for me, comes with … Continue reading Day 3. Wildflowers
Mile 0 - 8.6 We've been looking forward to spending some quality time in the Rockies. This was our backup plan last summer for the JMT and it has been a goal of Rocket's for a long time. Rocket starts the fall semester of their senior year in high school in a few weeks. It … Continue reading Day 1 – Waterton Canyon
Unlike the JMT, no permits are required for the Colorado Trail. Also, we are not sending any food boxes in advance. So, all we need to do is show up at the starting point. We're going southbound so that means we need to get to Denver.Starting near a major city definitely makes logistics easier. We … Continue reading Getting to the Trail
Lou Sander, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons The plan for the Colorado Trail, crossing the Rocky Mountains from Denver to Durango, began in the early 70's and was officially completed in 1987. It is around 486 miles long with total elevation gain in the southbound direction of 89,100 feet. Around 500 people per … Continue reading Colorado Trail
Mile 153.2 to Mile 174.2 A sunny start to the day The puffy white clouds from yesterday have turned into dark rain/snow clouds over the mountains to the south. Fortunately, things look better in the direction we are heading. It is cold and windy where we are, but we're hoping for a precipitation free day. … Continue reading Day 11 – Donohue Pass
Mile 132.9 to Mile 153.2 It looks like it is going to be a good day We started noticing some clouds in the sky, which is new. Rocket, who has spent a lot of time in Yosemite for the last two summers recognized this and immediately noted that the weather was going to change. I … Continue reading Day 10 – Devil’s Postpile
Mile 119.7 to Mile 132.9 Back into the routine Stopping at VVR was a great experience, but we were both ready to get back into our now-familiar routine. After an enormous breakfast, we were back on the trail mid-morning and immediately faced with a climb up the next pass. Subtle changes as we get closer … Continue reading Day 9 – Silver Pass
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