section hiking the colorado trail

This is a very useful and what I consider indispensable resource for hiking the CT, and I'd highly recommend photocopying pages for the section you'll be hiking and taking them with you. He said that section was targeted for work later in the summer. and I’m now convinced I must hike the Colorado Trail. Then take Junction Creek Road to where it enters the San Juan National Forest. For core, focus on exercises that work the front and back core muscles. Rejoin the Colorado Trail here. This planning guide covers when to go, which direction, navigation, dangers, section highlights, elevation, wildlife, terrain difficulty, how long it takes and more. You'll also find a complete list of nearly 1200 GPS waypoints in UTM & Lat Long formats. The few exceptions are noted in the corresponding captions. That was easy enough! This trip was a step up though. Sample a taste of the Colorado Trail on this 160-mile loop that circles the Collegiate Peaks, a collection of picturesque 14ers along the Continental Divide. My gear list is updated for a Colorado Trail Thru-hike in August. Since it's the same price to take the Durango-Silverton train one way as it is round-trip, and since we've reserved $79 seats for the ride from Durango back to Silverton at the end of the hike on June 20th, I'm going to inquire whether we could take the train from Silverton to Elk Park as part of a round trip at the start on June 13th. It didn't surprise me at all when I realized it was yours. Are bear canisters required on the Colorado Trail? Each volume of this new series focuses on section-by-section pieces of the PCT and includes the following features: • Inspirational full-color guides with over 150 color photographs in each • Trail sections of 4- to 10-night trips • ... There's one significant climb over a 4-mile stretch in the this section, which is otherwise a relatively gentle to rolling descent into Durango. I hiked the Colorado Trail (CT) during the first two weeks of September. Case in point: a photo battle. Rue and I hiked this final section so I could acclimatise to the altitude for my then upcoming Tour Divide time trial. A wonderful time to be outside in the Rockies. Mt Elbert is the highest mountain in the state of Colorado at 14,439 feet. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until September. A guide to hiking trails in Colorado's national parks and wilderness areas, illustrated with 350 full color photographs and trail maps. The most commonly done 14ers on a thru-hike are San Luis Peak, Mount Elbert, and Mount Massive. Day 1 - Waterton Canyon to the South Platte River - Segment 1. Elevation gain: 3674 feet. For a couple of years we were fortunate to live in Salida, Colorado and were able to hike a few segments of the Colorado Trail. I love reading about your hikes, and this one was no different. Meals are provided and gear shuttles enables trekkers to travel with just a day pack. Or you'd need to arrange to be both dropped off and picked up at either end of the section, which means enlisting the help of friends, family, public or private transportation ... or one's thumb perhaps. For Steve, an Osprey Helix that he's had since he was a teenager, For me, a Kelty Tornado, about 8 years old, For Steve, a synthetic Kelty 0-degree bag (about 12 yrs. The Colorado Trail Foundation states that the average thru hike typically takes 4-6 weeks so 33 days falls almost squarely in the middle of that range. Section 11 (47.1 miles): Nankoweap Trail starts off this section, which will take you to breathtaking views leading towards the Colorado River. Lone Star Hiking Trail. Another highlight of segment 5 is its moderate terrain. This is a short but very steep section of the trail, able to be hiked in a single day or afternoon. For more information and reservations, visit DurangoTrain.com or call: After the fact: This was fun! Deb Kingsbury (author) from Flagstaff, Arizona on September 16, 2013: planning a hike this summer (2014) from Silverton to Durango! Badger would learn first hand what that really meant. Gudy attended the first focus meeting about a trail from Denver to Durango in 1974 and never missed a meeting in those early days of the CT. Perfect for the first time hiker or anyone - they can take your information and not have to do much planning of their own. Nice lens. Our total mileage will be . Located right outside of Leadville, Colorado, this mountain is a popular spot with locals and visitors to Colorado. © 2021 Maven Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Section hiking—the practice of completing a trail in bite-sized chunks over multiple seasons—offers many of the same benefits as a traditional thru-hike without demanding the same commitment. But down in Silverton we got to experience being below all of it. But if your calendar resembles mine . We stick mostly to day hikes, an occasional camping trip and train rides, which we thoroughly enjoy. Each year, a few hundred people attempt to thru-hike the CDT, and not all finish. The Colorado Trail is one of the premier, long distance bikepacking trails in the US. HV: This moss was crazy. To get to the trailhead from downtown, you go north on Main Avenue, then turn left onto 25th Street, also called Junction Creek Road. We'll also have those extra 5.8 miles in segment 24, from Elk Park to Molas Pass. I've always wanted to take that train. Even snagged a picture of this beautiful double rainbow. HV: We passed a hoard of mountain bikers on the way up to this pass. How long is segment 4 of the Colorado Trail? Lucky you!! At 6,523 feet above sea level, it's just a few hundred feet lower than our home town of Flagstaff, and the downtown area is just about as nice as we think ours is. Eberhart, who goes by the trail name of Nimblewill Nomad, is the oldest person to hike the entire 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail. Yup. Although mountain biking is not allowed in the wilderness area (about half of the segment), it is possible to bike the western portion of the trail. • Hikes chosen, described, and photographed by experienced members of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) • A wide variety of hikes, from family- and wheelchair-friendly to difficult treks • Includes detailed comments, route descriptions ... We spent the next five days hiking 80 miles of the Colorado Trail back to Durango. I've driven through those areas in CO twice and would love to see it more intimately. How do you resupply on the Colorado Trail? You are young and healthy. I have heard so many good things about colorado, what a interesting experience. GB: Erin and her three pups were a day away from completing their south bound CT thru-hike. Before you gain the top of Mt Elbert you will gain over 4,500 feet of elevation. Section (segment) hiking is a great way to see the trail and being able to do the trail a weekend, week or more at a time. If you own Appalachian Trials do not buy this book.Five percent of the proceeds of your purchase of Pacific Crest Trials will go to the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the non-profit that oversees and protects the Pacific Crest Trail. Thank you for sharing this lense. It was clean enough for us dirty hikers, and the shower (eventually) was hot. This Hiking Logbook Journal for mountain climbing and hiking enthusiasts Each spread contains prompts and information to help you document your journey, a section for notes, and plenty of room to write. This is now on my list of bucket list hikes (perhaps in prep to thru-hike the whole CT in the next 5 years or so). It was her vision that with volunteer help, the CT could be constructed for approximately $500 per mile. Why? I grew up in Durango, left for college and now live in Montana. Lucky for us, though, there was room on the train, so we were able to move to an inside car. Outdoor. Another thing to be aware of is that, while locations of trail intersections are noted, the mileages of those spur trails to roads and "ways out" from the Colorado Trail are not. How many 14ers are on the Colorado Trail? Throughout the summer, I’ve been able to knock out a segment here, a couple segments there…before I knew it, I had conquered nearly all of the northern 170 miles (still missing segments 4 and 5). To thru-hike is to hike the entire length of a long-distance trail within a 12-month period. You could instead do "segment travel" and complete the trail over several seasons. While pack weight is definitely a consideration, and a lighter pack makes for easier and, one might say, more enjoyable hiking, we also believe in being prepared. And, to some extent, we're using old gear, because it ain't broke, basically. The Lone Star Hiking Trail is the only long-distance National Recreation Trail in Texas. Hike the whole thing or take it in these suggested hiking-trail segments over mountains, lakes and towns. I'm planning a Molas Lake to Coal Bank Pass hike (CT segment 25 to Engineer Mountain Trail then down to Hwy 550) this summer. And a sunny day in the valleys can be cold and wintry on the peaks. I was topless within 15 minutes of hitting the trail. Hoping there are enough level areas along the way for some options to stop for a night along the way. Thus, the reason we decided to start in Durango so we could knock out the San Juans first. 740 miles! One of my all time favorite back packs for sure. My wife will do a bit of it with me. The grade is gentle at first but soon becomes a steep steady climb for about a mile and a half, until you reach the ridge. I should mention also that we're not "ultralight" backpackers. All booked up. The chilling tome that launched an entire genre of books about the often gruesome but always tragic ways people have died in our national parks, this updated edition of the classic includes calamities in Yellowstone from the past sixteen ... Rain, snow and more rain. We met one of the trail volunteers later. Lace up your boots and sample sixty of the finest trails that the northern foothills have to offer. The answer to the question of why hike or bike a long trail like The Colorado Trail is as unique as the individual traveler. Segment 28: Kennebec Trailhead to Junction Creek Trailhead. San Luis Peak is the easiest one to get, as its summit is nearest to the official trail. The mountain bike version detours Wilderness Areas, where mechanized travel is off-limits, and can be done any number of ways: from weekend warrior-ing it a couple segments at a time, to a supported through-ride with a sag vehicle, to bikepacking it unsupported in a single push. Best time to hike: July-August. Renaissance Woman from Colorado on May 25, 2011: Very comprehensive. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. I began section hiking the Colorado Trail in 2020 and hope to complete it over a few years. I will be taking my time and hope to finish the trail in about 30 days. Being at the higher elevations at the eastern end of the trail, and hiking in mid-June, we know we may encounter snow, on the ground at least. Colorado Trail Overview The trail winds through nearly 500 miles of the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains drawing hikers from around the world and is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Always. The Big Three include Zpack and Katabatic changes - all quality cottage gear manufacturers. We'll be in Segment 24 at that point and have 5.8 miles of hiking to Molas Pass, the beginning of segment #25. Segment 27: Hotel Draw Road to Cumberland Basin. The Spanish Trails Inn was ... well, it was a room. You might choose to hike during peak wildflower season or when you know there will be fewer hikers if solitude is your preference. I recognized how beautiful Colorado must be in the fall and put it on my mental radar. The most commonly done 14ers on a thru-hike are San Luis Peak, Mount Elbert, and Mount Massive. This direction is often preferred because the snow melts earlier in the year on the eastern portion of the trail than it does on the higher, western portion. There's no perfect age to start hiking with your kids; we just think the sooner they hit the trail with you, the better! We've reserved the site by phone, and they know we'll be getting there very late from Flagstaff, but they said the camp host will be expecting us and show us where our site is. And more adventures from Jabba and Badger (Jabbadger) upcoming. 184Dolores, CO 81323970-882-7296, See the Colorado Trail Segment Chart: Resources by Segment, Portion of Segment 24: Elk Park to Molas Pass, There is a 1,840-foot elevation gain between Elk Park and Molas Pass. That way, for instance, you can avoid heavy snow pack, summer monsoon season, certain pesky insects (black fly season, mosquito season), and so forth. Durango - Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. At the top of the rise, enjoy a view of the Grand Valley, including the towns of Palisade and Grand Junction. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Underwear (I don't know about Steve, but I take 3 pr. 6/3 Update: The Forest Service says the section we'll be doing is now pretty much snow-free above treeline. For sure, there are lighter-weight, new and improved models on the market, but for some items, we're just gonna go with what we have. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. But that's not always feasible, often due to time constraints and other obligations. GB: One of my favorite parts of this hike was experiencing fall in the various ecosystems throughout Colorado. It's important to be prepared to wait for some time until rafters float down the river to get a ride to the west side of the canyon. San Luis Peak is the easiest one to get, as its summit is nearest to the official trail. Five Stars and a Fav. GB: The unicorn escaped just before the picture was taken. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. Yes, this is a beautiful part of our lovely state! This is a fairly easy climb, except for a very short section near the top which is very steep. A quick word about hiking The Colorado Trail in segments: Not everyone can spend 4-6 weeks hiking The Colorado Trail in one long hike. Little did I know how many of these we would’ve seen during the course of our hike. “Milk was a bad choice.”. Answer: I'm sorry, I don't recall that in enough detail to answer your question. Section-hiking requires travel to and from the trail multiple times if you do multiple sections. You should either hang or use a Ursack if you don’t want to deal with the canister. Well, we want to avoid the monsoon season and its frequent thunderstorms, which means the majority of July and August are out. Great info. For 200 miles (or 320 km), the "C.T." Starting at the parking area at the top of Kenosha Pass, the Colorado Trail, hikers will make their way over approximately 30 miles to Breckenridge. Deb thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and is a Search & Rescue volunteer and writer living in Flagstaff, AZ. Hiking Viking: With all the hiking that I have been doing all year (almost 3,000 miles prior to the start of this trail), I had really been looking forward to some autumnal hiking. What we didn’t expect going down on the other side was running into a mountain unicyclist.

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