Taking a month or so to thru-hike the entire length would be a dream for most backpacking enthusiasts. Justin Simoni has compiled a detailed page about climbing the 14ers along the Colorado Trail, too. Start early in the morning and pack plenty of water. Completed in 1987, the Colorado Trail stretches 485 magnificent miles from Denver to Durango. That equals 13% of the total distance. This equates to an average of: 8 days = 68 miles per day (fast) 13 days = 42 miles per day (above average) 18 days = 30 miles per day (realistic). Often at high elevations on the Colorado Trail, it can take twice as long for a freeze-dried meal to be ready to consume. Once you have a medical kit, make sure to keep it well stocked and know how to use it. If youre hiking with a partner, create some distance from each other to decrease the likelihood of both of you getting zapped by a single strike. Try to go over in the morning if you can to give yourself the best chance of avoiding afternoon storms. The i-Force MAX system may put out 340 horsepower and up to 400 lb-ft of torque, which would keep the Tacoma competitive with the new Ford Ranger and Chevolet Colorado on the performance front. How Much Should Your Backpack Weigh on a Thru-Hike? Should you get caught on an exposed ridge, descend immediately off the trail if necessary (Dont get lost!) For the Colorado Trail, there are 33 segments to the trail. And if youre looking for the lightest, highest-quality bag from 2023, take a look at the Rab Mythic Ultra that thing is a beast. Colorado also hosts many road and mountain races. Twin Lakes to Monarch Pass is about 85 miles. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Elevation Gain: 5,196 feet. Shavano #139 La Garita, Cochetopa Hills #140 Weminuche Wilderness #141 Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, Lake City #144 Durango, Cortez. From the top of the climb, you can see down to Copper Mountain Ski Resort on the other side. This is the widest possible window for hiking. 20,080 m 571 16 The Colorado Trail is perhaps the premier MTB bikepacking route in all of North America it's a 534 mile (860 km) ride with a vast majority of that being high alpine single track, stringing together some of the absolute best trails and mountain ranges across the state. . Fortunately the logistics of traveling to Denver and Durango are fairly simple. The highest sustained elevations occur closer to the trails western terminus, so most hikers choose to start their trip on the Denver side. WINTER PARK 2009 2010 Winter Downhill ski resort trail map RESORT Colorado USA. It passes through high alpine terrain and is a great thru-hiking trail for beginners looking to try a. But weve also got a list of 10 other canister and liquid-fuel stoves that were some of our favorites from last year. There are 28 segments along the Trail, each with its own access point. Sure, the trail is simple. You wont go so long again without water as you did in Segment 2, but the environment will continue to be arid and shrubby with sparse shade from tall shrubs and evergreens. Youll wrap it up with a long, exposed traverse of Snow Mesa before dropping back down to asphalt at Spring Creek Pass, the access point for Lake City (or, less commonly, Creede). It has 25 pages of info including first steps, where to go, how to find partners, weather and mapping resources, gear recommendations, and a whole lot more. Another great option is creating resupply boxes and mailing them to post offices in these towns. Colorado Trail : Segment 28 Moderate 4.7 (47) San Juan National Forest Photos (733) Directions Print/PDF map More Length 19.6 miElevation gain 1,935 ftRoute type Point to point Check out this 19.6-mile point-to-point trail near Durango, Colorado. Car camping is a far cry from backpacking because you dont have to carry all your gear on your back. But if the Fortius doesnt strike your fancy, check out GearJunkies best backpacking tents. It traverses eight mountain ranges, six wilderness areas and stays above 10,000' for the majority of the trail. Free shipping for many products! Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Its a gorgeous, desertlike stretch if youre prepared to handle the heat. Mile for mile, this is the best major trail in America. Colorado Trail Segments 8 and 9 Watch on The Colorado Trail (CT) stretches 486 miles from Denver to Durango, and is divided into 28 segments. Shortly after you first break out of the trees (warning: the section right around treeline is particularly steep and exhausting), youll have an incredible view of Tenmile Peak (Peak 1). Regardless, its always good to have a solid selection of snacks on hand and ready to go. Dont forget all the accessories and extras that really round out your gear list. Here's a checklist of what I'm bringing and how I'm planning for any backpacker to use as a jumping-off point. This alternate became popular a few years ago, when Waterton Canyon was closed for almost an entire season. This summer, I'm thru-hiking the Colorado Trail. The corresponding Trails Illustrated maps for Hope Pass and Missouri Gulch are #127 and #129. Or not. Hiking and journeys life this are a part of his life. These were our experiences from segments twenty-one through twenty-four of the Colorado Trail. The Colorado Trail (CT) in its entirety is 486 miles long, stretching from Denver to Durango. So Ill just summarize here: 10 miles, very hot, very dry. and hunker down. CPW issues hunting and fishing licenses, conducts research to improve wildlife management activities, protects high priority wildlife . Getting caught in can be scary and unnerving, especially if youre above treeline! Biking is most popular on the sections of trail nearest to Denver and Durango. Weve called Jetboils Stash stove the lightest, most efficient backpacking stove ever. And we dont make claims like that lightly. Segment 7: Gold Hill Trailhead to Copper Mountain, 15. Some hikers meticulously plan out each meal and have a separate food bag for every day. Add about 50 miles to this figure if you follow the Colorado Trails Collegiate West route. Hunger is a stark reality of any thru-hike. Segment 24 The loop, both Collegiate East and Collegiate West, follow alternatives on the CT with the Collegiate West as part of the CDT. The Collegiate West route has only a few unique resupply options, like Taylor Park and St. Elmo. GearJunkie Copyright 2013 2023. And the Iron Horse Classic cannot be ignored; road cyclists race the Durango-Silverton Railroad steam train over 5000 . To get a sense of what this section will be like and which of the two routes you should choose, check out Collegiate East vs. West: 8 Key Differences for CT Hikers. The trail is split into 28 segments, each of which are completely different. Segment CW02: Sheep Gulch to Cottonwood Pass Trailhead, 9. The first few miles of the climb out of Breck are hot and dry thanks to a wildfire that incinerated much of the slope. In 2012 the Colorado Trail Foundation introduced the 83-mile Collegiate West route. Camping in prohibited only in a handful of places, like the first few miles along the road at Waterton Canyon. Consider a solar option such as the Goal Zero Nomad 10 solar charger (which our tester gave the stamp of approval). Youll walk 4.4 miles to connect with the official Colorado Trail. You can always find something valuable about a segment even if its not your favorite. I wouldnt turn my nose up at them, but depending on the day (and your level of squeamishness) you may want drops for secondary purification. Gudy never gave up, and the trail was officially completed in 1987. Its fun to experience the town of Leadville too. Some segments take more than a day to hike, and others less. Collegiate East vs. West: 8 Key Differences for CT Hikers Then when arriving at a predetermined location, you simply go in and pick up the box. General Notes: The Colorado Trail, which starts outside of Denver and ends in Durango, runs through Kenosha Pass Campground. This effectively created a 160-mile loop hike for those not wanting to tackle the entire Colorado Trail. Theyre typically more expensive and can get old if youre eating them day in and day out. Segments 15-19 Holy Cross & Mount Massive segments 9-11, Collegiate Peaks Wilderness segments 11-13. It is slightly anticlimacticjust more grass gently sloping away in every direction and a wooden sign to mark the significance of this place. 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. Im sometimes asked what is the best section of the Colorado Trail. Sometimes you end up hiking faster than planned, and other times, slower. Kenosha Pass is probably the best place to view the changing aspens near Denver. Im not a big spender, but I found myself longing for a $400 GoPro all throughout this stretch. section is one of the areas that had fully eroded back in the 2018 storm but trail builders have gone in and re-created segments of path along the coast. If you were interested in the surrounding trails and landscape (Whats that cool mountain over there? I'm Ibex, the lead writer and content editor of this site. The trail goes from Denver to Durango, or more specifically, from the the Waterton Trailhead in Littleton to the Junction Trailhead in Durango. The trail gradually shifts in character as you make your way toward San Luis Pass from Eddiesville Trailhead. Those who send packages to themselves often do a lot of supplemental shopping anyway! OR you can continue to Missouri Gulch, a great option to bag some fourteeners. Segment 2: South Platte River Trailhead to Little Scraggy Trailhead, 23. The campsite is adjacent to a dirt road and you may encounter car campers on summer weekends: consider yourself warned. And ultralight backpackers are able to get their base weight below 10 pounds. The trail segment initiates just south of the entrance to the Kenosha Pass Campground, which is located on the west side of the pass. I still hiked the beginning of 11 and end of 15, so Ill still include them in my rankings. Then you start the long climb up to the beautiful Georgia Pass. Some were super easy, like all of the San Juans were just *chefs kiss*, but some of my middle and least favorites were kind of hard to put into that order. The Data Book shows a number of campsites marked on its maps. Colorado Trail : Segment 8 Hard 4.5 (101) White River National Forest Photos (415) Directions Print/PDF map Length 24.1 miElevation gain 4,498 ftRoute type Point to point Explore this 24.1-mile point-to-point trail near Frisco, Colorado. Segments 22-23 Mt. Photo via. Another great resource is apps such as farOut and onX, which allow you to put the entire trail in your pocket. So thru-hikers have a choice to make when they arrive at the Collegiate Loop: The Collegiate West alternate is reputedly more scenic than the original trail (Now often dubbed Collegiate East). Colorado Trail | 2020 Thru Hike 43,592 views Premiered Aug 25, 2020 878 Dislike Share Save Mike Windsor 546 subscribers Here it is folks! You can donate to their efforts here, because money makes the world go round. In my experience, the section from Creede to Silverton is the most scenic (Segments 21 through 24). I think its more pleasing on a long hike to save the best for last! Bear canisters are not required anywhere on the Colorado Trail. Eventually, youll find yourself on Jeep roads again as you approach the shores of scenic Celebration Lake. Segment 16: Marshall Pass to Sargents Mesa, 30. The shrubby cow pastures slowly give way to tall, jutting peaks on either side and a marshy, willowy valley floor. Segment CW01: Twin Lakes to Sheep Gulch, 11. Georgia Pass was really the first time I felt like I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains on this trail. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Postcard Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado at the best online prices at eBay! If you hike or ride the entire segment, it is 32.9 miles. Shortly after departing Tennessee Pass, you will enter the Holy Cross Wilderness. Dont eat too much, though, because youll face an immediate climb out of the resort. 28 days (4 weeks) = 17.4 miles per day (fast) 35 days (5 weeks) = 13.9 miles per day (average) 42 days (6 weeks) = 11.6 miles per day (roses). Once youre below treeline its best to squat on your backpack to insulate yourself from the potential ground current. We started the Colorado Trail on June 26th, 2022 going south and finished on August 4th. Segment 24: Stony Pass Trailhead to Molas Pass, 4. Youll walk right past the old bunkers, and there are still signs in the area warning hikers to stick to the trail because of possible unexploded ordinance in the area. Segment 4: Rolling Creek Trailhead to Long Gulch, 21. But of course, I definitely had opinions about certain segments - good and bad - by the end of the trail! Segments 9 through 11 are great too, primarily because this is where you can do Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. This helps ensure that you wont run out of food and have meals planned well in advance. Segment 28: Kennebec Trailhead to Junction Creek Trailhead, 24. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I just have to say, many of these segments were difficult to rank! All segments had at least one bright spot in them. Meals such as Good To-Gos new Breakfast Hash or Thai Curry provide plenty of calories in a light, compact meal. 230 County Rd 162: Mount Princeton Hot Springs 252.9 US Hwy 50: Salida. Just before getting to Taylor Lake, youll cross Indian Trail Ridge, a long, knife-edge spine of rock thats well above treeline and is notorious for bad weather. Although Collegiate East is the official route of the CT, both paths are accepted by the Colorado Trail Foundation as part of a CT thru-hike. Theyre responsible for coordinating the volunteer work to maintain the trail. Theres a sacred rule of thumb when it comes to loading gear into your bag. This figure accounts for your food on the trail and an average amount of restaurant meals and lodging. And using The Colorado Trail Databookandthe official hiking guidebook (more on these below), Im able to find locations where I can resupply. This is somewhat of an old school method. Be preparedthis trail hits 12,000 feet right around Cataract Basin. 1 m ost active state, the second-best state in which to live and the fourth-happiest state overall. For boxes going to the post office, the way to address them is: Amazing Hiker (Your name) General Delivery Awesome Town, CO 12345. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Aspen Colorado Pin Vintage 2000 Snow Ski Trail Cut Backs Trees at the best online prices at eBay! A few unique resupply options, like the first few miles along the.. 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