colorado trail journal with pictures
DESCRIPTION
Hiking the Colorado TrailTRANSCRIPT
Hiking the Colorado Trail
Random Memories of a 68-Year-Old Rambler
By Chet Anderson (aka Gray Ghost)
Colorado Trail - July 9th to August 2nd 2010.
Journals, photos, and more available at: http://www.grayghost.info
1
2010 Colorado Trail Journal
The Colorado Trail (CT) is 488.1 miles long, with an average elevation of 10,000’. The lowest
point was at Waterton Canyon, 5,522’ elevation at the start near Denver. Coney Summit at
13,334’ was the highest elevation on the trail.
When I hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail I met Mike. He and his wife had hiked the Colorado Trail and
she sent me a link to her pictures. He said the trail was well marked with bridges (no streams to
ford!) and her pictures showed it would be a beautiful hike.
After finishing the Arizona Trail on May 18, I took an 8 week break waiting for snow to melt in
the mountains of Colorado. I went home to Eloise in Wisconsin for five weeks, and then drove
to Nevada and California to visit my grandchildren. I hiked with my son in Yosemite before
heading back to Arizona. I had to hike the Arizona Trail between the north rim of Grand Canyon
and Jacob Lake, the part that we had to road walk because of snow in May. Shirley and her
fiancé, Bob, brought their horses and joined me.
From there I drove To Durango, the western end of the Colorado Trail. My daughter, Cheryl,
and grandson, Neil, were kind enough to drive from Carson City, Nevada, to meet me in
Durango and transport me to Denver to start the CT. After dropping me off they headed to
Wisconsin to visit Eloise. I had made arrangements to leave my van at a ranch near Durango.
This would mean I had no schedule to meet; my van would be waiting whenever I finished.
I spent one night in the hostel in Durango waiting to meet Cheryl. That evening at the hostel, I
met Mark who had just come in from completing the Colorado Trail. I would guess he was one
of the first finishers of the year. What a
great opportunity to get the latest trail
information. I was surprised to find that
he had only a minimal amount of snow
on the trail. However, he did experience
a number of afternoon rain and sleet
storms. This was his second thru-hike of
the Colorado Trail, having hiked it a few
years previously.
On July 9th Cheryl and Neil left me off at
Waterton Canyon, the eastern trailhead
of the Colorado Trail. The morning
temperature was 40 degrees. The first 6.2 miles followed a gravel road along a river to Strontia
Springs Dam. The only vehicles allowed on the road were for dam maintenance personnel.
Gray Ghost
2
The road was a great place for exercising; quite a few people were walking, running or biking.
Because of the river there were many birds-both in the water and in the bushes. I also saw a
mother Bighorn Sheep with her youngster. Nice way to start the trail. An added bonus was
restrooms along the road until the dam. The first day I hiked 23 miles and camped at 7,760’
elev.
July 10th, 25 miles, (48) camped at 10,460’ elev, morning temp 31 degrees
Day two was Saturday. Still being so close to Denver, there was a lot of activity on the trail,
mostly mountain bikes. I estimated that I was passed by more than 50 bikes before noon. They
appeared to have a circular route because I saw very few on their way back. I knew I would
share the trail with bikes but I find it hard when they are approaching from behind; it’s much
better to meet them and have more of a warning to find a place to step off the trail.
Crossing the South Platte River, I watched a father and son panning for gold.
July 11th, 27 miles, (75) camped at 9,880’ elev, morning temp 36 degrees
There was much less traffic on the
trail; the further from Denver the
more peaceful it is. I saw a
Goshawk/Cooper's Hawk? I’m not
sure which; I thought it sounded like
a Cooper’s but it acted like a
Goshawk. Goshawks are noted for
their defense of the nest. One of
them dived at me from behind, just
clearing my head by inches. I heard
later that one hiker had actually been
struck on the head by those hawks.
I hiked through the first of many broad open valleys that had beaver ponds and dams, one right
after another.
It’s time to admit my incompetence. The first night I set up camp I found I was missing my tent
poles. I assumed I had left them in the van in Durango. I had to lay the tent over me like a
blanket for the first three nights. My grandson, Dan, had the same model tent at our house so I
called my support crew (Eloise) to send his poles to me. I was able to pick them up at the
Breckinridge Post Office. I am lucky. I hated to think of camping for 500 miles without them.
3
July 12th, 29.6 miles, (104.6) stopped at 9,200’ elev, Breckinridge Hostel
I had a couple of climbs of 1,000’ or more today but the trail is laid out so well that I was able to
do a big mileage day and reach the hostel in Breckinridge before sunset. The towns around
Breckinridge have a free regularly scheduled bus service. That was nice because the trail crosses
Hwy. 9 at a bus stop and I was able to catch a ride and be in my hostel within a half hour. As
much as I like hiking, it is always enjoyable to shower and do laundry.
At breakfast the next morning, I was able to visit with Cindy and Mick, a young retired couple
from Colorado. They were also hiking the Colorado Trail. This was their second night at the
hostel. They had taken advantage of the bus routes and hiked 13 miles and used the buses to
return to the hostel. That put them 13 miles ahead of me; I was planning to do more miles per
day than they were, so I hoped that we would meet again. I wasn’t able to start hiking until
noon; I had to wait for an outfitter to open. I had lost one of my carbide tips for my trekking
poles. I’m glad I have Leki poles. They seem to have the widest distribution and usually it’s easy
to find parts for them. This worked out well. I was able to have an early lunch before catching
the bus back to the trail.
July 13th, 12.7 miles, (117.6) camped at 9,800’elev, morning temp 45 degrees
The elevation slowly increases from the start of the trail. It takes 48 miles to reach 10,460’, and
112 miles to reach 12,000’ for the first time. That’s why they recommend starting on the east
end. Your body has some time to adjust to the altitude. This is also the first time I have ever
been above 12,000’ elevation under my own power. Previously I have been as high as 14,265’
on Mount Evans, but that was by car. I am seeing some wildlife: a few mule deer and one
porcupine.
July 14th, 25.7 miles, (143.3) camped at 10,424’ elev, morning temp 43 degrees
My elevation gains were 4,200’ which
left me camping 624 feet higher than
last night. I was between 10,000’ and
12,000’ elevation most of the day. This
meant many miles above tree line; the
views are tremendous. At 12,000’ elev.
the mountains don’t appear so high.
Most are less than 2,000’ higher than
you are.
4
There is a system of huts in Colorado that you can reserve and travel to from hut to hut. A few
are close to the trail but I saw only one. l believe it was called Janet’s Cabin. Most are open
from November to April and then three months in the summer. They are considered rustic; you
have to bring your own food and bedding. They are run by the 10th Mountain Division Hut
Association.
Quite often I have some snow around me. This was the only time on the whole trail I had snow
on the tread itself, for about 20 feet. I walked through a flock of domestic sheep that seemed to
number over a hundred, maybe a couple hundred. They covered the trail and it was hard to
walk by them without sending them running. They were very nervous and I hated to disturb
them. The best I could do was move at a steady pace with no extra motions and that seemed to
help some. At the far edge of the flock I saw a sheep dog lying on a jacket in the shade. Earlier a
biker had told me that the sheep dog had bit a biker as it tried to protect the flock.
I also hiked by the remnants of Camp Hale, a World War II military base used to train troops for
mountain and winter warfare during World War
II. Later I saw the remains of old charcoal/coke
ovens. There may have been as many as half a
dozen of them in different stages of disrepair. I
have read about the people (usually families)
who did that for a living and it was described as
a hard dirty job. They had to constantly maintain
them; if the amount of air wasn’t closely
controlled, the whole batch might be lost.
I did catch up with Cindy and Mick. We hiked
together for some of the day and we ended up camping at Tennessee Pass. We had heard there
was possible trail magic here including the unbelievable possibility it would include ice cream
on dry ice! We weren’t quite that lucky-no ice cream-but there were sodas, snacks and first-aid
supplies. This was Cindy and Mick’s first trail magic experience and I was lucky to share it with
them. On my hikes I have been fortunate to have quite a few trail magic experiences but it is
always special and such a great morale booster.
As we were setting up camp, another hiker (Shane) came by and camped also. His father was
meeting him at the pass the next morning to resupply him. Talking to him then and meeting
him again later, I came to appreciate his hiking style. His general appearance did not match that
of most hikers I meet. First impressions are often wrong and that was the case this time. He was
taking his time on the trail and fishing every spot that was possible. And in general he was
having a great time. It’s nice to see how the trail can be so much different for each person on it.
Camp Hale
5
July 15th, 23.1 miles, (166.4) camped at 11,300’ elev, morning temp 45 degrees
The elevation was between
10,320’ and 11,480’ all day. I
passed an area that had been
logged on top of the snow
years ago: the stumps that
remained were six feet high.
(A similar sight on the Tahoe
Rim Trail was said to have
been logged in the late
1800s). I stopped to camp
three tenths of a mile before
a side trail to Mt. Massive. At
14,421’ elevation, it is the
third highest peak in the
lower 48 states. When I was planning this trip I didn’t plan to do any peak bagging. The most I
had thought of was possibly Mt. San Luis at 14,014’elevation. At 1.3 miles off the trail with an
elevation gain of 1,400’, it seemed like the easiest one to try. But as I hiked closer to my first
chance to try one of the fourteeners, I realized that it would be easy to camp in a position to
climb Mt. Massive the next morning.
It is recommended that you try to climb any peaks early in the day. The mountains in Colorado
are known for their afternoon storms. Another consideration was Skip, whom I met when I
hiked the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin in 2009. He was kind enough to host me one night when I
hiked through the town of Milton, Wisconsin. He had hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in the 1970s
and had done much mountain climbing since then. If Skip found out that I was so close to a
number of peaks of 14,000’ or more and didn’t try even one, he would lose all respect for me.
After I was asleep in my tent, I heard another hiker (Jesus Jalapeno) coming in. He was trying to
be quiet as he unpacked. I told him not to worry about any noise. I was in my tent and sleeping
bag all this time; it was just voices with no bodies. I have been in that situation. Setting up after
dark is hard enough without worrying about bothering somebody. Shortly he went back down
the trail to help his friend. When he came back with the other hiker (Michigan Wolverine), they
set up camp and fixed their very late dinner. We all had the same plan to hike Mt. Massive in
the morning. I was having a hard time believing that Wolverine could make the climb: he was
continually gasping for air and trying to breathe. He sounded more like he needed an
emergency room than a hike up a mountain.
6
July 16th, 5.0 miles, (171.4) camped at 11,000’ elev, morning temp 45 degrees
The next morning I was the first one on the trail with my usual predawn start. I left my tent set
up and most of my gear in it in order to lighten my load for an easier climb. I thought that three
tenths of a mile backtracking to pick up my gear would be easy. Since the data book was
printed the approach trail had been rerouted and the new one was quite a bit further than the
three tenths quoted. I wished I had packed up and brought my gear with me and left a cache
when I actually reached the side trail. The climb went quite well: 3.5 miles with 3,180’ elevation
gain to summit according to the old data, not a hard climb but just steady. I found out on the
Appalachian Trail that any time you gain 1,000’ elev in one mile, it is hard work and this was
close to that. When climbing, you lose the complete picture that you have from a distance and
any bump makes it look like the peak is just ahead. This creates one false peak after another for
the climber.
Near the top I met Dave. He was familiar with peak bagging and explained the concept to me:
the challenge of climbing all the 14,000’ peaks in Colorado (54) or all the 14,000’ peaks in the
lower 48. This was something I had only the vaguest knowledge of. If I understood right, this
was the 54th, 14,000’ peak
for one of the other men on
top with us that day.
I met Gwendolyn and her
boyfriend for the first time
on top of Mt. Massive; they
had summited earlier and
were just starting down. She
was cold! All you could see of
her face was a small circle
showing through her hood.
They gave us a quick friendly
hello and headed down.
When I made it back to my
campsite, Lori and her dog, Denver, had stopped there to prepare lunch. I had a nice visit with
her as I packed up. I found out she was a very determined woman. She has fibromyalgia and the
trail is a special challenge for her. Still, she persevered. She did say that the exercise is good for
fibromyalgia.
Gray Ghost on Mt. Massive
7
From Mt. Massive it was five
miles to the side trail to my next
chance to bag another 14,000’
peak. This was Mt. Elbert at
14,440’ elev., the second highest
peak in the lower 48. This would
be a 3,861’elev. gain and a 6.4
mile round trip off the Colorado
Trail. I enjoyed being on top of
Mt. Massive and I had already
planned on climbing Mt. Whitney
in California at 14,481’ elev., the
highest peak in the lower 48,
when I’m hiking the Pacific Crest
Trail in 2011. Climbing Mt. Elbert meant that I would have a chance to claim the three tallest
mountains in the lower 48 (see how fast one can get into peak bagging). Since I had only a short
hike between mountains, I hiked part way up the approach trail before setting up camp. This
meant that I had less elevation gain and less distance to reach the summit in the morning. I
camped near a family from Utah. They had three children ages 10, 11, 5 and one small dog.
They all planned on summiting Mt. Elbert the next day.
July 17th, 5.9 miles, (177.3) stopped at 9,320’ elev, Hotel in Twin Lake
I started hiking before daylight again. I didn’t summit by sunrise but I was reasonably close
which gave me a beautiful look at the sun coming up. I wasn’t the first to succeed that day. One
young couple with their dog passed me as I neared the top. We met a man heading down while
it was still dark. I haven’t been able to figure out what he was doing. I would think if he spent
the night on top or if he had reached it that early in the morning, he would have stayed to see
the sun rise. I stayed up there for quite a while and rested and enjoyed the views. Climbing two
peaks in two days was hard; this one took more out of me. Still, I didn’t have any problems-just
a general tiredness. The other couple left and I had the summit all to myself for a time. This was
going to change!
Shortly after, another couple summited and she came over and gave me a hug saying, “You
beat us to the top today.” Is this a tradition when climbing fourteeners that Dave had forgot to
tell me? I liked it at any rate! It was Gwendolyn (who was freezing on Mt. Massive) and her
boyfriend. She had short pants, t-shirt, and braids. I didn’t recognize her until she said who she
was. There were more people summiting as I started down. This was a nice Saturday morning
and I was amazed at the number of people heading for the summit on this trail.
View from top of Mt. Elbert
8
There are other approach trails to these summits. There was a steady line of climbers of all
ages: men, women, children, and dogs of all
sizes. One man had two small dogs. He
carried the older one in a daypack on his
chest. He said that the older one had gone
everywhere with him for many years and
he wasn’t leaving him at home just because
he couldn’t make the climb by himself.
I met Jalapeno, Wolverine, and the family
from Utah climbing up as I headed down.
When I reached my campsite, I ate the rest
of my food and took a siesta. I was short on food because of the unplanned summits. I wanted
to wait and see how the family from Utah did. When Jalapeno passed by on his way down, he
said he would reserve a room in Twin Lakes for us that night. I was impressed with the family
when they returned. They had all summited and looked like they still had energy left. I asked
about the number of people on the summit when they were there and they estimated 75
people. It was hard to imagine I was alone on the summit for a while that morning.
I had less than six miles to the road into Twin Lakes and then another mile into town. I didn’t
even try to hitch a ride in to town considering the short distance and the usual lack of success I
have hitchhiking. It wasn’t worth the effort. I was very surprised when a couple stopped and
gave me a ride the rest of the way in to town.
When I stepped out of the car, it felt like I was on the Appalachian Trail where many hikers
would get together and socialize at every stopping place: here on the CT there was a group of
hikers having a party on the deck of the pizza parlor. First a strange young lady got up and gave
me a big hug which I liked but I didn’t recognize her. Well, it was Gwendolyn again. She had
glasses on, and changed into shorts, and let her hair down. Most of the hikers I’ve met lately
are here: Jesus Jalapeno, Michigan Wolverine, Cindy and Mick, Gwendolyn and her boyfriend,
and two friends of Gwendolyn’s who had driven here to meet them. I had to pick up a food
drop at the store/post office before I could join them. I bought some ice cream treats for a
small offering; otherwise they had everything bought and paid for. We had a great evening with
good stories and jokes and enjoyable company. It is surprising how fast you can form strong
friendships on the trail.
Jalapeno, Wolverine, and I spent the night in an old hotel. Jalapeno booked the room so he had
dibs on the bed; Wolverine and I slept on the floor. There were no laundry facilities in Twin
Lakes so I washed my clothing while showering.
9
July 18th, 14.8 miles, (192.1) camped at 8,950’ elev, morning temp 37 degrees
A full breakfast in the hotel restaurant was included with the room rate. A family had recently
bought it and they didn’t seem to have a clue how to manage a restaurant. I think they made a
mistake on every person’s order. At least one customer sat there and was never asked for her
order. Their hearts were in the right place but they would never make it where they had any
competition. Cindy was a teacher by profession but she wanted to spend a month there and
teach them how to run a restaurant!
After breakfast,
Gwendolyn’s friend
shuttled us back to the
trail. The start of the
day’s hike was at 9,300’
elev. around Twin Lake
reservoir and we never
hiked above 10,000’ all
day. I hiked with Mick
and Cindy most of the
day. That afternoon we
reached a forest service
campground on Clear
Creek. As we were
walking through the
campgrounds looking for the bridge to cross the creek, we walked by a fellow in a screen
shelter set up by his camper. As we talked to him, I noticed he had a hummingbird feeder. He
said that both the Broad-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds were using it. I stayed to see if they
would return so I could add them to my trip list. Cindy and Mick went ahead to find the bridge
and sterilize water. As we waited for the hummingbirds, I told some of my hiking stories. Both
species did return to feed. When I was leaving, he motioned me to walk down to the creek with
him. He proceeded to pull a sack of beer out of the creek and sent me on my way with three
beers. When I met Cindy and Mick at the bridge, they were surprised that I had yogi beers for
us. We sat by the stream relaxing and enjoying our beer before filtering water and moving on.
The Cauley family (parents, two daughters, and an aunt) was camped next to the bridge: they
offered us clean water and as we talked, they became interested in our hike. Then they invited
us to join them for more drinks and snacks. That was a nice way to end the hike for the day.
Later that evening and the only time on the entire trail, the mosquitos were bothersome.
Gwendolyn in the middle
10
July 19th, 18 miles, (210.1) camped at 9,400’ elev, morning temp 55 degrees
I started the morning at 8,950’ and climbed steadily for another 2,850’, then descended 1,000’
and went right back up 1,000’. This was a tough morning climb for me. I do like to do big climbs
in the morning when it’s cooler and I am fresh. The trouble was I never felt fresh that morning.
The afternoon hike was easier: 9 miles of gradual descent to 9,400’. The Colorado Trail is shared
with horses; I had only seen a couple until now as we were passed by a group of women riders.
Cindy, Mick and I hiked together most of the day and ended up camping together. Thinking that
my pace would put me ahead of them I said goodbye to Cindy and Mick. We had said goodbye a
few times now. But somehow we met again. Once was because of my peak bagging which they
chose not to do. They passed me and I caught up to them in Twin Lakes.
July 20th, 13.2 miles, (223.3) camped at 9,840’ elev, morning temp 51 degrees
I have a hard time sleeping late and am usually on the trail by first light. This doesn’t mean I am
completely rested; I just can’t stay in my sleeping bag any longer. Then between 9:00 am and
noon I am ready for a siesta. Twice hikers came by when I was napping on my pad and were
concerned if I was okay. Then in the afternoon I get my second wind. Often I have hiked a large
part of my intended mileage for the day between 5:00 pm and dark.
After a morning climb of 2,480’ in 3 ½ miles, I had gained the saddle for the approach trail to
Mt. Yale at 14,196. This is in the Collegiate Wilderness where five peaks are named after
universities and colleges including Mt. Harvard, Mt. Oxford, Mt. Yale, Mt. Princeton and
Columbia. There is way too much time when hiking to think up dumb ideas: While approaching
the collegiates, I thought it would be fun when I returned home to tell friends I went to Yale.
With only a 4 mile round trip and 2,316’ elev. gain with some scrambling, why not? Well, it was
considerable scrambling for me but by the time it was bad, I was too far along and didn’t want
to turn back. As usual there were some false peaks and places that I felt better using hands to
steady myself. This was not a technical climb, just a
little out of my comfort level. When I was
approaching the summit five younger hikers caught
up with me (almost everybody is younger than I
am). We all spent some time on the summit along
with three men who came up another trail. On
each peak I have been seeing Rosy-Finches, a bird
that nests in the open rocky high elevation. They
peck at the snow or right at the edge of the melting
snow.
11
Somebody said they saw a humming bird when we were on the summit but I missed it. A little
later I did see one but could not identify it. I was surprised to see them above 14,000’ but there
are a lot of alpine flowers at the higher elevations.
It was after 2:00 pm when we heard
thunder and decided it was time to
descend. I turned to head back down the
trail and there was a mountain goat within
200 feet and slightly below us. What a great
sight! It was still shedding its winter wool. I
had time to take pictures before it ran off. I
have seen mountain goats before on auto
trips but seeing this one so close was a very
special feeling. I felt by hiking up there I had
met it on its own terms.
The six of us decided to head down a rocky slope instead of following the route we used
ascending. This would let us drop to a lower elevation faster because the trail uphill had
followed a ridge and was slow to descend. There was much rock hopping for me; the others
found a snow chute to slide down part way. We did see another mountain goat heading up the
mountain. We didn’t hear or see any more signs of a storm but I was glad to be down. At 4:00
pm, just before we reached the saddle we met a man heading up. We tried to discourage him
from starting up so late in the day but we weren’t successful. When we reached the saddle, my
fellow hikers took a break and I packed up the gear I had left and moved on. It rained during the
night and I packed up a wet tent in the morning!
July 21, 17.2 miles, (240.5) camped at 9,650’ elev, morning temp 50 degrees
The morning started with a 1,500’ descent over 9.6 miles before breakfast. I caught up with
Cindy and Mick again (they had passed me while I was climbing Mt. Yale). Steve was also with
us when we reached Mount Princeton Hot Springs. We went to the lodge/restaurant to have
breakfast. We asked if we could be served on the deck or, if not, maybe a corner table. No, they
had to seat us aromatic hikers right in the middle of the dining room. It was a very nice place
with linen tablecloths and napkins. They treated us like royalty and the servings were hiker
sized. Cindy and Mick were meeting friends and planning on enjoying the hot springs. Steve had
a mail drop to pick up and was going to cover 180 miles before his next drop. I planned to
resupply in Salida and then hike 160 miles to the next resupply. The reason for doing this was
that the towns were too far off the trail. Also, the roads were not heavily traveled and it might
be hard to get a ride.
12
There was a campground along the trail 2 ½ miles out of Mount Princeton Hot Springs. I
stopped there and dried my gear out while I took a nap on a picnic table. I spotted a
hummingbird on a nest right above me. It had left when I lay down apparently because I
noticed it when it returned. After that, it wasn’t bothered by me until I got up to leave.
July 22, 12.8 miles, (253.3) stopped at 8,840’ elev, Salida Hostel
My goal for the day was to reach US Hwy 50 as early as possible and hitchhike the 13 miles to
Salida. I saw another pair of goshawk/Cooper’s hawks that had a nest with at least one young
right above the trail. They scolded me but never dived on me. At the parking lot on US Hwy 50,
there was a woman (Just Mom) sitting in an SUV. I asked if she was heading east toward Salida.
She was waiting for her husband, (Cuzin), and son, (Land shark), who were hiking a section of
the Colorado Trail. She said they would be glad to give me a ride to town. She fed me
chocolates and cold soda while we waited. Her son has hiked some of the Appalachian Trail and
would like to hike all of it. We went to a pizza parlor/ micro-brewery for lunch. Afterwards, they
took me to the hostel and waited to make sure there was room for me. One of the women,
Julie, at the hostel, volunteers in the office for the Colorado Trail Foundation. She is the one
that handles the registration of hikers who have completed the trail.
July 23th, 14.3 miles, (267.6) camped at 10,880’ elev, morning temp 41 degrees
The first 8.6 miles of the day had an elevation
gain of 3,080’; the remainder of the day was 5.7
miles with 1,040’ of descent. I met Lisa on the
trail and we hiked together for the afternoon.
When we crossed a bridge made of natural
materials, she recognized it as one she had
helped build some years before. Lisa’s dad was
a devoted trail volunteer and she had worked
on it when it was being constructed. Lisa
identified a flower that I had been seeing and
found very intriguing: Elephanthead lousewort: Pedicularis groenlandica. The stem has a series
of flowers that look like pink elephant heads, ears and trunks included.
Lisa said that Cindy and Mick were also in Salida the night before, but they had stayed
somewhere else and we never met. There was a nice camping spot at Marshall Pass trailhead
where we could watch the trail. Lisa and I stopped there and waited for Cindy and Mick
because I was quite sure they would hike at least that far for the day. They did show up about
an hour later, just like I thought. The four of us camped together and started hiking together in
the morning.
13
July 24th, 20.0 miles, (287.6) camped at 11,160’ elev, morning temp 42 degrees
The day’s elevation varied between 10,280’ and 11,160’. We planned a long day because there
wasn’t any water between Seven Mile Creek at mile 11.6 and Baldy Lake at mile 22.1. We
wanted to be at or close to Baldy Lake when we stopped for the night.
Lisa hadn’t been doing this many miles in one day but she wanted to join us and try it. Lisa
seemed to be doing great but when we reached Seven Mile Creek she decided to stay there and
let us hike on. We were about two miles short of Baldy Lake when it started sprinkling and
threatening rain so we decided to stop and set up our tents before it got too bad. The rain
didn’t amount to anything but it was still better to be safe and dry. I said goodbye to Cindy and
Mick again because I would be hiking earlier than they would.
July 25th, 26.6 miles, (314.2) camped at 9,400’ elev, morning temp 40 degrees
I started hiking at dawn again and at mile 11 I met a man (Apple) on the trail. He seemed to be
dressed like a trail maintainer wearing a trail logo shirt with trail patches on it. We talked a little
and he told me that just down the trail he had set out some treats and to help myself. When I
reached the treats it was an impressive site.
Apple had a canopy set up with chairs, cooler,
water, and a large bottle of hand sanitizer on the
cooler. He also had another large tent nearby that
I understood was for storage or to let hikers stay
in if the weather was bad. The first priority was
the hand sanitizer. Then there were sodas, beer,
chips, cookies, and fruit to choose from. There
was also a garbage bag. It is always nice to get rid
of any accumulated trash. Shortly he followed me
down the trail and heated a couple cheese dogs
for me. As we talked there was what I thought
was a phone on his belt that gave out an
occasional sound. Actually it was a receiver for
sensors that he had set up across the trail and
would signal when somebody was approaching.
Two beams were set apart. The signal would let
him distinguish between an animal and a hiker
and if it was one or two hikers. I told him that
Cindy and Mick were a short way behind me. Apple
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I decided to stay and wait to see their reaction to and enjoyment of such elaborate Trail Magic.
When the receiver signaled that they were approaching, Apple went up the trail to greet them
by name, giving them quite a surprise! He is a true Trail Angel. He spends all summer doing this.
I am not sure of the dates or amount of time spent at each trail. He is a Trail Angel for the
Florida Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and here where the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide
Trail (CDT) share the same tread. He did say that he spends July and August here and has
recorded 147 CT and CDT hikers as of July 25th.
The three of us were hiking together again. I think it was in less than five miles we encountered
Trail Magic again. There was a cooler that had recently been restocked with sodas and ice. We
did take another break and we each had an ice- cold soda. They decided to stop earlier than I
wanted to, so we said goodbye again.
Most of the day’s hiking had been in pine forests. Then at the end of the day the land changed
and it was all wide open spaces (which in the west are called parks) and only occasional clumps
of trees. I camped inside an old log house with only the walls still standing. This gave me
protection from the wind.
July 26th, 22.3 miles, (336.5) camped at 11,120’ elev, morning temp 44 degrees
Quiet day: lots of open country with long views. Steve and I hiked together part of the day.
Besides this trail, he has also hiked the Appalachian Trail. We have been meeting regularly
along the trail-the first time was the morning I was leaving Twin Lakes. He stopped to resupply
and asked me what I knew about using yellow Heet for a denatured alcohol stove. (Works
great). I think the next time we met was on Mt. Yale. He was one of the five hikers that I was
with on the summit. Another time was at Mount Princeton Hot Springs where we had breakfast
together. We met many other times. We were covering about the same miles each day; we just
had different paces. We did meet a cowboy
with his horse and dog. The cowboy
explained how the herding and grazing has
changed on public land through the years.
They are not allowed as many head of cattle
now and they can’t keep them on the same
section all the time. They have to be moved
on a regular schedule to let the grasses
recover. It sounded like they were mimicking
the buffalo that were constantly moving and
grazing, never staying and overgrazing in one
spot.
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July 27th, 13.2 miles, (349.7) camped at 12,320’ elev, morning temp 40 degrees
We hiked in high elevation except for one road
crossing. We stayed above 11,000’ for 63 miles
and 30 of those miles we never dropped below
12,000’ elevation. Steve and I reached the saddle
of Mt. San Luis, 14,014’ elevation. From there it is
only a 2.6 mile round trip, with 1,400’ elev. gain to
reach the summit. We left all our extra gear at the
saddle for the climb. It’s not a difficult climb, just
steady. With clouds/fog drifting in and out, the
scenery was constantly changing. At one point the
morning sun created a rainbow around the head of my shadow showing against a cloud.
During the climb we watched a small plane flying below us. Steve pointed out a White-tailed
Ptarmigan with young scurrying around in the rocks. By this time I had refined what I took to
the summits with me. Besides water and a snack and clothes to protect me if there was a quick
weather change, I had added my sleeping pad. I liked to spend time on the summit and enjoy
the views and experience. With the pad, I could lie down and be comfortable and out of the
wind. On top of Mt. San Luis the clouds continued to drift in and out. Sometimes we had views
that went on forever and the next minute we were socked in and couldn’t see a hundred yards.
As we were descending to the trail we saw two people in white cowboy hats waiting by our
extra gear. They were Kevin and his nephew, Don, who were hiking from Mexico to Denver via
Durango. We found that we have a mutual acquaintance, Sharon, who volunteers for the Ice
Age Trail (IAT). Sharon and Kevin have both hiked most of the major trails. Sharon was a wealth
of information when I was planning my Ice Age Trail hike. Steve and I camped at 12,160'
elevation. This was the first of three nights
camping above 12,000 ft. As we were setting
up for the night, we were hearing sounds
that we couldn’t identify. We climbed up
over a low ridge to see if we could find the
source. It turned out to be a sheepherder on
a horse with his dogs and a large flock of
sheep. The large number of sheep bawling
mixed with the dogs barking. None of the
sounds stood out; they all mingled to make a
unique sound. We heard sounds close to us
during the night that we were quite sure were elk.
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July 28th, 26.3 miles, (376.0) camped at 12,200’ elev, morning temp 42 degrees
Shortly after starting in the morning we saw a herd of elk on a ridge above us. These were the
only elk I saw on the trail. When hiking at 12,000’ I observed quite a few Horned Larks. Often
they sat on rock cairns because the cairns and the trail signs were the only things that gave
them an elevated perch to watch over their territory. The terrain was all slow rolling that
seemed almost flat with no vegetation that grew over a few inches high (alpine). They did have
some very impressive rock cairns. Some were three feet in diameter at the base and five feet or
more high.
I reached Spring creek Pass on CO Hwy-149 at 10:00 am. This was our lowest elevation for a few
days, 10,898'. There were picnic tables and a restroom. I decided to take advantage of the
accommodations and have an early hot lunch. Because of either rain or condensation, I needed
to dry my tent again. Four women drove in and two of them, Sheila and Amy, were unloading
backpacks that indicated they planned to be out for a while. I talked to them and they were
hiking a section of the trail. I asked the two other women if they would take my trash because
there were no containers at the trail head. They were glad to do it. One had worked for the
forest service and one of her duties was picking up trash on backcountry trails and at campsites.
She was very happy to see that I had carried mine out with me. They were heading out for a day
hike and their van would be there for a while. They gave permission for Steve to leave his trash
by their van, also.
Steve came in a little later and we were hiking together again. Steve and I did catch up to Sheila
and Amy. While they were sterilizing water, we had a nice visit. The four of us walked together
for a few hours before they stopped for the day.
Many varieties of flowers like these were found along the trail.
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July 29th, 20.6 miles, (396.0) camped at 12,570’ elev, morning temp 42 degrees
In the morning, we met three men who were hiking from Durango to Denver. One, Steve Staley,
was board chairman for the Colorado Trail. He was doing a meet-and-greet hike to be even
more knowledgeable of the trail and hikers. We passed by quite a few pretty alpine lakes during
the day. In the afternoon we overtook Melanie and her dog, Spetzl, along with Bridget and her
dog, Boggy. Bridget gave me camera batteries. That evening we crossed an old road with a
collapsed log cabin and an old mine nearby. There was a five gallon bucket hanging from the
cabin with a sign that said Trail Magic. It was half full of wrapped snack candies.
July 30th, 14.9 miles, (411.5) left 10,880’ Silverton Hostel
The first 3 miles I stayed high, reaching 12,680’. Then it was time to leave the high country. It
started with 33 switchbacks down a green alpine slope to Elk Creek drainage. I could see at
least two old mine tunnels cut into the rock wall along the Creek as I headed down. I followed
Elk creek for 7 miles near to where it joined the Animas River. At one place there was a rock
slide over the trail. As I looked up the mountain, I wondered if it was caused by an avalanche.
I knew I would be crossing The Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad tracks which follow
the Animas River. When I was close I heard the steam engine. I wanted to see it and take
pictures. I started running. Soon I could see the
tracks but had no opportunity for photos. I kept
running and managed to reach the crossing and
take pictures as it passed. This was when I finally
realized how well I had become acclimatized; I
wasn’t even breathing hard.
When I crossed the bridge over the Animas River
at 8,920’, it was the first time I had been below
9,000’ elevation on the trail for 150 miles. Right
after crossing the river, there was a 1,700’ climb
in 3 miles, most of which seemed to be in the
first mile. I was amazed at how easy it was climbing at a lower elevation.
My goal for the day was Hwy-50 at Molas Pass. I hoped to hitch a ride for the 5.5 miles into
Silverton to resupply. I held my thumb out for a while with no luck. There was a rest area
nearby. I decided to walk to it and ask people in the parking lot for a ride. Maybe it would be
harder turning me down face to face than it is to just drive by. It worked! I was soon in the open
bed of a pickup truck headed to town in the rain. The first two motels I tried were full.
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When I picked up my drop the postmistress called the Silverton hostel, and learned they had a
vacancy. She gave me directions. After drying out and cleaning up, I took my spoon and went
grocery shopping. The store was small but nicely stocked with a patio in front. I bought a few
extra things that weren’t in my food box plus my pint of Ben & Jerry’s. The next priority was to
sit on the deck and take out my spoon and enjoy. It became quite interesting. I was like a hero
for eating a pint of ice cream. Everybody going in and out of the store had some good-natured
comment and a boy about 10 years old gave me a high five. I would never have guessed that all
you had to do impress people was eat a pint of ice cream.
July 31th, 23.9 miles, (435.4) camped at 11,560’ elev, morning temp 44 degrees
I started the day by paying for a shuttle back to Molas Pass. My luck with the weather is running
out. The last couple days I have been experiencing more fog and drizzle. The morning was
pleasant but in the afternoon, it was lightly raining. It wasn’t enough to make me set up my tent
and get out of the rain; it was just muggy and wet. The highlight of the day was meeting Mark.
Mark was the hiker I met in Durango who had just finished the Colorado Trail. He had been
hiking around Durango and decided to take the trail back to Denver. He was hoping to meet me
but was surprised that I was almost finished. Mark thought he would be on the trail a few days
before we met.
August 1st, 28.5 miles, (463.8) camped at 11,600’ elev, morning temp 47 degrees
Another cloudy damp day; not enjoyable for breaks and relaxing, just a day to put on miles. I
did encounter Trail Magic in the forenoon; it was a cooler of beer. Between the weather and
the time of day it held no attraction for me. Elevation on the trail varied from 10,400’ to 12,300’
for the day. Yet I ended up camping only 40’ higher than the night before.
August 2nd, 21.5 miles, (485.4 old) finished at 6,960’ elev, Durango Trailhead
It was misty and foggy again as I packed up. Everything feels damp or wet. This is the second
day in a row that there has been no chance to dry out my gear. I am doing fine, though. If I had
to go on, I could have; my sleeping bag and essential equipment is dry. I had 21.5 miles left,
1,400’ of elev gain and 4,700’ of elev loss. I just wanted to
finish. It took me less than eight hours to reach the end at
the Durango trailhead. I was tired of everything being wet
or damp. I did pass a tent with two horses nearby but
nobody was out and about. When Steve went by later, the
woman (Trish) was out; he stopped and visited. Trish fed
Steve breakfast. She was planning on completing the trail
with horses. http://trishwild.blogspot.com/
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Postscript
This is a trail that I would recommend to anyone thinking of hiking a long distance trail. With
mostly good tread and an easy-to-find route, the CT at 500 miles is a long trail, yet it doesn’t
take months to complete. The scenery is extraordinary, water is plentiful, and for the most part,
resupplying is sufficient. If that’s not enough, you can also do a little peak bagging. The journal
ends at mile 485.4. This is the trail length in the data book. Since that was published, 2.7 miles
have been added making it 488.1. I’m not sure where those miles were added, but at some
point, I had to have hiked days with longer mileage than I recorded.
On top of Mt. San Louis 14,014’ Water from its source at 12,000’