“Summer is when we believe, all of a sudden, that if we just walked out the back door and kept on going long enough and far enough we would reach the Rocky Mountains.”
CT JOURNAL
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PLAN
Highest Point: 13,271 ft.
The trail is open to hikers, equestrians, pack animals, and mountain bikers (however bicycles are prohibited in designated wilderness areas). For more information about planning, maps, and routes - check out The Colorado Trail Foundation.
MY PLAN
My goal is to thru-hike the Colorado Trail, Denver to Durango, including the Collegiate West (see info about the[ Collegiate Loop ][1] for details).
And, time permitting, I will sneak in at least two of Colorado's famous 14ers:
- Mt. Elbert: Located near Leadville, CO is the tallest peak in the state.
- Mt. Massive: Located next to Mt. Elbert is the second tallest peak.
FOOD
I will rely primarily on maildrops for my resupply which will be sent to the locations listed below. I have been a vegan for most of my life, and that doesn't change on a thru-hike. For this thru-hike I've been experimenting with dehydrating my own dinners and various vegetables. We shall see how it all turns out on trail! For more details about the types of food I bring with me, see my Pacific Crest Trail-Gear Page.
LOGISTICS
There are countless factors that could cause a change in my schedule (my hiking speed, the weather, or a very real urge to summit some of the many 14ers along the route). This year has also been severely dry in the Colorado mountains which puts the area at a greater risk for forest fires. With two weeks to go before I start my hike a fire sparked up in the Durango area causing the San Juan National Forest, including CT segments 24-28, to close for public use.
The Pacific Crest Trail taught me to be flexible in my planning, because you never know what mother nature will throw at you.
RESOURCES
Blackwoods Press : Colorado Trail itineraries
The Colorado Trail Foundation : Non-profit organization that operates and maintains the trail .
The Continential Divide Coalition : Provides recourses for the Continential Divide Trail.
Guthook Guides : Map-based smartphone navigational guides. Amazing resource to bring along on your hike!
PMags: Backpacking advice made easy.
Example of a day of food
I will try to stay open to surprises and to my story unfolding as it happens.
0
Denver to Breckenridge
104 mi // 4.5 days
June 25 | Waterton Canyon
Journey begins...
104
Breckenridge to Twin Lakes
71 mi // 3.5 days
June 30 | Post Office
Lani Advokat | CT Hiker
c/o General Delivery
Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 547-0347
175
Twin Lakes to Monarch Crest
86 mi // 4 days
July 5 | Twin Lakes General Store
Lani Advokat | CT Hiker
c/o Twin Lakes General Store
6451 E Hwy 82
Twin Lakes, CO 81251
(719) 486-2196
July 9 | Monarch Crest Store (UPS Only)
Lani Advokat | CT Hiker
c/o Monarch Crest Store
24500 Hwy 50 West
Salida, CO 81201
261
Monarch Crest
to Lake City ,
97 mi // 4 days
*End Collegiate Loop
Resupply in Twin Lakes - hitch back to Monarch Crest -
resume on trail.
July 14 | Twin Lakes General Store
Lani Advokat | CT Hiker
c/o Twin Lakes General Store
6451 E Hwy 82
Twin Lakes, CO 81251
(719) 486-2196
358
Lake City to Molas Pass
53 mi // 2.5 days
July 19 | The Raven's Rest Hostel (UPS or FedEx Only)
Lani Advokat | CT Hiker
c/o The Raven's Rest Hostel
207 North Gunnison Avenue
Lake City, CO 81235
411
Molas Pass to Durango
74 mi // 3.5 days
July 23 | Molas Lake Campground
Lani Advokat | CT Hiker
c/o Molas Lake Campground
65560 US Hwy 550 N
Silverton, CO 81433
GEAR
“Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony.
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”
Having the right gear can be a game changing experience on a long distance trek. Comfort, durability, and weight are all considerations I use when deciding what to bring.
I value brands that care about the quality of their product, have excellent customer service, and are committed to ethical and sustainable practices.
My pack list for the The Colorado Trail is almost identical to what I took on the PCT, JMT and TRT.
The Big Four
Backpack: Boreas | Buttermilks 40L (not pictured)
Tent: Nemo | Hornet Elite 2P
Sleeping Mat: Therm A Rest | NeoAir Xlite
Sleeping Bag: Western Mountaineering | UltraLite 20° F
Clothes
Wind Jacket: Patagonia | Houdini
Puffy: Patagonia | NanoPuff
Rain Jacket: Arc'teryx | Alpha SL
Rain Pants: Sierra Designs
Gloves: Seirus | SoundTouch
Shoes: Brooks | Pure Grit 6
Hiking Shirt: OR | Reflective L/S
Shorts: LuLu Lemon | Speed Short
Sports Bra: Patagonia
Hats: Stetson Explorer
Socks (x3): Darn Tough (Low Cut & Knee High)
Toiletries
Toothbrush: Radius Travel Size
Floss: (can be used as thread for a sewing kit)
Toothpaste: Travel size
Face Wipes
First Aid
Miscellaneous
Bug Net: Sea to Summit
Sunglasses: Goodr
Batteries: Lithium AAA
Repair Kit: Tenacious Tape
Sewing Kit: Hotel sewing kit
Notebook: Rite in the Rain
Pillow: Sea to Summit | Aeros Pillow
Hand Sanitizer
Wet Ones
Mini Flashlight: Fenix LD02
Ibuprofen: Pain & altitude symptoms
Antihistamine: Allergies
Sanitary Napkin: Menstruation and/or gauze
Scissors: UCEC Folding Scissors
Bandaids: Various Sizes
Electronics
Music/Photo: Apple | Iphone 6
External Battery: Dulla x2 M50000
Tripod: Joby GPod
Phone Mount: Joby Grip Tight
Charger Cable/Drive: Rav Power
Cooking
Cooking Pot: GSI Cooking Pot
Stove: Snow Peak LiteMax
Food
Goal: Light weight, high calorie, vegan friendly grub.
Because I was prepping all of my resupply boxes at once, I did my best to keep the contents of my boxes varied. Below are some examples of my daily snacks.
June 12th, 2018
"Hi Bill! I was wondering if you could give me more information about the current fire in Durango and its impact on the trail?"