When we wake up this morning, the first thought that goes through my head is that this is the last day that we will walk the Colorado Trail. We are only 7.1 miles from the Junction Creek Trailhead, and, although we are excited to get there and to complete the Colorado Trail, neither of us wants this amazing adventure to end. It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling, and we linger in camp as we pack everything up for the last time, eat our last breakfast, set off on the trail on this last day. We wish our summers could last forever, but all good things come to an end sooner or later. (more…)
Tag: Colorado Trail
Colorado Trail, Day 40: Keep ‘Er Movin’!
What does it mean to hike nearly 500 miles on a single trail? And what have we learned about ourselves in the process? These are my waking thoughts on this our 40th day out on the Colorado Trail. It’s our final full day of trekking, so I guess I’m in a bit of a reflective frame of mind as we begin our day. (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 39: The X-Factor
We have been thinking about how we were going to handle today’s hike since before we ever set foot on the Colorado Trail. Today, we are facing an infamous 22-mile stretch with no water, and it is going to be a challenge no matter which way you slice it. (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 38: Blackhawk Down
Cascade Creek really lived up to its namesake! We awake to the soothing sounds of waterfalls seemingly all around us. We gaze at the prominent falls right in front of our peninsular campsite as we sip on our morning coffee and chat with Rob and Amy over breakfast. Before bushwhacking our way through the willows and over the creek back to the trail, I take a quick peek at the cascade that plummets 40 feet off to the right of our campsite and snap a pic. We are all in a good mood after a restful night of sleep and so grateful to have ended up with such an impressive site. (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 37: Trail Reunion
Rob and Amy drive over to our motel just before 6:30 this morning. We load our backpacks into their car and walk over to the Brown Bear Cafe for a hearty breakfast before hitting the trail on this last leg of the Colorado Trail from Molas Pass to Durango. (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 36: Silverton Sojourn
Our last true zero day on the trail…hmm, how to spend it? Well, laying low and taking it easy for sure. After last night’s late night fun, a little sleeping in is certainly in order. And now that I have a name for it, my tibial tendonitis suggests a minimum of movement. Ah, but hiker hunger, even on an off day, motivates us to escape the motel room in search of the one thing America does better than anywhere else in the world—breakfast! (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 35: A Return to the Animas
Waking up to the soothing sound of Elk Creek as it rushes by ten feet away from our tent is a great way to start the day. The white noise of the water made for a great night of sleep as well. (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 34: Welcome to the Weminuche!
We wake up this morning to a totally out of the ordinary phenomenon in our previous 33 days on the Colorado Trail—a blanket of thick gray clouds completely blocking out the sun! We had been warned that rain might be in the forecast but had hoped it would hold off until later in the day. This is not the type of start that we are hoping for, on this our last full day of trekking before reaching the end of this leg. On the up side, it’s much warmer as we sip our coffee and prepare to head out for the day! (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 33: A Beast of a Day
On paper, today is the shortest mileage day of this leg between Creede and Silverton. We only have to hike 14.5 miles, and, after the 15.8 and 18.8 mile-days that we have put in already, we wake up figuring that today’s hike should feel pretty easy. Funny how that’s not the way it works. (more…)
Colorado Trail, Day 32: Reaching New Heights
Boy, we think we get up early, but the two mountain bikers in camp have us beat by an hour on the wake up call. We hear the tires crunching down the gravel past our tent at about 4 am! Off they go for a big day on the trail. We also have a big day planned, but we are content to start the hustle and bustle at 5 am. (more…)