Colorado Trail 2015

A father/daughter thru-hike.

Started June 15th, ended August 1st featuring a minor 50 mile flip-flop. The CT is 486 miles and required 5 re-supplies. Longest duration between showers and laundry was (12) days. We had (36) hiking days, (7) zero days, (3) travel days and (45) days wearing the same shirt and pants. The trail is concurrent with the CDT for 235 miles.

The Primary beginning TH at Waterton Canyon was closed due to flooding on the South Platte, so we began at Indian Creek TH.

On June 22nd decided to flip next (3) sections due to a wicked cornice visible from the Marriott in Breckenridge and significant snow cover on the Ten Mile Range. An aerial photo taken the day before of the area between Searle and Kokomo Passes was 100% snow covered. We learned that heavy rain in late May produced 6 to 8 feet of snow above 12,000'. So we took bus to Leadville and began at Timberline Lakes TH and hiked straight through to Durango.

Followed the Collegiate Peaks East route to Cottonwood Pass. After a zero day in Buena Vista, we started July 1st on the new "CT/CDT haute route" from the summit of Cottonwood Pass to it's connection with the old CDT track near Tin Cup Pass. We only encountered (1) hiker during the next 4 days. He was a NOBO CDT thru-hiker and pitched his tent near ours during a stormy evening. His stories and style was a great backcountry education for my daughter. There were a fair amount of snowfields with no posthole purgatory issues. This portion and the sections from Molas Pass to Durango were my favorites

Upon reaching Durango, mentally we had "finished" and celebrated accordingly. In particular, being from Utah, I enjoyed the freedom of having a Manhattan cocktail and a glass of wine simultaneously. Not only that, but my 17-year old daughter sat with me at the bar. Both are illegal in Utah. Great to have respite from the Zion Curtain. 

But alas we still had the 50 anti-climatic miles to make-up.

To complete the hike, we rented a car, drove from Durango to Frisco, took the same bus to Leadville and returned to the Timberline Lakes TH. Instead of south as previously, we went north and subsequently completed the hike at the Tiger Run Bus Stop between Breckenridge and Frisco. We observed many SOBO CT hikers and were very pleased we had started early and avoided CT Thru-Hike "Rush Hour". From Frisco we rode Greyhound to Denver, went back to the Oxford Hotel and subsequently Amtrak to SLC.

Bottom Line: Quality time with daughter and she is up for more backcountry hiking and climbing.