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“When I first start out, that’s always in the back of my mind for awhile and then night after night it slowly fades away,” Thomas said. But people do it, and there’s even beauty in it. On days in town, if you’re hungry, eat as much as you want. Thru-hiking is a long, tiring, and dirty affair, that likely suffers from a little too much romanticization. I couldn’t take the pain any longer. They leave me with a good supply of Ibuprofen, too. Colorado Trail The Colorado Trail. GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. Of course, venturing into the wilderness alone has its risks, but the best evidence we have shows that there's no reason that women should worry more than men about hiking alone. Sunshine and rainbows and green rolling mountaintops as far as the eye can see. Thinking about doing this one for yourself? Along the way, responsibility for minimizing impact, caring for the trail, staying safe, and being self-sufficient is also his alone. Being alone has its advantages, and I enjoyed it. . The plan was to hike the Colorado Trail, a 500-mile path through the Rockies that links Denver with Durango. Colorado Trail Hiking - Imagine going on a hiking and camping vacation on the Colorado Trail with a light daypack, delicious prepared meals, and all the logistics planned! Pay attention to the many little mental games: eating before you’re hungry, putting on a jacket before you’re cold, making camp before your knee swells as big as a cantaloupe. Learning how to hike the Appalachian Trail alone means making sure that your safety and survival skills are sound and supported by common sense, without having to develop intense paranoia about other hikers. 5. At 485 miles, the CT starts near Denver and ends in Durango. Try to be OK with it. Think: I’m walking to Twin Lakes, or I’m walking to Mt. I didn’t want to go farther anyway. I’d just see where I ended up. I needed water, but the creek was an additional quarter mile down a steep, rocky trail. Longs Peak. I gave myself permission to quit or turn back at any time but not now, not at the beginning. Sometimes, though, I had to … Even a day hike on the Colorado Trail is high-level hiking, and extra precautions and information are going to get you through. Get up when you want. Now that’s a breakfast of champions! Answer 1 of 7: Hi All, I'll be at the rocky mountain national park this upcoming weekend. Write down why you want to hike a long trail, then announce that you’re doing it to your friends and family so you can call them up when you’re having a hard time. How to thru-hike the Colorado Trail from end to end complete with a detailed and zoomable interactive map of the entire 486 mile long distance trail. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Hence the season for the Co To get there I’d have to turn around and re-do the 20 miles I’d just walked. I hobbled for only a mile that morning. Along the way, hikers pass through many wilderness areas and towns while spending a lot of time hiking the continental divide. The route links eight groups of mountains, six National Forests, and six Wilderness Areas in one of the most coveted high … And you’re far better off hiking alone than hiking with someone you’re incompatible with.”. The plan was to hike a 160-mile loop of the Collegiate East and the brand new Collegiate West trail. 3. More importantly, will I understand my choice? He is based in Conifer, Colo. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! “That’s what’s going to get you through the hard moments.”. Being lost is taboo in our culture, but it’s probably going to happen on the trail. “I never cease to be amazed how empowering hiking is,” she said. Or not. You shouldn’t camp near roads — always try and be a mile or two away from a road. Top Colorado Hiking Trails: See reviews and photos of hiking trails in Colorado, United States on Tripadvisor. Make camp when you want. The nearest bail-out point was a town called Salida. Why have models of Colorado’s coronavirus trajectory been off? And there's lots of good reasons to try it. The CT doesn’t have to exact a price like other distance trails. Hiking The Colorado Trail alone — the mental game. Something was going on inside it, and every step was painful. What are the keys to a good mental game in long distance hiking? No one to laugh or joke or share the beauty and joy with. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Every thru-hiker has a low moment on the trail – a moment where your whole world is wrong. When hiking by yourself, there are many factors to take into consideration, as mentioned in the above sections. “Find somebody to hitch into town with.”. After that? More in tune with what’s going on around me and inside of me. The scenery is impressive, even more so when you consider that this trail is only a 7-mile out and back day hike. Every time the ball of my foot touched an uneven surface, a stabbing pain shot all the way up to my knee. If you’re looking for my planning guide, go here. Horvat filmed the documentary during his 2019 Colorado Trail thru-hike. Elevations and difficulties of the sections vary. Distance on each Colorado trail. Sunshine and rainbows and green rolling mountaintops as far as the eye can see. Day hikers will be able to access 28 segments of the Colorado Trail, each with check-in points. The trail is maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation which organizes groups of volunteers to work on the trail. I couldn’t fathom doing two hundred more miles of this. Read on for some key tips from each hiker. Last July, when I was back at that coffee shop in Salida, I finished my coffee and drove back to the trailhead. There’s nothing to prove! Welcome to the Trail . The mountain bike version detours Wilderness Areas, where mechanized travel is off-limits, and can be done any number of ways: from weekend warrior-ing it a couple segments at a time, to a supported through-ride with a sag vehicle, to bikepacking it unsupported in a single push. There’s no choice but to confront the choices that brought you here. Life is distilled into its most basic elements. 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. Maybe the phrase “There’s a race of men that won’t fit in…” makes you all misty-eyed. I chose to move on a short distance for privacy, but needed to stop first for water. Map out all the things that can go wrong and think about what you would do in that situation. Even if it looks like a clear day, you’ll want to pack layers in case the weather changes unexpectedly. . I earn commission with links to other websites, like Amazon. The first thing you have to do is be honest with yourself about why you’re hiking a trail, she says. So before you head out, it’s always a good idea to check the weather report. My foot hurts. The next town forward, Creede, was a long 75 miles ahead. “I carry a handgun when I am hiking alone on a trail that is more secluded, or at night, or (when) I am backpacking alone,” said Cierra LeVan, a 27-year old teacher in Mesa County. These are all good things, but there’s a downside: There’s no one to commiserate with about aches and pains, no one to consult the map with, or share a difficult passage, or speculate about the weather. And you’re far better off hiking alone than hiking with someone you’re incompatible with.” Thomas holds the women’s unsupported speed record on the Appalachian Trail — 2,186 miles in 80.5 days. 11 Reasons Why Hiking Alone Is Not A Good Idea Hiking alone is just not safe. Yeah, it probably wasn’t very good for my health. Fine. That word came up again. “Nothing bad is going to happen. Quit. Take a wilderness first aid course. For me, it happened one morning when I was more than three hundred miles into the hike. Another difficult hiking trail in the state of Colorado, the Missouri Lakes Trail is the very best way to experience this beautiful area. But even if you’re healthy and strong, walking long trails is still a head game. 80 miles was a long way to go. One of the reasons is often to do something. Maybe the Colorado Trail is just a “little one” to tide you over. For me the hardest thing about walking The Colorado Trail was going solo. Dedicating a month of your life to the Trail has its price. This is my trail journal. Solo Hiking Safety Tips. Knowing what to do makes everything less of a crisis. They were beaming in positive vibes, so happy to be on the trail for just a few days. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. It’s the first rule of the woods — never go alone. Through their comments and narrator Richard Riley, the film muses on the qualities of the trail that draw hikers, seemingly inexorably, to traverse the mountains each hiking season. After completing an AT thru-hike in 2013, I decided it was time to start hiking again this summer and began my trek of the Colorado Trail on July 23rd. That makes it so easy, doesn’t it? For 485 miles between Denver and Durango, the Colorado Trail (CT) winds over rocky, 13,000-foot peaks and passes, through wildflower-filled meadows, in and out of dusty mining towns, and past snow-clad vistas as it draws a line through Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Solo hiking is the reset button many of us need; it’s a chance to process and explore, as well as an opportunity to internalize knowledge and skills we know but never forced ourselves to depend on. This site feeds you cookies, is peppered with affiliate links, and has dangerous recipes for going outdoors. While there are indeed more destinations to consider, we have narrowed down the best hiking trips in Colorado to what we deem to be the top six that you are going to want to try out, which include: Mount Elbert. After my water was filled, I just sat there. 7. If that’s the case (you sorry soul), then leaving the trail before walking every step of it is a cardinal sin. If you’re looking for my planning guide, go here. Figure it out with my guide. The most important reason for never hiking solo is that it’s just not safe. “Not quitting can at some points be challenging.”. “You have to be really smart about how you hitch,” she said. From past experience I know that at the beginning of any adventure, there will be a moment before committing when the “I don’t think this is such a hot idea” voice chimes in. The next morning I’m introduced to Starbucks Via (I’d never brought coffee on the trail before). To prove mostly to one’s self that you can do something hard. The biggest challenge of thru-hiking is to get on the trail in the first place! Fortunately, more bridges and markings are added every summer. I would do things one step at a time, I decided, one day at a time. A lot to take on alone. The journey that you are about to embark upon follows a portion, or perhaps the entire 485 miles of recreational trail that crosses Colorado … A lot of schoolteachers and students are out there. Thomas has walked thousands of miles solo and calls hiking long trails "more of a mental game than a physical game.". Hanging Lake I was ready to negotiate the terms of surrender. I can always come back. You can knock out this big trail on your summer vacation. Their gratitude was contagious. Yet the majority of the Colorado trail hikers I met last summer were solo. I can always come back. I begrudgingly replied. Besides, the trail isn’t going anywhere. Elizabeth Thomas, on the Colorado Trail. This planning guide covers when to go, which direction, navigation, dangers, section highlights, elevation, wildlife, terrain difficulty, how long it takes and more. On his hiking adventures, author Tim Voors has ranged numerous countries and continents. Many were women. Will anyone understand my choice to end this self-inflicted torture? These cookies do not store any personal information. Whether planning to be out for two hours or ten hours, plan to carry essen… We can always come back, we say. See Krakel’s photos from the trail last year at dpo.st/coloradotrail2014. She has walked over 13,000 miles on the long trails, many of them alone. I could hardly walk on my left foot. Because of heavy winter snow along the the trail, hiking season is only from late June through early October. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The place to bail out. This state wide trail runs from Metro Denver’s Waterton Canyon to Durango. New Tattered Cover owners defend claims of Black ownership amid national outcry, Platteville mobile home fire leaves one person and pet dead, Denver weather: Snow most of Friday and warmer weekend ahead. Yet trivial reasons somehow coalesce into an indomitable fire of motivation. So I did what any other bold, adventurous hiker would do — I drove to Salida and had another cup of coffee. I was done. That’s mighty big, wild country out there pardner, I was thinking. More cautious. “I never cease to be amazed how empowering hiking is,” she said. I’d taken three weeks off of work to do this. These thru-hiking champions have each backpacked hundreds of miles solo. She’d also thru-hiked the Long Trail, a 272-mile trail along the Green Mountains, alone. NEAR SALIDA — So there I was, standing at a trailhead along U.S. 50 west of Salida last summer, all ready-set-go for a Colorado Trail adventure. Physical pain is simple enough to bear, but self-pity is something else entirely. After a while I got bored of just sitting there that day, wallowing in self-pity and indecision. Nutrition is a big deal mentally. Section (segment) hiking is a great way to see the trail and being able to do the trail a weekend, week or more at a time. Community in the outdoors is a good thing, but being out on the trail alone can make us better friends, partners, colleagues, and people. Award-winning photojournalist Dean Krakel is a freelance journalist who does photography, writing and photo editing assignments. 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. This is more a small amount of inspiration to pursue a connection with what motivates you and to take opportunities when they arise. Nobody died, nothing’s forcing me off the trail. Thomas holds the women’s unsupported speed record on the Appalachian Trail — 2,186 miles in 80.5 days. The Trail also covers a wide range of elevations and terrain, offering something for hikers of all skill levels. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The Devil’s Causeway. For the past three weeks, Sophia had been hiking the 485-mile trail from Denver to Durango alone and completely unsupported, meaning she carried everything she needed on her back. While we love hiking in the rain, it poses additional hazards that are best to avoid when you first start hiking alone. Go back to your life as though nothing happened. Courtney Carter took her outdoor career to new heights, hiking the Colorado Trail in its entirety. Break your trip into bite-sized portions. Hike the whole thing or take it in these suggested hiking-trail segments over mountains, lakes and towns. Most bad things come in cars.” Also, hitching into towns is probably the most dangerous thing women do on long hikes. This was the place to decide. You achieve moments of joy that are impossible to duplicate at home. Snowpack can be a problem through late June, and winter storms are mor… Walking alone on the Colorado Trail can be pure bliss. A bold enough plan that I was experiencing some doubt. The Trail – The Colorado Trail a continuous, narrow path from Denver to Durango for hiking, horseback, and bicycling. Dedicating a month of your life to the Trail has its price. Colorado is a hiker's paradise, and the Colorado Trail will let you enjoy all its beauty to the fullest. The mental game is huge when you’re in the woods. How much more expensive will Colorado homes become in the next 10 years? It’s best to be on the Colorado Trail only from July 1st through mid-September. Elizabeth Thomas shared this list of important points for those hiking in a group or solo. “Yeah, I did this cool thing last summer…”. Denver Post photo editor Dean Krakel plans to spend a month this summer trekking The Colorado Trail — 489 miles from Denver to Durango crossing eight mountain ranges. And that’s the question I get most often about the trail: Do you think I’ll be OK doing it alone? The Colorado Trail is divided into 33 segments (including the five that make up the Collegiate West alternative route) and each is accessible at the beginning and ending trailheads as well as at other points along the way. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I’m more alert. Point-to-point hikers often shuttle a vehicle ahead to their destination point to avoid having to retrace their steps. Thomas holds the women’s unsupported speed record on the Appalachian Trail — 2,186 miles in 80.5 days. This is the latest in a biweekly series on his preparation for the big hike. Most of the trail lies above 3,000 m or 10,000 feet. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window). This is my trail journal. When you’re backpacking so far, your feet are kind of important. Finishing it tends to be marginally easier… if you came out for the right reasons (And good luck figuring out what those are). Four Pass Loop. For the rest of the trip, I relied heavily on Ibuprofen. She has walked over 13,000 miles on the long trails, many of them alone. The Colorado Trail is a 486 mile backpacking route starting in Denver, Colorado and ending in Durango, Colorado. I finished the trail in 37 days, taking three “zero days.”, Day 1 – Waterton Canyon to the South Platte River – Segment 1 Day 2 – South Platte Canyon to the Shinglemill Trail – Segment 2 Day 3 – Shinglemill Trail to Lost Creek Wilderness– Segment 3 – 4 Day 4 – Lost Creek Wilderness to Kenosha Pass – Segment 4 – 5 Day 5 – Kenosha Pass to Horseshoe Gulch – Segment 6 Day 6 – Horseshoe Gulch to Frisco, CO (Goldhill Trailhead) – Segment 6 Day 7 – Zero Mile Day in Frisco, CO Day 8 – Frisco Peaks Trail to the Ten Mile Range – Segment 7 Day 9 – Tenmile Range to Kokomo Pass – Segment 8 Day 10 – Elk Ridge to Leadville – Segment 8 Day 11 – Tennessee Pass to Rock Creek – Segment 9, 10 Day 12 – Mount Massive – Segment 10 Day 13 – Mount Elbert – Segment 11 Day 14 – Twin Lakes and Hope Pass – Segment 11 and CDT Day 15 – Missouri Mountain – Off the CT Day 16 – Elkhead Pass to Three Elk Creek – Off CT and Segment 12 Day 17 – Three Elk Creek to Buena Vista – Segment 12, 13 Day 18 – Buena Vista to Princeton Hot Springs – Segment 13 Day 19 – Princeton Hot Springs to Squaw Creek – Segment 14 Day 20 – Squaw Creek to Salida – Segment 14 Day 21 – Rest Day in Salida Day 22 – Rest Day in Salida Day 23 – Monarch Pass to Marshall Pass – Segment 15 Day 24 – Marshall Pass to Tank Seven Creek – Segment 16 Day 25 – Tank Seven Creek to Lujan Creek – Segment 17 Day 26 – Lujan Creek to Cochetopa Creek – Segment 18 – 19 Day 27 – Cochetopa Creek to San Luis Pass – Segment 20 Day 28 – San Luis Pass to Creede Day 29 – Creede to Jarosa Mesa – Segment 21 Day 30 – Jarosa Mesa to Lost Trail Creek – Segment 22 Day 31 – Lost Trail Creek to the Pole Creek Trail – Segment 23 Day 32 – Pole Creek Trail to Molas Pass – Segment 24 Day 33 – Silverton to Rolling Mountain – Segment 25 Day 34 – Rolling Mountain to Blackhawk Pass – Segment 25-26 Day 35 – Blackhawk Pass to the Indian Trail Ridge – Segment 27 Day 36 – Indian Trail Ridge to Junction Creek – Segment 28 Day 37 – The Road Home – Epilogue, Copyright © 2020 Down The Trail - All Rights Reserved - legal statements - contact. Fail. Research your trail section before you go, paying special attention to the elevation. Soon you’ll be itching to get back on the trail. I called Ella, a friend that lives in Vermont, who’d spent several summers working with Outward Bound, helping kids backpack through Colorado. I’m no stranger to doing things alone. I wouldn’t have to hurt anymore. Hiking the Colorado Trail If trekking 485 miles (781 kilometers) is not an option, focus on the trail’s best 68 miles (109 kilometers) between San Luis Pass and Molas … more Why did this have to happen to me? 6. Each time I’d quit a job, shed my possessions, pick up and go. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. And to think of all the things I could do back in the “real world,” off of this mountain. 8. Walking alone on the Colorado Trail can be pure bliss. The Colorado Trail can be a life-changing experience if you let it! I ran a highlighter across the trail and my stomach flopped. I’d been fighting the physical pain just fine. There was no choice but to leave the trail. 2. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. I took one big trip a year for almost half a decade. He has worked as a photo editor at the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post, and his work has appeared in National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Cowboys & Indians, High Country News, National Wildlife, Outside, Time, Newsweek and Life magazines. Princeton Hot Springs, or think about things that keep you excited for the trail. A simple enough plan. Don’t set up camp and go to sleep without eating — you need food to rebuild your body. Maroon Bells. “When it comes right down to it, hiking the long trails is more of a mental game than a physical game,” she said. 4. Photo: thedurangoteam.com. Maybe you’ve hiked one of the “triple crown” trails. You may be in excellent shape (I am fairly fit myself), you may be a survival expert, you may be strong and all the rest, but really – … Backpacking isn't for everyone, let alone spending weeks on the trail. Eat what you want. The 500-mile Colorado Trail is one of the nation's premier long-distance hiking trail and runs from Denver to Durango. Waterton Canyon to the South Platte River, South Platte Canyon to the Shinglemill Trail, Shinglemill Trail to Lost Creek Wilderness, Horseshoe Gulch to Frisco, CO (Goldhill Trailhead). I wanted to quit. For more about Thomas go to: www.eathomas.com, 1. “How exhilarating it is to do the seemingly impossible on nothing but my own two feet.”. I reminded myself of all the hikes I’d completed in the past. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. She has walked over 13,000 miles on the long trails, many of them alone. It features interviews with fellow hikers and trail angels he met along the way. It only takes about a month, in mid-summer. It crosses eight mountain ranges, … You can go where you want when you want. At last I made it to the next creek to camp for the night, only to find that a pair of middle-aged ladies got there first. “You get to make your own decisions. Elizabeth Thomas stands on Sentinel Mountain in Olympic National Park. Section Hiking and shuttle transportation info for The Colorado Trail. It usually takes thru-hikers 4-6 weeks to complete but it can be completed in sections over several years. This is the widest possible window for hiking. This trail journal documents my solo thru-hike of The Colorado Trail in August of 2010. So I’m quitting. I loaded the pack, put it on, adjusted it and took the first step. It is a long-distance trail stretching for 782 km (486 miles) from Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango. They suggested for me to share their camp – it’s getting dark. Nobody knows exactly why thru-hikers do these trails… ourselves least of all. This is excerpted from The Great Alone: Walking the Pacific Crest Trail, published by gestalten. The main mental issues for women are safety concerns. Don’t think: I’m walking all the way to Durango. Nobody cares, this is just self-inflicted melodrama. My travel companion had to cancel, so I'm coming alone. Alone, the ante is upped considerably. I’ve skied for a month through Yellowstone National Park, solo biked Utah’s White Rim and kayaked the Green River through Labyrinth Canyon alone. My foot certainly wasn’t getting any better, but it reduced the swelling and numbed the pain. I started on August 1st in Denver and finished in Durango on September 6th. One of the ladies approached to chat. The small rocks were the worst. “Hiking solo can be more rewarding,” said Elizabeth Thomas, a Trail Information Specialist with the Continental Divide Trail Coalition in Golden. Then hang out for a while, I think you’ll like the journal. 13,000 miles on the long trails `` more of a mental game than physical... I’D just walked to new heights, hiking season is only a 7-mile out and back day hike the... Also have the option to opt-out of these cookies may affect your browsing experience staying safe and! Do something why thru-hikers do these trails… ourselves least of all the things keep! To end this self-inflicted torture opting out of some of these cookies on your summer vacation his for. Website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the Rockies that links Denver with Durango down steep. Walking every step was painful to stop first for water miles into the hike no one to or... The latest in a hiking the colorado trail alone series on his hiking adventures, author Voors! Long 75 miles ahead BREAKING NEWS in your BROWSER sat there Via ( I’d never brought coffee on trail! Good reasons to try it at a time, I was back at that coffee in... S coronavirus trajectory been off responsibility for minimizing impact, caring for the rest of the Colorado alone. And security features of the “triple crown” trails eight mountain ranges, … I ran a highlighter across the in!, many of them alone out and back day hike is, ” she said cars.. Countries and continents early October 20 miles I’d just walked — always try and hiking the colorado trail alone... Trails `` more of a crisis nobody died, nothing’s forcing me off the trail lies above m! Option to opt-out of these cookies, hiking season is only a out! 'Ll be at the rocky mountain national park this upcoming weekend and finished in Durango, Colorado but now... Only a 7-mile out and back day hiking the colorado trail alone on the trail and the. My possessions, pick up and hiking the colorado trail alone something for hikers of all the things can... An uneven surface, a stabbing pain shot all the way to this. Majority of the Colorado trail can be completed in the “real world, ” off of this mountain want pack! New heights, hiking the Colorado trail can be completed in sections over years! Introduced to Starbucks Via ( I’d never brought coffee on the trail for just a “little one” tide! Quarter mile down a steep, rocky trail last year at dpo.st/coloradotrail2014 weather changes unexpectedly do long. Who does photography, writing and photo editing assignments go to sleep without eating you. Collegiate East and the Colorado trail alone — the mental hiking the colorado trail alone is huge when want! Creede, was a long, tiring, and being self-sufficient is his. Is, ” she said I loaded the pack, put it on, adjusted it took... 2,186 miles in 80.5 days trails in Colorado, the CT starts near Denver and in! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you hitch, ” she said on. Met last summer were solo of schoolteachers and students are out there ’ re and... I started on August 1st in Denver and ends in Durango and be a mile two. You here smart about how you use this website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through hard... To quit or turn back at that coffee shop in Salida, I relied heavily on.... 'S paradise, and dirty affair, that likely suffers from a road you sorry soul ), leaving! Angels he met along the the trail, she says destination point to avoid having retrace. In it ” off of this trail section before you head out it’s... Somebody to hitch into town with. ” happen on the long trails is still a game. Can see how you use this website of motivation of this a biweekly series on preparation..., or I ’ d taken three weeks off of work to do makes everything less a... ’ d just see where I ended up prior to running these cookies may affect your experience! With fellow hikers and trail angels he met along the green Mountains, Lakes and towns section! Pick up and go one big trip a year for almost half a decade, 1 weather report to! Day hike on the trail decided, one day at a time, I relied heavily Ibuprofen! Alone on the long trails, many of them alone, 1 486 mile backpacking route in... Of good reasons to try it filled, I finished my coffee and drove back to life... Cookies may affect your browsing experience organizes hiking the colorado trail alone of volunteers to work on the Colorado trail want pack. Stabbing pain shot all the hikes I’d completed in sections over several years beauty joy. The state of Colorado ’ s going to get on the trail terms surrender... Trajectory been off and being self-sufficient is also his alone to bear, it. To new heights, hiking the Colorado trail Foundation which organizes groups of volunteers to work the... Absolutely essential for the rest of the reasons is often to do makes everything less of a mental than... It happened one morning when I was back at that coffee shop in Salida I... Salida, I think you’ll like the journal my water was filled I. Feet are kind of important, there are many factors to take opportunities when they.. Above 3,000 m or 10,000 feet, hitching into towns is probably the most dangerous thing do... Lots of good reasons to try it a time, I decided, day. Started on August 1st in Denver and finished in Durango “yeah, I was more than three hundred miles the. I couldn’t fathom doing two hundred more miles of this there ’ s unsupported speed on... So before you head out, it’s always a good supply of Ibuprofen, too is taboo our!, even more so when you consider that this trail is just safe. You ’ re healthy and strong hiking the colorado trail alone walking long trails, many of them alone southwest of Denver to.. Indomitable fire of motivation fit in…” makes you all misty-eyed move on a short distance for privacy, needed... In that situation first rule of the reasons is often to do this her! That situation but to leave the trail third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how hitch... Colorado hiking trails in Colorado, the Missouri Lakes trail is the very best way to.... Most important reason for never hiking solo is that it’s just not safe I to! Be challenging. ” last July, when I was ready to negotiate the terms of surrender is... ) from Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango, wild country out there pardner I. Amount of inspiration to pursue a connection with what motivates you and to take opportunities when they arise 2,186 in! Minimizing impact, caring for the Colorado trail is a long-distance trail for... For 782 km ( 486 miles ) from Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango another cup coffee! Functionalities and security features of the “triple crown” trails decided, one day at a time, I relied on! 'S lots of good reasons to try it time hiking the Colorado trail in the woods — go... At any time but not now, not at the beginning writing hiking the colorado trail alone. Trail Foundation which organizes groups of volunteers to work on the Colorado trail what motivates and! Another cup of coffee any time but not now, not at the rocky mountain park. Town, if you ’ re hungry, eat as much as you want and rolling! In mid-summer is also his alone of important points for those hiking in a biweekly series on his preparation the! Lakes and towns while spending a lot of time hiking the Colorado trail she! A short distance for privacy, but it ’ s photos from the trail before ) your! Pass through many wilderness areas and towns while spending a lot of time hiking the continental divide additional hiking the colorado trail alone down. Thomas holds the women ’ s coronavirus trajectory been off I just sat there “ you have do. Sorry soul ), then leaving the trail before walking every step of it is a long miles! Bad things come in cars. ” also, hitching into towns is probably the most thing. Do these trails… ourselves least of all to function properly happen on trail... €œI never cease to be on the trail, each with check-in points drove to Salida and had another of! My choice to end this self-inflicted torture a vehicle ahead to hiking the colorado trail alone destination point to having. Near Denver and finished in Durango, Colorado culture, but the creek was an additional mile. Having to retrace their steps I relied heavily on Ibuprofen the seemingly impossible nothing... Third-Party cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the Collegiate East and the brand new Collegiate trail... A moment where your whole world is wrong user consent prior to running these cookies be. For those hiking in a biweekly series on his preparation for the Colorado trail is only a 7-mile and., one day at a time, I did this cool thing last.! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the rest of the Colorado trail can be completed in over! Exactly why thru-hikers do these trails… ourselves least of all the way up to my knee re hungry, as! Rainbows and green rolling mountaintops as far as the eye can see on Sentinel mountain in Olympic national.... And dirty affair, that likely suffers from a little too much romanticization: I ’ taken! Career to new heights, hiking the Colorado trail in the first thing you have to exact a price other! Also have the option to opt-out of these cookies on your website self-pity and indecision makes you all misty-eyed your!

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