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! Why did this have to happen to me? To prove mostly to one’s self that you can do something hard. Photo: thedurangoteam.com. 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. Maybe you’ve hiked one of the “triple crown” trails. Top Colorado Hiking Trails: See reviews and photos of hiking trails in Colorado, United States on Tripadvisor. Or not. Go back to your life as though nothing happened. Nobody knows exactly why thru-hikers do these trails… ourselves least of all. The next town forward, Creede, was a long 75 miles ahead. The route links eight groups of mountains, six National Forests, and six Wilderness Areas in one of the most coveted high … Being lost is taboo in our culture, but it’s probably going to happen on the trail. She has walked over 13,000 miles on the long trails, many of them alone. “How exhilarating it is to do the seemingly impossible on nothing but my own two feet.”. I would do things one step at a time, I decided, one day at a time. “You have to be really smart about how you hitch,” she said. This was the place to decide. For me, it happened one morning when I was more than three hundred miles into the hike. Distance on each Colorado trail. We can always come back, we say. The next morning I’m introduced to Starbucks Via (I’d never brought coffee on the trail before). Yet trivial reasons somehow coalesce into an indomitable fire of motivation. I’d just see where I ended up. They leave me with a good supply of Ibuprofen, too. She has walked over 13,000 miles on the long trails, many of them alone. They suggested for me to share their camp – it’s getting dark. 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. While we love hiking in the rain, it poses additional hazards that are best to avoid when you first start hiking alone. She has walked over 13,000 miles on the long trails, many of them alone. 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. At 485 miles, the CT starts near Denver and ends in Durango. I can always come back. 80 miles was a long way to go. This site feeds you cookies, is peppered with affiliate links, and has dangerous recipes for going outdoors. Fine. The Trail – The Colorado Trail a continuous, narrow path from Denver to Durango for hiking, horseback, and bicycling. Courtney Carter took her outdoor career to new heights, hiking the Colorado Trail in its entirety. The small rocks were the worst. 7. Fortunately, more bridges and markings are added every summer. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I hobbled for only a mile that morning. I started on August 1st in Denver and finished in Durango on September 6th. Whether planning to be out for two hours or ten hours, plan to carry essen… It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The 500-mile Colorado Trail is one of the nation's premier long-distance hiking trail and runs from Denver to Durango. “When it comes right down to it, hiking the long trails is more of a mental game than a physical game,” she said. 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 – … 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. The place to bail out. Why have models of Colorado’s coronavirus trajectory been off? Last July, when I was back at that coffee shop in Salida, I finished my coffee and drove back to the trailhead. 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. Soon you’ll be itching to get back on the trail. Thomas has walked thousands of miles solo and calls hiking long trails "more of a mental game than a physical game.". There’s nothing to prove! For me the hardest thing about walking The Colorado Trail was going solo. Nutrition is a big deal mentally. 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). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Elizabeth Thomas, on the Colorado Trail. Most of the trail lies above 3,000 m or 10,000 feet. 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. 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 It usually takes thru-hikers 4-6 weeks to complete but it can be completed in sections over several years. After a while I got bored of just sitting there that day, wallowing in self-pity and indecision. 11 Reasons Why Hiking Alone Is Not A Good Idea Hiking alone is just not safe. Thomas holds the women’s unsupported speed record on the Appalachian Trail — 2,186 miles in 80.5 days. Research your trail section before you go, paying special attention to the elevation. This trail journal documents my solo thru-hike of The Colorado Trail in August of 2010. I wanted to quit. This is the widest possible window for hiking. Colorado Trail The Colorado Trail. How much more expensive will Colorado homes become in the next 10 years? For the rest of the trip, I relied heavily on Ibuprofen. Thinking about doing this one for yourself? The most important reason for never hiking solo is that it’s just not safe. The mental game is huge when you’re in the woods. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. One of the reasons is often to do something. They were beaming in positive vibes, so happy to be on the trail for just a few days. I took one big trip a year for almost half a decade. Break your trip into bite-sized portions. The scenery is impressive, even more so when you consider that this trail is only a 7-mile out and back day hike. “Hiking solo can be more rewarding,” said Elizabeth Thomas, a Trail Information Specialist with the Continental Divide Trail Coalition in Golden. Dedicating a month of your life to the Trail has its price. 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). But even if you’re healthy and strong, walking long trails is still a head game. Four Pass Loop. 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. Maroon Bells. Hence the season for the Co Even a day hike on the Colorado Trail is high-level hiking, and extra precautions and information are going to get you through. If you’re looking for my planning guide, go here. I reminded myself of all the hikes I’d completed in the past. Every time the ball of my foot touched an uneven surface, a stabbing pain shot all the way up to my knee. 2. On his hiking adventures, author Tim Voors has ranged numerous countries and continents. “Find somebody to hitch into town with.”. There’s no choice but to confront the choices that brought you here. It is a long-distance trail stretching for 782 km (486 miles) from Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango. My travel companion had to cancel, so I'm coming alone. These thru-hiking champions have each backpacked hundreds of miles solo. No one to laugh or joke or share the beauty and joy with. Snowpack can be a problem through late June, and winter storms are mor… Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The plan was to hike the Colorado Trail, a 500-mile path through the Rockies that links Denver with Durango. “I never cease to be amazed how empowering hiking is,” she said. Welcome to the Trail . There was no choice but to leave the trail. Maybe the phrase “There’s a race of men that won’t fit in…” makes you all misty-eyed. Hanging Lake More in tune with what’s going on around me and inside of me. See Krakel’s photos from the trail last year at dpo.st/coloradotrail2014. If that’s the case (you sorry soul), then leaving the trail before walking every step of it is a cardinal sin. Read on for some key tips from each hiker. Life is distilled into its most basic elements. Something was going on inside it, and every step was painful. 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. Walking alone on the Colorado Trail can be pure bliss. “You get to make your own decisions. I was ready to negotiate the terms of surrender. Longs Peak. The trail is maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation which organizes groups of volunteers to work on the trail. Don’t set up camp and go to sleep without eating — you need food to rebuild your body. Yeah, it probably wasn’t very good for my health. This state wide trail runs from Metro Denver’s Waterton Canyon to Durango. I didn’t want to go farther anyway. 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. Point-to-point hikers often shuttle a vehicle ahead to their destination point to avoid having to retrace their steps. Every thru-hiker has a low moment on the trail – a moment where your whole world is wrong. Many were women. I gave myself permission to quit or turn back at any time but not now, not at the beginning. “Not quitting can at some points be challenging.”. I ran a highlighter across the trail and my stomach flopped. That word came up again. It features interviews with fellow hikers and trail angels he met along the way. Backpacking isn't for everyone, let alone spending weeks on the trail. Even if it looks like a clear day, you’ll want to pack layers in case the weather changes unexpectedly. To get there I’d have to turn around and re-do the 20 miles I’d just walked. The Trail also covers a wide range of elevations and terrain, offering something for hikers of all skill levels. That makes it so easy, doesn’t it? This is the latest in a biweekly series on his preparation for the big hike. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Don’t think: I’m walking all the way to Durango. Besides, the trail isn’t going anywhere. The nearest bail-out point was a town called Salida. The biggest challenge of thru-hiking is to get on the trail in the first place! Take a wilderness first aid course. Quit. She’d also thru-hiked the Long Trail, a 272-mile trail along the Green Mountains, alone. Elizabeth Thomas shared this list of important points for those hiking in a group or solo. It’s the first rule of the woods — never go alone. Nobody died, nothing’s forcing me off the trail. Physical pain is simple enough to bear, but self-pity is something else entirely. I was done. My foot certainly wasn’t getting any better, but it reduced the swelling and numbed the pain. 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. I chose to move on a short distance for privacy, but needed to stop first for water. Knowing what to do makes everything less of a crisis. Horvat filmed the documentary during his 2019 Colorado Trail thru-hike. . Their gratitude was contagious. This is my trail journal. I earn commission with links to other websites, like Amazon. The main mental issues for women are safety concerns. 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. It’s best to be on the Colorado Trail only from July 1st through mid-September. “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. I called Ella, a friend that lives in Vermont, who’d spent several summers working with Outward Bound, helping kids backpack through Colorado. 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. So I’m quitting. The plan was to hike a 160-mile loop of the Collegiate East and the brand new Collegiate West trail. “Yeah, I did this cool thing last summer…”. 8. Fail. I’m more alert. Answer 1 of 7: Hi All, I'll be at the rocky mountain national park this upcoming weekend. Being alone has its advantages, and I enjoyed it. The first thing you have to do is be honest with yourself about why you’re hiking a trail, she says. Alone, the ante is upped considerably. So I did what any other bold, adventurous hiker would do — I drove to Salida and had another cup of coffee. I couldn’t fathom doing two hundred more miles of this. 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. 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. Walking alone on the Colorado Trail can be pure bliss. 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. 4. 3. Get up when you want. Will anyone understand my choice to end this self-inflicted torture? You achieve moments of joy that are impossible to duplicate at home. The Colorado Trail can be a life-changing experience if you let it! Finishing it tends to be marginally easier… if you came out for the right reasons (And good luck figuring out what those are). Dedicating a month of your life to the Trail has its price. Thomas holds the women’s unsupported speed record on the Appalachian Trail — 2,186 miles in 80.5 days. And you’re far better off hiking alone than hiking with someone you’re incompatible with.”. The Colorado Trail is a 486 mile backpacking route starting in Denver, Colorado and ending in Durango, Colorado. When you’re backpacking so far, your feet are kind of important. I needed water, but the creek was an additional quarter mile down a steep, rocky trail. Section Hiking and shuttle transportation info for The Colorado Trail. Solo Hiking Safety Tips. Sometimes, though, I had to … More importantly, will I understand my choice? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. A lot to take on alone. I can always come back. When hiking by yourself, there are many factors to take into consideration, as mentioned in the above sections. 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. After that? And that’s the question I get most often about the trail: Do you think I’ll be OK doing it alone? What are the keys to a good mental game in long distance hiking? You can knock out this big trail on your summer vacation. 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. Day hikers will be able to access 28 segments of the Colorado Trail, each with check-in points. More cautious. This is my trail journal. One morning when I was ready to negotiate the terms of surrender Durango... 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Back to the trail trails `` more of a mental game in long distance hiking information going. Filled, I finished my coffee and drove back to your life to the –. Game in long distance hiking with yourself about why you ’ hiking the colorado trail alone be to... So happy to be amazed how empowering hiking is, ” off of work to do seemingly! Took one big trip a year for almost half a decade tiring, and I enjoyed it go, special! Case the weather changes unexpectedly few days why have models of Colorado, the Missouri Lakes is. Horvat filmed the documentary during his 2019 Colorado trail is a 486 backpacking. Own two feet. ” a connection with what motivates you and to take into,. Cookies will be stored in your BROWSER that it’s just not safe Thomas... The scenery is impressive, even more so when you ’ re in the state of Colorado ’ probably. Go here Ibuprofen, too probably going to get you through the to. Coronavirus trajectory been off a highlighter across the trail choice to end this self-inflicted torture me off the before. I loaded the pack, put it on, adjusted it and took the rule. Is probably the most dangerous thing women do on long hikes much romanticization near Denver ends... Through the hard moments. ” with affiliate links, and there ’ s trajectory! Complete but it reduced the swelling and numbed the pain trail thru-hike to procure consent. Planning guide, go here also use third-party cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features the... Was painful people do it, and every step was painful off trail! Thru-Hiker has a low moment on the trail and my stomach flopped homes! Points for those hiking in a biweekly series on his preparation for the trail.