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Day 34 August 20: 5 miles

Slept almost perfectly on an actual flat spot, it was glorious. 

After 5 miles of climbing, we reached our destination- the road where we were to meet my dad! It was great seeing him after so many weeks out on the trail. He has been road-tripping around and met us to take us into Silverton and will also meet us in Durango our very last day. Then we’ll road trip home together to relieve my mom of taking care of 4 animals!

We satiated our craving for pancakes at a delicious diner and roamed around the town looking at all the shops. Sheena and I are opting for a hotel while Bear Bait Bob satisfies his craving for camping, hopefully not living up to his nickname. 

After a delightful BBQ dinner, we were off to bed in preparation for our final days on the trail. 

Day 35 August 21: 16.5 miles

Phew what a night that was. The walls of the hotel we stayed in were paper thin so we could hear just about everything anyone was saying. Then we were awoken by a violent thunderstorm that shook the entire bed. THEN we heard a herd of coyotes murder what I can only assume to be a fox (trust me, you never want to hear a herd of coyotes murder a fox, that will live in my head forever) [edit: I am aware there is no such thing as a “herd” of coyotes, but instead it’s a pack of coyotes. This is a prime example of what sleep deprivation, calorie deficit, and physical exertion does to a brain!], then ANOTHER thunderstorm. We at least were dry, my poor dad’s tent leaked all the way through. Regardless, none of us slept well. 

But the trail of course doesn’t care how well you slept, so my dad dropped us off where he picked us up and we were on our way to our final stretch of the Colorado Trail. 

The day started out cloudy, then the sun came out. But of course, right before we were about to go over a pass, the darkest clouds I’ve ever seen consumed the sky. Thunder boomed, but we felt comfortable that it was far enough away that we could scramble over the pass unscathed. 

Well, wouldn’t you know, just as we were about to do just that, hail fell from the sky and we knew we were in for it. Luckily, we weren’t alone. There were 5 mountain bikers who happened to be in the same predicament. We were all looking around seeing who was brave (or dumb?) enough to go up the pass first. The decision was quickly made for us when lightning struck what felt like feet away with an instant deafening thunder clap. We all noped right on out of there and sought shelter as best we could – which when you’re exposed at over 12k’, it’s impossible to find shelter. Sheena and I decided to wait it out 10 minutes to see if it clears up or gets worse. Luckily, that was the last of the thunder for the time being and we hustled our butts up and over that pass safely. 

We were greeted on the other side with kinder clouds and a beautiful view. But the whole descent was accompanied with thunder, both near and far. 

We made it to our perspective campsite only to find it occupied by Josh, someone we met in Lake City who hails from South Philly. We talked for a little during resupply when he recognized my Phillies hat. We haven’t seen him much since then, but there he was and we were happy to see him! No problem, this was the first time this whole trip we couldn’t set up camp where we wanted, not so bad with how many people use the trail. We backtracked a little to a less desirable site, but hopefully after a full day of hiking and a poor night’s sleep we won’t even notice the uneven ground, or the wind, or the thunder… one can only hope. 

Day 36 August 22: 16.3 miles

Well last night was another insane night. We didn’t hear any coyotes, but man did we get a storm. Just as I was finally finding sleep, I was awoken at the late hour of 8pm by what sounded like a freight train rolling through the valley. Then, all of a sudden, my tent went flat. The wind storm (well, wind was the main player, there was rain and lightning as well) lasted about 2 hours before finally dying down. After fighting off the tent and making sure no poles snapped, I was able to catch some pretty good sleep. 

I don’t want to talk too much about today. It was miserable and rained almost the entire time. Luckily, it was too cold for another round of way too close for comfort lightning, but I was cold the majority of the day. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the cold (I mean it was still in the high 50s, so not freezing) didn’t render my hands completely useless. I lose all fine motor skills and can’t even tie my shoes or zipper my jacket because they become numb, dumb, and clumsy. Probably should see a doctor about it when I get home… maybe. 

We arrived at a camp large enough to share with Josh (and a few very brazen deer). Thankfully it stopped raining for us to put up our tents, have dinner together, and at least start the night dry. But of course, right on time, clouds are rolling in. Hopefully they’ll roll right on by, but I’m sure we’ll get a few drops tonight. 

Day 37 August 23: 14.6 miles

Spoiler alert, it rained throughout the night and morning. Thought we were in for a repeat of yesterday, but the morning steered clear of rain and we walked through an eerie foggy landscape devoid of views until early afternoon. 

Around lunch time, the sun finally peeked out and we celebrated by basking in its glory and drying out all of our wet gear. You don’t know what uncomfortable is until you put on cold, drenched socks at 5:30 in the morning, only to slide your feet into cold, drenched shoes. My shoes and socks are going straight into the trash after this hike – they smell like garbage from a mile away. 

With easy elevation, we hit 10 miles pretty quickly. We had a long lunch to enjoy the sun and were on our way to figure out where we’d be camping tonight. We couldn’t find any great spots on the FarOut app for the distance we wanted, so we decided to wing it, hopeful that we would find a flat spot higher in elevation.

Josh stopped early, about 11 miles in. We decided that though it was a prime and beautiful spot, it was far too early to call it quits. We said see ya later to Josh and continued on. We soon realized that if we wanted to make the desired mileage (16.5 miles) we’d have to go over a pass of 12.5k’ as dark clouds were rolling in. We stood around for about 10 minutes deciding if we wanted to risk bad weather while exposed for another 2 miles or call it quits early, with the hope of making up miles tomorrow. 

I admit, I have a hard time quitting when the job isn’t done, especially when it was so early (4:30 in the afternoon!). I want to get into Durango early and didn’t want to sacrifice that for potential safety. But we came to the conclusion that it wasn’t worth the risk. We’ve avoided getting struck by lightning this long – let’s not tempt fate with only 25 miles to go! 

And thank God we did stop. We set up our tents with only seconds to spare before one of the biggest storms we’ve encountered yet blasted us for 2 hours. There was wind. There was hail. There was lightning and deafening thunder. And there was rain. Lots of rain. Thankfully everything stayed dry. 

When it ended, I took a peek out of the tent and saw quite the sight. It’s hard to describe and a picture doesn’t come close to capturing the oddity of the dark clouds against the brightly lit mountains as the sun started to set. It’s otherworldly and scary and beautiful all at the same time. I’m fortunate to have experienced it. 

But just as I was watching, another storm started to roll in. So it’s time to batten down the hatches and hope this storm takes it easy on us. 

Only one more night of being assaulted by weather to go!

Day 38 August 24: 19.1 miles

Well it was an all night affair – lightning, wind, rain, everyone was at the party right until it was time to get up for the day. So I’m thankful we at least weren’t getting rained on during camp break down after 12 hours of consistent storming.

I talk about weather a lot, that is because it dictates so much of how we plan our days out here. When you’re outside 24/7 for weeks on end, life revolves around the weather. Typically you want to start early to avoid afternoon storms. But this year the weather has been so unpredictable that timing means nothing. Throughout the whole night last night I was thankful I let the weather dictate when we settled for camp. Otherwise we would’ve been exposed at over 12k’ on a ridge for hours at risk of getting struck by lightning or becoming hypothermic. Two very unfortunate scenarios so close to completion that we thankfully avoided due to smart decision making. 

We went on our way into the mist and had very limited views the first few hours. We only had peek-a-boo views when the clouds allowed it. Soon, after passing over Kennebec Pass, the start of the last segment, the fog lifted and we enjoyed some short lived sun during lunch. 

The rest of the day was just walking. We had absolutely no intention of hiking such a long mileage day, but when a spot we wanted was occupied and we later were chased down (or felt that way at least) we decided to keep adding miles. And Josh was there to save the day – he found a great campsite and saved some spots for us! With more than anticipated miles, it gets us into Durango all the earlier!

How surreal – our last night out here. It’s been such an incredible journey with so many highs and lows, I can’t believe it’s almost over. 

Day 39 August 25: 6.6 miles 

Final morning on the Colorado Trail! After another rainy night, Josh greeted us with hot coffee! One last piece of trail magic. After going this entire trip without a stove (we got many “whoa that’s so hardcore” comments), it was amazing to have something hot. While neither of us complained about day after day of cold ramen (I shutter to think about it now) and cold rice and cold oatmeal, having our first hot item on trail after almost 40 days was a blessing. 

Buzzing from coffee and excitement, we eagerly broke down camp and were on our  way to meet my dad in Durango!

With all of the miles downhill, we practically ran down and got to the terminus trailhead before 9:30am. Any day hikers we encountered congratulated us on our achievement, it was like being greeted by a welcome committee! And there at the very end was my dad, clapping us in. It was great to be done the trail and at the terminus, but it felt a little hollow. There was still a whole other segment I had to go back to and finish to officially say I completed the Colorado Trail in its entirety!

We grabbed Josh and took him into Durango with us. After we got into the town we hit up all the spots that awarded hikers with free swag. We got free beer, stickers, a patch, and even a discounted breakfast. Soon we retired to a hotel to clean up and fall asleep never to worry about bears or storms or tired legs again… or at least for a while.

The Final Day: Playing Catch Up; August 27: 26 miles

After a day of rest exploring Mesa Verde and getting Sheena back home, I set out to complete segment 15 of the CT back in Salida.

With 16 miles and a very light pack, my mindset was to just get this segment done as quickly as possible. I took limited breaks and made sure to keep up a speedy pace. I just wanted to get back home and see my Addie girl!

Mission accomplished. I finished the segment by 12:30p and was ready to get an early start on the drive back home. Or so I thought…

On the ride I was reminiscing about how I technically still had 10 miles of the trail I hadn’t hiked – the miles we hitched to get past the Interlaken Fire trail closure and detour. Since it was still early and those miles are flat, my dad suggested going to Twin Lakes and getting those miles done. Sure I was tired from the morning’s jaunt, but what’s 10 miles when I’ve already done 483?! And so dad drove the little Honda over some pretty sketchy dirt roads and I was dropped off at the trail.

After 10 miles I met up with my dad and I can officially officially say I completed the CT in its entirety. Can’t say I feel any kind of emotions about it other than accomplished. It was a mentally and physically draining endeavor that proved to be difficult in so many ways, but conversely, just as rewarding. I’m proud of me and Sheena for getting through it successfully, supporting each other at our best and most importantly- our worst. This has been a bucket list item for a while and I am happy to have completed it. But for the moment, I feel very much like Forrest Gump. I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll go home now.

Along the trail met so many kind and generous people willing to help in any way possible. Whether it was a ride into town, trail magic, company to break up the monotony, or even a hot cup of coffee in the morning, we met so many people who were happy to make our hike as comfortable and exciting as possible. But most of all, I’m so appreciative of the support of my parents. My dad took the time to drive from NJ to CO to meet us and ensure we had a ride in and out of towns and even a ride home from Durango! And I couldn’t have done this hike without the help of my parents with taking such great care of my beloved animals. It eased my mind knowing they were in such capable and great hands.

Before saying goodbye to CO, I just had to scratch off another bucket list item – the Manitou Incline! It’s a 2768 step journey up 2,000’ elevation over 0.88 miles. Even at 8am it was a hot and difficult climb, but sans a 30lb pack, it felt like a joy – ha!

And now that we’re on our way home, it’s time to wrap up this journey with a pretty little bow. While there are a lot of things I’m not looking forward to back home, I cannot wait to be reunited with my friends, family, and pets!

Day 19 August 5; 15 miles

The storms blew back through overnight, but nothing too crazy. We all slept well, expect Mike, who was nursing an injured knee. Prior to the trip he was receiving injections to help stave off arthritic pains, but they only do so much… I foresee a knee replacement in his future. He was contemplating bailing out at Buena Vista, especially after a fall a few miles into the morning.

After yesterday’s climbs, we were all hesitant to get to what looked like a monster climb in 3 miles. At the base of the mountain by a trailhead, we stopped to have breakfast when a lovely woman rolled up and asked if anyone needed a ride into town. After much reflection, Mike found it to be the right time to call it and took Fullbird up on her gracious offer. A very teary goodbye (or see you later?) was had by all. I have a feeling we’ll see Mike again.

Because we have an awkward food carry situation right now, we scheduled a pickup with Fullbird on the other side of the mountain to take us into Buena Vista for a small resupply to get us confidently to Salida. I’ve also noticed I’m losing weight and hungry all the time. Hiker hunger has officially set in. And while I purposely tried gaining some weight in preparation for this hike, I think I’m running out of reserves. It’s insane how many calories are burned during thru hiking and while it may be impossible to keep up, I have to beef up my calories. So a resupply is necessary. We were so thankful for Fullbird’s offer… we just had to get over the nasty climb.

And what a truly nasty little climb it was. It took a decent amount of time to conquer it. With steep grades and hot sun, we welcomed in the building storm clouds if only to block out the grueling sun. Eventually we got to the top and David and I decided to go the extra 100’ to the very tippy top for an excellent view. There I was able to coordinate with Fullbird (we now call her Mamabird) for a later pickup. This was where David parted ways. He’s tacking on quite a few more miles today to get to Princeton Hot Springs for a nice relaxing nero day tomorrow.

With less pressure to make it to the trailhead so soon, we carefully managed the steep descent to county rd 306. During that time we did get rained on, but we were on our way into town so who cares.

Mamabird was ready to grab us soaked drowning baby birds and took us to get some groceries as well as actual food. Having hiked the PCT with her sister and niece last year, she knows how difficult trail life can be and now finds fulfillment by giving it back to needy CT hikers. She even let us into her home to fill water and dump trash. Had she not have family coming from New Zealand tomorrow, she would’ve even offered us a spot in her house for the night! What a true angel. And I think all those prayers from home are being answered because we have been nothing but blessed by the folks we’ve met out here on the trail.

After a huge dinner and goodbye to Mamabird, a bad batch of weather started rolling in. We originally were going to hike a few more miles, but being exhausted from two tough days and not wanting to get caught in a storm, we quickly set up camp right by the trailhead. And as I type this out now, it’s loudly thundering right over us and pouring rain, so I think we made the right call. The next few days look very forgiving, so I think we’ll be able to make up some miles and even have a rest day soon! And just like that, a group of about 30 soaking wet kids, likely Boy Scouts, just rolled up looking for a space to camp. Poor things are waiting out the storm before setting up camp. They might be in it for the long run, but hopefully it ends soon so they’re not loud when it’s time to go to bed, we all need our sleep!

Day 20 August 6; 15 miles

What an odd night. With the storm lasting hours, I was in and out of sleep starting at 7pm. I was shocked when nothing woke up me up – not Sheena or the 13 people who showed up in the middle of the storm setting up camp. It was lights out for me until my bladder forced me out of the tent, only to come back to a migraine that lasted all night. When I woke up in the morning I was shocked to see all the tents surrounding us. What a good crew – they were so quiet and respectful!

We started off the morning with a small climb that was so much more manageable than the previous 2 days. The grade was forgiving and the clouds started rolling in shortly before we reached the top. We had lunch and were able to dry out our soaking gear. Just in time for the rain! We had a good downhill where we experienced on and off rain with thunder. If anything it really made the mountains look mean, shrouded in clouds with lightning striking the granite.

Towards the end of the descent to Mt Princeton, we had a decent road walk. At one point we were walking on a cliff edge with blind corners, not the most ideal place for a walker, especially with the rain. At this point it became a matter of safety. I lazily put out my thumb to see if anyone would want to give two hikers who smelled worse than a wet dog a short ride to the hot springs. Sure enough, on the first try, Bruce stopped and offered a ride, quite surprised that we only wanted a 1/4 mile hitch. He offered to take us to our final destination (our campsite for the night, not Durango – though I’m sure he’d drive us that far even!) but I wanted to walk the last 2.4 miles. What I didn’t realize was those miles were also on the road. D’oh!

So after a quick snack at the Mt. Princeton hot springs we were on our way avoiding cars on the very busy no shoulder road. Soon we turned onto a small county road running parallel to a busy river that was lined with the cutest little cottages.

Eventually we made it to our destination, bootleg campground. And wouldn’t you know, for the third night in a row we made camp with seconds to spare before getting poured on with a side of deafening thunder. This time the storm got a little spicy and threw some hail our way. This is quite honestly getting old, would love for some good weather to come back our way.

Day 21 August 7; 8 miles

After a night of on and off rain, the universe decided to wake me up with a wickedly nauseous stomach. I won’t go into too much detail, but thank god Sheena brought a whole pharmacy with her. We both haven’t been feeling great the last day or two, we’re hoping we picked up a small bug from somewhere and not the infamous giardia.

Just a small note on how small the world is, at dinner (impeccably timed between rain), I spotted someone with an Eagles hat. Having sold Eagles merchandise (hats specifically) for a few years in college, I can spot them from a mile away. Turns out he’s from the next town over from me. Lots of South Jerseyians gracing the trail with our presence!

We set out for what was expected to be an easy day with small and manageable climbs. Unfortunately for me, my stomach made every step feel like an effort. I had no energy and my muscles did not want to work to get me moving normally. With long rest breaks required every half mile not only for exhaustion but bathroom breaks – I knew something was wrong. We formulated a plot to ask anyone we saw day hiking to potentially take us into town.

During a rest two ladies on horses (of all the horse poo we’ve seen on this trail, we had yet to see a horse – until today!) strolled by us. After talking and petting the horses, Sheena asked if they could take us into town. If we could coordinate our end times, they’d be happy to. We had 2+ miles to get to the trailhead by foot vs their steeds, so the chance of meeting them was unlikely but worth the risk.

With the only thing I could stomach being fruit snacks, I felt a little better after talking to the ladies. But it didn’t last very long. I was right back to walking like I had a few too many drinks and feeling even worse. Knowing we probably wouldn’t make time getting to the trailhead (it was an additional 1.5 miles), we ran into a woman waiting for her husband and daughter hiking a falls trail. We let her know we were meeting someone to get picked up, but wasn’t likely to happen. She said if we were still at the trailhead when they came down, they would take us.

Turns out we didn’t make it in time for the horse ladies and thankfully the family was happy to give us a ride. They were such a nice family from Florida visiting for the week. With it being such a bumpy ride, I had to work at not throwing up in their rental with such a queasy stomach. And I was successful! They were so kind and friendly, we couldn’t thank them enough for their generosity.

I have a saint for a cousin who lives in Salida who was gracious enough to host us as we recovered. I showered and am planning on going to bed super early to help fight off whatever is going on in my body.

No pictures, I barely even remember this day!

Days 22/23: off days in Salida

I woke up the next morning at 6:30am. I have never slept that much in my life. Almost 16 hours! I felt refreshed but my stomach was definitely not where it needed to be to get back on the trail. We decided to take at least 2 days off trail to recoup, it would be a disaster to push forward with a bad stomach and total food aversion. I have already lost 12 pounds at this point, I’ll be running low on reserves soon! 

I went to urgent care where I was given antibiotics as a precaution for girardia. Really hoping it clears up before that happens! 

The rest of our time in Salida we putz around, exploring the town and going shopping for resupply. By the time Friday rolled around, I was feeling up to eating. We had breakfast with Stephen, someone I met on Instagram who has also hiked the CT in addition to the PCT and AT and has also ridden the transam and the southern tier. Talk about a resume! He happened to be in town and we picked his brain for CT tips all while I accidentally insulted his mother. Debbie sounds like a lovely woman who raised an excellent son. 

We also were reunited with David who just wrapped up his section hike, only to return to the trail next week to complete the whole trail! After back to back 25+ mile days, he was understandably famished and we enjoyed a good dinner with him while also picking his brain, without insulting any family members. 

We are going to slackpack tomorrow in an attempt to see if we’re truly ready to be on the trail after the last few days. With easy elevation and a light back, fingers crossed we’ll be okay! 

Day 24 August 10: 14.4 miles

Feeling better, I was ready to test the waters with a slackpack day. Tess was kind enough to brave a rocky unpaved road to get us up to Marshall pass trailhead. We said see ya later and headed out on our way. 

When we reached the summit of a short climb, we were greeted with epic panoramic views of mountains and green valleys. We also were accompanied by what felt like thousands of mountain bikers, for whom we constantly had to jump off trail to prevent a wreck. While they were obviously having fun and enjoying a nice Saturday ride, it was concerning as a hiker how fast they were going around blind turns. Luckily we avoided any fatalities. 

After a few pictures, we were ready for our 8 mile descent. It was quick and unnoteworthy aside from Sheena meeting some women who offered us a ride back into Salida. Soon, however, we realized they were taking the west route while we opted for the east. Alas, another opportunity gone with the wind. 

After an uneventful descent down to rt 50 (encountered one small storm and a lot of sad soggy hikers who have spent the last few nights getting dumped on), we were ready for what was expected to be a long hitch. According to everything I’ve read and everyone we talked to, I thought it would take no shorter than 20 min to get a ride into town. Without much time to spare, we got right to it and wouldn’t you know, we got a ride in 1min30sec. A new record!

Shane and Braxton were on a father son road trip before Braxton was headed to his freshman year at Kansas State this week. They were on their way back to Kansas from Durango when they decided we didn’t look like axe murderers and gave us a ride to town. 

In all, I feel about 85% back to normal. I’m still a little queasy with certain foods and appetite hasn’t kicked in fully, but I’m certain with time I’ll be back to full capacity. I’m confident that getting back on the trail tomorrow with a full pack is the right move, and should things go awry there are bailout points along the way. 

After dinner, showers, and arranging a ride back to the trailhead for the morning, we’re off to sleep for the last night in a bed for a while. 

Day 25 August 11: 16.6 miles

What a sad morning. I said goodbye to the comfiest bed I have ever laid in, Tess’ 3 amazing cats that medicated my pet need, and Tess. I cannot thank her enough for her hospitality and kindness during our stay in Salida. She was integral on getting us healthy and back on the trail. 

Because she’s flying back home this morning, she wasn’t able to give us a ride back to the trailhead. So we arranged for a taxi and we were on our way. 

With our next resupply close to 90 miles away, we have a very heavy food carry to get us there. After yesterday’s light pack, that food felt like a ton. But luckily the elevation profile for the next few segments looks forgiving for not only the heavy food, but also for picking up miles. 

The day started with heavy fog right out of Middle Earth. It did start to lift after a few hours and we knew we were entering the dreaded “cow patty” section. This is where the water is scarce and the water that is available is contaminated with cow poo. Yum, just what an unsettled tummy wanted! So along with a heavy food carry, we knew we would want to stock up on water too, just adding to the already busting packs. 

We’re upping mileage in an attempt to make it to Durango by the 24th. We’ve been out here long enough, no need to drag it out!

My appetite has not returned and I am a little worried about losing more weight. I’m definitely losing muscle (but when men would routinely comment on how jealous they are of my arms, I’m happy to lose a bit of muscle), and I’m not sure how sustainable living off reduced calories is when we still have well over 200 miles left. I still feel strong and capable- but for how long? Hopefully my hiker hunger comes back soon! 

We ended the day a little shorter than anticipated when a good camping spot showed up. We ate dinner, reacquainted ourselves with a bear hang, and are ready for bed. Hopefully no cows come along in the middle of the night!

Day 26 August 12: 17 miles

I don’t even know what to say about last night. We went to bed with clear skies, convinced that we evaded what most other hikers weren’t so fortunate- the nightly rains. When preparing for this trip, I was ready for daily afternoon storms, after all July is monsoon season. What I was not prepared for were nightly terror sessions with abundant lightning and buckets of rain. But sure enough, at 11pm I was awoken by paparazzi lightning and booming thunder. What was so specifically odd about this storm was there wasn’t any rain or wind. It was so still. But up here, if there’s lightning you want rain, as wildfire can be sparked with just one strike – and there were thousands of them. Some a little too close to our tents. But alas, after about an hour, the rains came and didn’t stop for what felt like the entire night. Great – another wet morning with wet gear. 

I can’t speak for the view for the vast majority of today’s hike, as I was forced to keep my head down looking at the trail to manage the excessive amount of rocks. I understand why they’re there – for drainage and to prevent erosion, but my goodness are they beyond annoying. Careful attention has to be paid lest you roll and break an ankle. 

In addition to rocks, there was an abundance of wild raspberries that lined the trails! Now I’m not one to go off and taste random berries I see out in the wild, but I know a raspberry when I see one. And wow were they good. Tart and perfectly ripe, I had my fair share and left the rest for the bears. 

Afternoon storms blew through soaking us with rain, but they were short lived and we kept our fingers crossed that there won’t be any more 11pm lightning storms tonight. 

Today was one of those days where I really missed home. I miss my cozy house and all the animals that live there, my friends, family, and particularly badly, I miss my old routine. Being out in the wilderness is definitely difficult (but rewarding) and really makes you yearn for just simple routine. If only I could not have to worry about going back to work!

Officially hit 300 miles today, only a few hundred more separate us from returning back to normalcy!

Day 10 July 27; 15 miles

After having a great and filling dinner with Mike and a night’s rest in an actual bed, we woke up ready to take on the day of slackpacking.

For those who don’t know what slackpacking in, it’s when you leave all your gear at a safe place where you finished your previous day’s hike, take transportation up the trail, then hike back. It’s favorable because you can get in a lot of miles with a lighter pack. We thought this was a great idea, and even convinced Mike to join us.

We caught the bus over to Copper Mountain and after an unnecessary mile road walk, we finally found the trail. And it was all serendipitous because guess who we saw crossing the street just as we were approaching? KDog! We were so excited to see him looking strong as ever. After a short hello and goodbye, we set off for the day.

The first 5 miles were a climb. An unrelentless climb. People suggest slackpacking because it’s easier to get a big climb out of the way early and enjoy a less intense descent back to Breck. Boy, were we served a lesson. We quickly realized that maybe this wasn’t the best idea, the grade of that climb was aggressive even with a light pack. But it’s the decision we made and we were gonna stick with it.

After a few hours we made it above tree line and what a sight that was. It was dizzying how exposed we were and with one misstep we would surely meet our maker. We could see for miles which commanded frequent stops just to take it all on.

During our ascent, we ran into many people we met on the trail. Because we were going the opposite direction, we were met with many confused looks. We saw the Lobbyist, Ben and Matt of the former Foursome, Chickadee, Liz, and Gizmo.

We finally got to the top and took plenty of pictures, elated that the climb was finally over. But soon dread took over. It was already early afternoon and we still had 8 whole miles to address. Sure it was all downhill, but 8 miles is 8 miles and we were already fatigued from that Appalachian graded climb!

But we troopered on. After outrunning a nasty storm, we arrived back at the bus stop at 6:46p, just one minute after the bus. Shucks. We had to wait a whole hour before the next one. This day just didn’t want to end! Luckily with good conversation that hour flew by and we arrived back at the air bnb exhausted and ready for bed.

Looking back on it, I would not choose to slackpack this segment. It wasn’t worth the aggravation, but hindsight is 20/20. We got to know Mike (aka skyline aka jolly rancher) really well and saw what an inspiration he is. At 70 he’s kicking butt! I’m sure one day we’ll look back on this day with a smile, but that will probably take a while.

Day 11 July 28 13 miles

After the long and arduous journey slackpacking yesterday, we decided to take advantage of warm beds free from bear threats and sleep in a little. And a few cups of coffee help wash down whatever the heck yesterday was!

We had to take the bus back to Copper Mountain to pick back up the south bound route. Mike is taking a few off days in Breck with his family, so I’m sure the next time we see him he’ll be well rested body and soul.

But alas we must trudge on. We had a little later of a start with an unsure plan mileage wise. We have two passes to get over both of which are very exposed at over 12k’. So, like most days, we decided to wing it.

When we got above tree line we were greeted with one of the most gorgeous views. Sprawling green rolling hills with Sierra flavored mountains in the background. I would think I was back on the JMT if not for all the green surrounding me.

After passing Janet’s Cabin (no vacancy) we crossed over Searle Pass. Past this point we considered setting up camp for the night, as we were exhausted from not only yesterday, but the past 10 days of hiking without a rest day. But being over 12k’ and the wind kicking up, we didn’t want to risk a sleepless and freezing night – though for once we weren’t threatened with rain! There was a beautiful blue sky smiling down on us all day. We made the decision to forge forward and push to below tree line. We knew we were in for another late night, but that’s just a part of backpacking.

We crossed over Elk Ridge, then actually descended to Kokomo Pass. The views were enough to make you involuntary break into singing, “the hills are aliveeeee with the sound of….” But no one actually wants to hear me sing.

Soon we made it to below tree line and found the first acceptable place to camp. It isn’t remotely close to flat, but it’ll do in a pinch. We set up camp, ate, and pulled off a frustrating (though beautiful) bear hang. After that it was dark and time to be reacquainted with our tents and sleeping bags. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about the delicious food (blueberry pie!) I’m missing out on for family Sunday dinner, but mostly sad I’m missing out on niece and nephew time! Those kids are gonna practically be adolescents by the time I get back!

Day 12 July 29; 12 miles

I really like this campsite. Yes it was a last minute decision made in exhausted haste, but it was quiet, free from animals, and not incredibly cold. I’m expecting to be cold every night moving forward, it’s just what level of cold will I be? Mild? Moderate with shivering? Or maximum with minimal sleep? Last night was mild and manageable, though the sloped ground didn’t promote great sleep.

But the trail doesn’t care about how well you slept so we got ourselves moving right along. The first 5 miles were all downhill and we finished them relatively quickly and stopped for a long break by Camp Hale bunkers, a WWII training camp for the 10th mountain division of the US Army. Pretty cool!

The rest of the afternoon was a relatively gentle climb up to Tennessee pass, nothing really to write home about.

When we got into camp (early this time!) Sheena realized she had service and was able to talk to Steve. Ever the brilliant mind, Steve suggested he drive the 15 min to pick us up and spend a night indoors and he’ll drop us off in the morning. What an absolute brilliant plan! Shower, pizza, ice cream, a bed, and coffee in the morning? No brainer. We hustled down to the road and awaited Steve.

Day 13 July 30; 13.8 miles

After a night of indulging in pizza, ice cream, and TV, I went off to bed early and had a wonderful night sleep. When you wake up in the middle of the night not knowing where the heck you are, you know you were in a deep sleep.

Got up early to enjoy a cup of coffee or two and to get the pack ready for a little jaunt in the woods. And that’s about all it was. Some nice views, some steep climbs to get there, and ran into a lot of new and old faces.

With a lighter pack the miles felt much easier and we were ready to be picked up at 4:30p. Thankfully, Sheena’s neighbor was able to grab us so we could enjoy an evening and night complete with tacos, can’t ask for a better way to end a long almost 2 weeks of hiking. We’ll have 2 days off in Leadville as Sheena catches up with real world things and I plan the next few weeks as well as bag the highest mountain in Colorado – Mt. Elbert!

Off(ish) days July 31- August 1

Four whole nights in a bed and four days of real good (and coffee!). Going back to the trail is going to be tough after spending all this time being spoiled in Leadville!

Wednesday I walked into town and planned out the next few weeks. We have some big mile days in our future! Because of time and resupply concerns, we have decided to take the Collegiate East route, as it isn’t as treacherous and has more resupply options, lending itself to lighter packs which is always a plus.

Thursday I decided to take on Mt. Elbert – the tallest mountain in Colorado and second only to Whitney in the contiguous United States. I originally was going to do a side trip up it, as its trailhead is right off the CT. But since Sheena lives so close to it, I decided to seize the opportunity of doing it on a rest day!

It’s a 10 mile out and back route with over 4k’ of elevation gain to the summit of 14.4k’. And it was every bit as tough as you can imagine! Air is thin up there and there are some hefty stretches of over 22% grade. But with time, rest, and persistence I got up there before 9am. It was the most beautiful day – blue skies, 70 degrees, and no wind! So unusual for being that high, I really picked the right day!

There were a lot of folks at the summit, including two women I recognized! We met Kristen and Yvonne a few days prior on the trail. From Switzerland and Germany, they are used to beautiful views! I spent some time at the summit before making my way down. While I could spend all day up there, I had things to do to get back on the trail the next day!

Those things included dropping off our resupply package at Twin Lakes. What a beautiful little town! Driving up to it almost took my breath away with the towering mountains protecting the lake twins underneath. I can’t wait to go back!

Day 16 August 2; 15 miles

4 nights of sleeping in an actual bed and days of eating actual food have made us spoiled. Getting up early to get back on the trail was only worth it for the coffee. Steve saved the day again and dropped us right where we left off Tuesday and we were on our way back to the depths of the forest.

Can’t say this segment lent itself to too many views, it was primarily in the trees. But that’s okay because it was not super strenuous. With rest breaks we were able to cruise into camp at a decent hour. The best part of the hike was walking with views of Mt. Elbert right in front of us. I could even see the exact trail I went up and down yesterday! I knew Elbert would be special, probably why I knew to name my welcome bear after it!

Something of note I forgot to mention in the first 100 mile blog. I can now add hummingbirds to the list of birds I’ve been attacked by. And unfortunately for me, it’s a long list. Birds seem to hate me as much as I hate them. But of all the birds, hummingbirds are the only ones I actually really really love. So imagine how upset I was when I am constantly being attacked by them out here. And there are a ton of them. The most egregious event was one flew right by my head (you can hear their fluttering wings from a mile away) and landed in a tree just feet away from me. We had a mini stare off where I called him a pretty boy and wished him well on his search for nectar. Well he must have taken offense because that small little torpedo of a bird launched itself off that branch and went straight for my head. It was absolutely terrifying. I soon noticed that hummingbirds fancied my head and although I didn’t have any more kamikaze attacks, they loved hovering around me. That’s when it clicked – they don’t actually hate me, they think my head is a flower! I am never without my red Phillies hat, which looks a lot like a hummingbird feeder. I was so happy when I made this connection. Though I’m sure they’re not happy to come out empty beaked (there’s not much in my head – and nectar sure ain’t taking up any valuable real estate), I’m happy my truce has been made with the hummingbird population.

With a good dinner, great bear hang, and a good hour to finish a book (bringing a kindle was worth its weight in gold), I was off to sleep by 9pm. Pretty good day in my book!

Day 17 August 3; 20 miles (10 walked, 10 hitched

Even after all those nights in a bed, there is something comforting about the coziness one finds in a tent. While KDog thinks my tent reminds him of a coffin, I do find great peace and solitude inside that little tent. I would much rather choose to have a toilet than a bed. But all that to say I enjoyed a great night sleep and wasn’t cold for once!

We set out early for a 6 mile walk to Twin Lakes. I dropped off a resupply there after Elbert and was excited to go back. But after carrying only one day’s worth of food, getting a heavy resupply is going to be a wake up call. That’s just the nature of the beast.

It was a relatively mellow walk into town, but a fortunate one for as, as we bumped into Gabby and Ava. We spoke to them for a little and arrived into town together. That’s where we saw Mike! We caught up and he told us all about his wonderful visit with family. He also told us he was apprehensive about doing the collegiate west, as the last few days have been a struggle. I suggested hiking the East with us, as it’s less strenuous and many options to bail out should misfortune arise. He agreed (to his wife Sally, you’re welcome – I’m sure you were worried about him!) and just like that the three amigos were reunited.

Talk about misfortune- we also ran into LifeSaver, who we saw in the beginning and figured he’d be practically done by now. He unfortunately suffered from a pretty severe infection that landed him in the hospital for almost a week. I couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened if things took a turn for the worst when out in the wilderness. But at 19 he has youth on his side and seemingly can bounce right back from near death.

Back in late June there was a substantial wildfire that greatly affected the Twin Lakes area. For a while, both the East and west collegiate routes had significant detours. Prior to today, there was a lot of misinformation about which was opened when. Turns out the East has an 8 mile detour in place through exposed highway and county roads. Being that it was in the 90s, blazing hot, no shade, and no water, walking the detour was out of the question. We decided we were going to hitch it then and there, and with the general store telling us it was currently the busiest day of the year, we figured getting a hitch may not be so hard.

That’s when I remembered Gabby telling me her wife would be picking her up around noon. I relayed the information to Sheena who felt comfortable asking if we could join and get dropped off at the end of the detour. Fortune favors the bold and while mike and I were unsuccessfully sticking out our thumbs for a ride, Sheena gave us a thumbs up that we had a ride! And before we knew it 6 of us stuffed into a Subaru and we were on our way. And we couldn’t be more grateful because wow that road looked treacherous, hot, and dusty. We passed one unfortunate soul huffing it but with Gabby stuffed in the trunk, we had no room to offer her.

When we were dropped off we realized that the hitch took off 10 miles of the hike, giving us a good excuse to have a shorter afternoon hike and a good reprieve at camp. With it still hot and exposed, we again were grateful for our fate. And the views were incredible, some of the best so far. Upon coming to the ridge of a climb, we were greeted with one of the most beautiful canyon sights. Cloaked in green, it felt like we were in the middle of a fjord in Norway. Very magical.

We got into camp late afternoon with plenty of time to soak our feet in a creek and just relax. Again, could not have asked for a more perfect day.

Day 18 August 3; 15 miles

After a great night of sleep on an actual flat surface, I was ready for what the day was to bring. And that was some pretty hefty climbs. We had David join us. He’s segment hiking the trail throughout the summer and liked our 15 mile/day plan so he decided to join the crew.

4500’ climbs over a few miles is pretty aggressive, and we afforded a lot of time to complete them. Thankfully we managed and completed 15 miles before 6pm, just in time for the heavens to open. We had just enough minutes to set up our tents before the big show started with drenching rain and loud thunder. Luckily it didn’t last long and we all emerged from our tents eager to eat dinner. We also showed off our bear hanging skills and taught David the fine art of finding the perfect tree, tossing the rock over (though he has impeccable aim – just ask any squirrel – they curse his name), and heaving and hoing until it’s perfectly nestled high up in the trees. We have become bear hang masters.

Today was a super long day, but we have officially gotten 200 miles under our belts. The next few days look like they could go any which way, hopefully everything goes in our favor.