Days: 23
Bears: 1, absolutely terrified
Mooses: 1, entirely unconcerned
Giardias: 1
Lightning: too much
I did the Colorado Trail backwards, starting in Durango and ending in Denver. This was partly to avoid crowds and partly because I was later in the season and wanted to finish the higher, more rugged parts first. I was also coming straight off the PCT so I was in good shape and reasonably acclimatized. An unexpected bonus was that because almost all the traffic was oncoming, I rarely had bikepackers sneaking up behind me.
Route Map
The Good
The CT is a great trail with beautiful scenery. Despite what I’m about to say, I did really enjoy it and I’m very grateful I got a chance to experience Colorado and the Rockies. I was extremely impressed with the trail conditions (huge thanks to all the volunteers!). Parts of the San Juans were especially spectacular, even with the Washington PCT fresh in my mind. I loved the aspen groves, the beaver dams and lodges, and seeing my first wild moose. I loved how friendly and helpful everyone was. I loved Leadville and the Melanzana store. Give them all your money.
The Bad
I really, really hate lightning when I’m outdoors. My coping strategy was to try obsessively to make myself feel safer and more prepared: checking multiple forecasts, scanning the sky every few minutes to monitor clouds, poring over satellite maps to see if there was tree cover up ahead, poring over topo maps to see if I’d be on a ridge or if there was low ground nearby, and waiting until it seemed safe to hurry over passes and exposed stretches. I refused to hike before dawn, but sleeping in was not an option. The earliest I heard thunder was about 11am and it didn’t necessarily stop until well after dark, so early mornings were the only reliable hiking window. Weather was the only difference between a 15-mile day and a 30.
The net result was that I was either in the middle of a storm and actively scared, or merely basking in constant, low-level stress. I did feel better towards the end, but the trail was mostly below treeline at that point too, so it’s hard to say how much I actually adapted.
If you’re also extremely anxious about lightning, sticking with the usual Durango-bound direction could help you ease into the more exposed sections. At least you probably won’t be traumatized right out of the gate like I was. Also, everyone says to do Collegiate West and they make good points, but I was satisfied with Collegiate East. The CT gave me new appreciation for walking through trees. Trees are my friends.
The Ugly
The bark beetles have been extremely busy out there and not only is it terrible to look at, but in some places, you’d be hard-pressed not to camp under a dead tree. Also, a rodent absconded with one of my Darn Toughs overnight, voiding the lifetime warranty on that pair and leaving me stranded with only three socks for the last several days of the hike. This is possibly the worst thing that’s ever happened to me on trail.
Tips
- Buy the digital map on FarOut [link] and download the topo maps and the satellite maps. I set out on the CT very spontaneously and didn’t have time to order the guidebook or handbook, but I didn’t ever feel like I needed them. Plus, the guidebook won’t have the latest water reports.
- Purify your water. Colorado has a bizarre amount of livestock running around in places you would not necessarily expect there to be livestock. I resigned myself to treating my sources, but I was careless enough about it that I came down with giardia, stopped eating almost entirely, and nearly quit the day before I got to Denver. Don’t be like me. Either drink untreated water and embrace it, or make the effort to purify it properly.
- Try an emergency poncho. If you don’t like it, it’s only a dollar or two, but I loved mine. Yes, you will look stupid and you will sound stupid with all the rustling, but you can put your whole pack under it! And the airflow makes it less stuffy than a jacket. And if you’re huddled up in the rain waiting out a storm, it’ll keep you much drier/warmer than a jacket. Lightning storms will probably not kill you, but hypothermia definitely can.
- Consider investing more weight in your shelter. I love my tarp and bivy, but I went back to my old Fly Creek tent for this. Thanks to my anxiety over the weather, I spent far more waking hours idling in my shelter than ever before (stock up on e-books!) and I found it worth the weight penalty to be extra comfortable. Plus, I would have wanted to put the tarp up nearly every night, which takes me way longer than the tent, especially above treeline without natural anchors.
