Day 1, Hot Moonshine & Cheese
Hiked 13.8 miles
It was pretty hot to start. I mean. Maybe starting at 1pm when it’s ooo I don’t know 90 degrees isn’t the best idea. Fortunately, we followed a river the whole way up Waterton Canyon for the first 8 miles and could dip our heads and hats in the water to cool off.
Who’s we? Cheesy met me in Denver and is kicking the trail off with me! From work, to last call flight, to airport hotel arrival at 2am, to trail. Good to have a friend but an adjustment as well from my typical solo hikes. I’m remembering that hiking with friends is a whole different thing! A different endeavor. It’s about the time together and there’s a lot more checking in and coordinating around each other’s needs. All good things that mean you’re not alone. I haven’t done anything with a close friend in what seems like forever. It’s time to partner up. More solo adventures are plentiful, excursions with known friends are few and far between with the crazy travel for work thing I have going on. And honestly, I’ve been really lonely the past 2 months at my job. Trail and friends will do me good.
Cheesy started off being Cheesy and yelling out random statements like “my pack is heavy” or “I can’t hike, it’s too hard.” when really, she’ll do just fine. I’ve seen her push through pain on the PCT I don’t think I’d be able to.
The trail started on a wide dirt road in a pretty canyon following what I believe to be a drinking water source for Denver. We saw big horned sheep, a handful with their babies, too. We stopped here and there to cool off and once to eat, but mostly we kept up a good pace and talked- talked about all the things that filled the years in between our last hike. Life moves. The little details that never make their way onto social media platforms. The real stuff. Us.
About 7 or so miles in we got onto some single track, tucked into the tall pines, and started to actually climb up into the mountains. Nice gentle switchbacks, but just high enough in elevation to make your heart thump a little harder than normal. Pretty quick into the climb, the skies opened up after a solid crack of thunder and lightning reminded us how small we were. Cold rain, which actually felt kind-of good after being so hot, went from a “maybe it will rain a little” to a downpour in the same amount of time it took to stop and wonder aloud if we should get our rain gear on now or later. Ok, now then. Being that we were well within the tree line while the storm did its business, we simply kept our eyes on the trail ahead and kept on moving up the mountain.
The rain moved on after a bit, we snacked, watered up, and aimed for a camp spot that, come to find out, didn’t exist. The look on Cheesy’s face was utter devastation, which I’m sure we will laugh about soon, but she had reached her limit. I was ready to be done, too. Fortunately we only had to push forward on a gentle downhill path another mile beyond the non existent camp to find a good flat spot with an incredible view of the sun setting beyond the mountains we will soon be traversing.
Bed time. Sore legs. Felt very good to be moving. I can feel the muscles in my legs remembering what it’s like to hike. They want to be powerful little monsters and they will be. In time.
CT 2022: A Lil Thru Hike Begins.
Moonshine’s back, kids. Kicking off the Colorado Trail with PCT 16′ pal, Cheesy Momma Bear. It won’t be fun at all.
Day 2, hot box of awful
Hiked 14.5, Camped at 28.3
What the hell. Hiking.
Hot hot hot climb.
Day started nice but late. 8:30. Hours past a respectable thru hike start. Downhill 3 miles in an hour. River. A river we sat next to for probably too long. And then UP. Climb started ok. 2 mph pace. Always a hard climb away from rivers and towns. Why? Nature. But then, God…it just sucked. All of the sudden. Awful. A hot box of awful. So fucking hot. Sweat and salt everywhere. Salt dripping in my eyes, sweat flooding my bra, my butt crack, my everything. Doesn’t help climbing in the heat at 8k. Very little shade. Couldn’t breathe for shit either. Why do I like this? Who knows.
Around 2:30, after what seemed like the longest climb of my life, we leveled out just as storms started to show off their lightning skills in the distance, which didn’t feel distant enough seeing as we were hiking in a wide open field…once a forest but now a new post burn field with the occasional burned tree carcass reminding you that there once were tall trees here. After a few massive strikes, we dropped into a little gully and sat for almost an hour and ate some food to pass the time between looking at the sky and looking at each other. I mean, we were the tallest things in a wide open vulnerable space. Needless to say, that held us up. Then, when we finally got to this fire station to get some water from their spigot, we started reading ahead on guthooks only to see that where we wanted to camp had crazy high bear activity the past 2 days. Like, bears in camp getting people’s food from their bear hangs. Ursacs ripped apart, bears coming and going all night long. Notes about the bears were In more than one spot, literally every noted camp in a 6 miles stretch from our intended destination had active bears. So. Instead of getting in the 19 miles we wanted, we stopped early to avoid sleeping where bears would surely return for dinner in the night.
Already, this trail is not easy. I look ahead and see what we need to accomplish for the day and I’m like…fuck, can I do that? We are going to climb up to 11k tomorrow? Uh. God no, that sounds so hard.
Maybe I’ll hate Colorado in the same way I did last year… hate it for being hard to breathe and so exposed to lightning. Or, maybe not. Maybe I’ll get over my fear of being struck, not care that we have to plan our days around midday lightning storms, and embrace that I have to stop to catch my breath every few minutes.
Actually saw a lot of other hikers near the end of the day. Everyone was challenged by the day, not just us. Woof. Heat. Lighting. Beat.
Day 3, body, remember you like camping
Hiked 21.5, camped mile 49.8 aka mile 50
Climbed 4500 ft., highest point 10,650ft
It’s 8:30 pm, I’m in my tent and hoping I’ll be fast asleep soon. Not as hot tonight and my fly is half off so that should help with a better night’s sleep than last because last night’s sleep was CRAP. It’s like my body has forgotten that my sleeping bag and pad are comfortable, that I like it. Toss turn toss turn all night. Always that feeling of being aware of where I am, never the dark deep void of deep sleep. And it was silent. I need some noise. Fortunately tonight there’s a little stream that is making the sweetest little hum for me. Not loud from my tent, but loud enough to sooth.
The hiking was hard today, but we did it right starting early (6am sharp) and taking breaks at the right time to fuel the climbs. There were many climbs, and in reality, they weren’t steep. Wonderful grade. But with heat, a pack I’m still adjusting to wearing, and elevation above 9k, it felt pretty challenging, actually impossible, to ever get above 2 mph on an uphill. Just like burn out reps at a gym, we would hike up up up until our legs felt thick and sluggish and our heart rates thumped so hard our brains rattled and then, we’d stop moving, breath deep, rest for 30 seconds, let that blood with the little bits of oxygen it has circulate. Feel life reenter limbs. Go again.
The rain held off until 4pm. Skies threatened from noon on but we were in a thick forest all day so I say if it’s gonna storm, better in the forest than when I’m in a field. It actually cooled things down for our final 3 miles of climbing and I was thankful for that.
Day 4, let’s go to town
Hiked approx 19 miles, exit mile 71.9
Slept at Two Bridges Hostel in Bailey
We didn’t really break much today and my feet and shins were crying out against that. But the pull of a bed, shower, laundry, and dinner with time to resupply before Julia joins us was all the push we needed. So we hiked. Only breaking for lunch (but then cutting that short when we saw dark clouds rolling in). God, a nice long lunch break would have been so good for my feet. Avoided rain and lightning, got to the road at 4pm, and luckily we had been able to text the owners of a nearby hostel for a ride. Smooth. But damn my feet were toast. Cooked. Reminded me of my first hike on the PCT when I would hobble EVERYWHERE because the soles of my feet felt so tender to the touch.
The hostel is what I would want to own. Still a work in progress and being remodeled, but the property and building layout/structure is perfect. This beautiful woodsy log house tucked perfectly next to a river surrounded by big green trees with a long distance hiking trail just 20 minutes up the road? What’s not to like? Perfect little campsites are scattered all throughout the property and it’s even walking distance from a little brewery and very small gear shop. Swoon.
CT 2022: the first 70 miles, 3.5 days of ow.
Pretty pretty, lots of “i cant breath” walking, heat, rain, lightning, 10,500 feet up in the aspens, mosquitoes, moose sightings, stories of bears eating peoples food in the place you want to camp…you know-type 2 fun with a little bit of regular fun too.
once I acclimate, I think I’ll love it. I’m looking for the good in the pain cave. It’s there! Lessons in patience, folks. Trail legs will come, good sleep in my tent will come, and the ability to breath above 10k…maybe will come? Until then, one step at a time, I’ll appreciate the little good things like mornings, gentle grades, my pals, and my cool shorts.
Day 5, Julia Goolia
hiked 8 miles, Camped mile 79.8
Julia Goolia joined us today. Feels really nice to have her out here!
Spent the morning in Bailey eating and prepping for the day. Cheesy and I went to grab some breakfast around 8am and then resupplied at a gas station. Was it expensive? Yes.
I felt off all morning, symptoms almost akin to having an ocular migraine, but not as bad as ones I had in the past. A bit dizzy. Woozy. Just off. And lights felt funny to my eyes. Guzzled down some liquid IV and a bubbly water and about 30 minutes later felt a little less off. Who knows. Ocular migraine brought on by dehydration? Elevation? Had me worried about how the hiking would play out, but once we got to the trail around 1pm, I felt rather normal, save the heavy breathing when I moved.
Watching Julia just float down the trail reminded me how poorly I seem to do at high elevations compared to others and it made me realize that this trail really will test my patience. It already is. I need to learn to be patient with my body, remember it’s strong even though at the moment, I don’t feel that way. Accept that I can not breath when I hike fast at 11k. But it really can be so hard to accept, I see the trail ahead and I just want to go, to float like Julia, to plant one foot in front of the other and maintain the pace I know I’m capable of. The trail, the actual grade and terrain are not hard. Not steep. Lovely. And I see it and just want to fly up it. To feel free and strong. But instead, I’m steady, paced, and calculated.
We got to trail in the early afternoon and just did a smaller day, 8 miles. Got to camp at 6:30 or so, saving a 3 mile climb to Georgia Pass which sits at 12k feet for the morning. Should be beautiful to be up there. It’s where we will join up with the CDT. Still new to me miles because I took the Silverthorne alternate out of Copper Mountain when I was on the CDT last summer and I’m excited to see some of the parts of the CDT I didn’t hike.
The 3 of us dinnered on some rocks that gave us a little view down into one of the many folds of the mountain. The ideal spot to camp and chill had already been taken by 3 older men Cheesy and I ran into our 2nd and 3rd days hiking. Even though we didn’t have the spot we were hoping for, our little rock outcropping was cute and it was nice to be together and talk.
Being so high in elevation mixed with not seeing notes about bears AND being lazy, I opted to sleep with my food in my tent, but Cheesy and Julia decided to hang theirs using my rope. Sometimes so easy and other times, not. This was a 10 try kind of night. It was pretty comical watching them. Try, laugh, almost get hit in head with rocks or tree limbs, laugh some more, try again. Eventually, the rope got stuck and I couldn’t bear to watch the multiple attempts to free it from a snag in a dead tree. so I crawled out of my tent to see if I could help. Mainly just didn’t want my bear hang rope to get stuck in the tree so this was a bit more of a “let me do it” because if I fucked up the rope, I wouldn’t be annoyed in the same way as I would have been if someone else fucked up a piece of my gear.
My spots a little slanty and the night is still once again. Hoping for a good night sleep despite these things.
Day 6, hi cdt
Hiked 20.6, Camped mile 100.4
The day started with a climb up over Georgia Pass and I loved it. Alarm at 5, hiking by 6. I can sometimes be a respectable thru hiker. Having friends around helps. The light was perfect and the trail was incredibly beautiful. We got above tree line as we moved towards the pass, green rolling mountains stretching out to the edges of the impressive scraggly mountain ranges in every direction. After a too close to the trail 2nd shit that was meant to just be a pee, I caught up to the girls and we took a break on the descent near the junction for the CDT. Feels nice being on the CDT. Still a new to me section, but as I sat and enjoyed our break my imagination was filled with vivid images of my trail pals walking here the year prior as I struggle-towned my way through the Silverthorn alt instead.
Trying to figure out how to navigate hiking as a group while simultaneously thinking of it as a solo thru hike. I’m so accustomed to solo hikes- I mean even on my thru hikes when I’ve grouped up, it’s a solo hike with other solo hikers simply choosing to do the same things. I like when people are free to do whatever the hell they want and then choose to be around each other when they want companionship. You need a break and I don’t? Ok, no worries, see you up the trail! You hike uphill faster than me at this elevation? Ok, great, get it! I’ll see you up trail! Don’t get me wrong, there’s been laughs and having the girls is a good thing. I just know my hiking style now is a lot more on the “I want to hike my hike” train. It’d be different if this wasn’t a thru hike for me. If we were on a trail together for a week and that was the point, just that week’s experience, it would be completely different. I’ve done smaller backpacking trips with friends and it feels different when it’s not part of a thru hike. But when it’s a thru hike, there is a schedule to some degree, and unfortunately, I’m the only one of the three that is on a thru hike so I feel like my schedule is dictating the day, which never feels very good. It feels shitty when I can see my friends are tired but I’m like “ok, let’s go, we’ve gotta get this many more miles in so I can keep the right average to finish this trail in a month!” Also, even though I acclimate to the elevation slowly, my body is more adjusted to long days walking. I hike for a living and I’ve done multi thru hikes since the PCT. It’s like I’m always training for long days. I’m not hurting tonight and could very well walk farther if we needed to, whereas Cheesy is DONE. Cooked. Over it for the day and hurting. And it makes sense. If I were in her position, I would be fried, too.
The end of the day is the hard part. Finding a spot to camp that suits everyone’s needs and isn’t too far to break someone’s spirit, yet isn’t too soon to keep me from the average mileage I’ll need to complete this hike in the time I have allotted is delicate.
Day 7, a really good day
Hiked 18.8, Exit 119.2
Room in Copper Mt Resort Area
It was a really good day.
3 miles into Breckenridge, uber to breakfast by 7:30. Coffee to follow. Gear shop and snack resupply then onto the free town bus. Back to trail around noon. Up up up into the mountains. Eyes on the skies. Eyes on the radar. Thank you cell service. Sucking wind at 12k but flew back down to tree line without any issue. When there are black clouds looming nearby and I’m the tallest thing on a ridge line, my speed is never slow. Thank you adrenaline. The views were incredible in every direction. Our breaks were fun. The prettiest and most rewarding day by far. Ended with fried foods in Copper Mountain and a hotel room. Why? Why not? Either that or camp under a bridge in town. Wasn’t anything available that would fit 3 tents on the 5 mile descent, so, hotel.
I can tell I’m acclimating some. My pace is a bit better on the climbs. Once I’m above 11k, still sucking for air but yeah. My body is doing well. No real pain points. Thankful for that. Had good conversations with the gals today too. 💕 talked about how it’s a really big adjustment for me coordinating hikes with people. I’ve been hiking solo for so many miles…like 5,000 miles of solo hiking. Even when you get a tramily, you feel like you aren’t in the same type of partnership. You do you. If it doesn’t fit with what someone else is doing, that’s OK. Different experiences partnered. Anyway. Felt good to talk about. Call out how I struggle with the adjustment even when I want what we are doing and want to be with them. Love these girls. It was so nice to share these beautiful places with them today.
Day 8, I feel like I’m murdering my friends
Hiked 18 miles, Camped 137.2
Up and over Searle and Kokomo pass.
Very beautiful yet again. Quite possibly more beautiful than yesterday. We all ate some shrooms, just a little bit. They all hit us different and at different times.
Had planned to take a long and leisurely break together up on the ridge line near one of the passes, but the weather had other plans so we pushed up and over and settled in for a nearly 2 hour breather on the descent. Tucked ourselves into this tiered space under some big leafy trees surrounded by bushes. Felt like Bambi in a little deer nest. Laughed at a lot at the site of cheesy being attacked by every living mosquito while Julia and I peacefully enjoyed our nearly mosquito free lunch. Only 10 feet apart. It really was hilarious. Head net, pants, eventually she got into the mesh of her tent. She got that sweet sweet mosquito blood.
The past two days had a fair amount of extended down hill, which is flaring up Julia’s knee. We had to drug her up a little bit with some vitamin I to get her off the mountain pain free. Both Julia and Cheesy have some pains they are dealing with. Come the end of the day they are shot and I now still seem to have energy and strength. Thankful for this body. Thankful I’m adjusting to the elevation.
When we once again got to the spot we were hoping to camp and couldn’t (occupied), we pushed on and found a somewhat doable spot, not ideal but doable, about 5 minutes up. Really would have been a shit nights sleep on slanty terrain, and seeing as I felt fine, I powered ahead to see if I could find anything better (I did!). The girls just looked so defeated and it made me feel terrible to see them feeling that way. When I see them so beat by the end of the day and I’m like, hey let’s just go a little further to see if there is a better spot, I really just feel like I’m murdering my friends. It’s becoming a running joke now. “how’s the hike guys?!” “O great! I feel like I’m murdering my friends!”
Day 9, Leadville
hiked 2.5 miles
Hiked to highway 24 and then hitched to Leadville. The fella that picked us up passed and turned back for us. He spoke very little English, first language Spanish. once gain made me so thankful I spent time studying Spanish in Guatemala to be able to communicate with other people, while simultaneously reminding me that you lose it when you don’t use it. Still thankful for my broken Spanish.
Body Status updates:
Julia: hurt knee
Cheesy: Cramps, back flaring up, terrible pain in shoulder, tired
Me: actually pretty good. Just a little tired and anxious about weather.
Coffee shop, time on the big brown leather couch with each other, breakfast burritos, and espresso. Then, chores. Lounging at the hostel and mathing out trail mileage. Looking at weather forecasts. Obsessively looking at weather forecasts. Reading trail descriptions. Much indecision on next steps. Calling a tire shop in Durango to get new wheels and tires squared away post trail (mine apparently exploded on my caretaker, Fire Hazard).. Laundry. Wandering town, admiring the old Victorian buildings. Really nice dinner at Treeline on a rooftop patio, the girls all cleaned up and cute. Resupply after dinner. Grabbing trail food from the worst dollar general I’ve ever been to. Closing the day up at the hostel in our bunks.
CT 2022: When Julia Came to Trail.
Julia Goolia Sunny Pee Pee Baby Cow Whoopsie Poopsie came to hike with me and Cheesy from Kenosha Pass to Tennessee Pass. Miles were hiked in high places, butts came out (as did the mosquitoes), and pretty things were seen.
Day 10,
Hiked 12.5
Good bye Leadville. Good bye Julia.
Julia Goolia Sunny Pee Pee Baby Cow Whoopsie Poopsie. She didn’t want to push on with her knee hurting the way that it was and getting back to Denver from Leadville was too easy to pass up. Originally she had planned to be out with us for about a week, but called it after 5 days. I loved having her. Hearing about her life. Seeing her and Cheesy get along. It was really nice.
After all of the hours mathing and the mulling of everything (along with a touch of advice from my girls), Cheesy and I skipped up to the Collegiate West Alternate at Twin Lakes. With another round of bad weather rolling in, I wanted to take advantage of the good 2 days in the forecast for the section I was most excited about: Collegiate West AKA CDT High Route. This section of trail was something I had been looking forward to on the CDT as well, but at the time the weather was so bad – I’m talking freezing temps, sleet, snow, rain, wind, socked in bad bad, so – I took the lower route, Collegiate East. The lower East route was the original path of the CDT and CT, but after the West High Route was completed, the official CDT route shifted (although, both routes are recognized at the official route of the CT, really just choose your own adventure I suppose). Anyway, missing out on the chance to hike Collegiate West really bummed me out during my CDT summer, so I really wanted to be able to enjoy it’s high alpine meadows and exposed ridge lines with as little bad weather interference as possible. There was a small fraction of me that felt guilty for skipping ahead, like I was maybe going to regret not having the continuous footpath, but in the end, it felt like the move to make, especially with a friend around wanting to hike to most beautiful sections of trail in good weather as well.
We started off instantly climbing out of Twin Lakes. Climbed up and over Hope Pass. 2500 feet up and down. Steep holy hell. But the views were incredible. Had the weather looked pretty good for the day? Yes. Did it rain? Yes. Was there lightning? I’m sure there was. We mostly just heard thunder and didn’t see lightning. Changed into and out of my rain gear at least 6 times on the climb up. Damn that gear holds in body heat and the rain couldn’t make up it’s mind. To rain or not to rain, that is the stupid question. Just before the pass, I mean we could see the top, some clouds moved in, causing us pause. So we had a little snack in a small grove of trees, and just like that, when wrappers were being put away, the clouds parted, and blue skies beckoned us up the rest of the way.
Now the descent. O wow the descent. It was steep and went for miles, but all I could think about was how my CDT friends, friends like Beats and Tex and Bud, how my friends went UP that side. And I remember them, I remember everyone in town exclaiming, “Hope Pass!” Which would always be echoed by “Ahhh Man Hope Pass AND Lake Anne Pass!!” Now I get it. I get it. Damn. They were kings.
Once the steep bits had calmed down, we found ourselves tucked into a valley with towering mountains around us. The trail was kind and we wove our way around with sights of a backcountry dirt road paralleling us here and there. You could drive up here? Apparently. We found a cute spot to camp after some hunting, the kind of cute where you hear water rushing and see deer meandering and know you’ll face the sunrise. Cheesy was worried about bears, for good reason, it was probably a great home for bears, but I was feeling lazy and just put everything in my smell proof sac. But then, her nerves rubbed off on my nerves and I went on the hunt for a tree I could hang my food from that wouldn’t just act like a little punching bag for the tall bears. Found one, easily hung, and then slept like a baby.
Day 11, noodle legs, noodle head
Hiked 20.5 miles to Cottonwood Pass from Collieget West Trailhead, just a few minutes away from our cute little camp. Up and over Lake Ann pass. We’ve taken to calling out Noodles when we are struggling on the uphill. At this point for me, any uphill struggle really is about the altitude. With Lake Ann Pass sitting above 12k, Noodles indeed. Noodle legs, noodle head. Slow morning, most miles were made after noon.
Once we left Lake Ann Pass behind, we had nearly 10 miles of easy cruisy trail that spent a lot of it’s time below the tree line. Headphones were in and music was on. We had our hiker pace going and it felt reeeeeallly good to just move.
At the end of the day, with a little storm trepidation causing us to look at the sky more than we even looked at the trail in front of us, Cheesy and I made it to Cottonwood Pass with a push through open spaces with potential lightning anxieties in tow and actually scored a hitch at 7pm into Buena Vista for burgers and a whiskey.
We also scored beds in a dorm room at the Cottonwood Hot Springs, thank god because there was literally nowhere else to stay in town and we were about to wander in the dark 2 miles to a spot along the Arkansas River. Never fun in the dark to hunt down stealth camping. The fellas working at the bar took a liking to us or took pity on us, not sure which, but anyway, they were kind and one gave us a ride up the road 10 minutes to the hot springs when we were done eating so that we wouldn’t have to hitch in the dark. It’s easy to think the world is full of bad people, but really, there are so many kind and caring ones.
Day 12, hiding from storms in hot springs
Town and hiked 4.5 at sunset.
Spent the morning at the hotsprings and the day roaming Buena Vista to avoid hiking in storms all day. Mountains were socked in. The view from the valley wasn’t promising. You couldn’t tell there were 14ers up there. Just a bunch of low lying clouds hiding everything.
The hot springs were really enjoyable and our little dorm room experience was quirky. We were bunked with an older dad and his tween son. He was so chatty, the dad. Gave me the impression that this was the first time he’d ever stayed in a dorm and felt like we all needed to be be the bestest of friends before we went to sleep. He did an excellent job of winning us over when he cooked us all breakfast in the morning. Thoughtful man.
Around 6pm, we hitched up to Cottonwood Pass after the thunderstorms rolled through. We’d eaten enough pizza, and packed some out along with a burrito for dinner. @ part hitch. First one, vute young guy, early 30s maybe? He was cute. Second one, a ride with a fella named “weenus.” Old hippie, long silver hair with braids, little hippie knicknacks on the dash of his truck, knife in leather holster on his belt, soft spoken. He was so weird, I loved him. “Weenus,” he said. “Rhymes with…” and then sheepishly grinned. Cheesy thought for sure he was going to abduct and murder us, but she thinks that about a lot of men. I on the other hand wondered if I actually wanted to make out with someone my dad’s age.
Hiked 4.5 miles as the sun set. Glorious views. Some of my favorites yet. Slept above 12k. Terrible night’s sleep. Maybe the worst. But being able to hike that hour or two as the sunset up there was worth it. Like, those 4 miles may have been the happiest 4 miles of this hike for me. Fully blissed on nature. So fucking incredible.
Day 13, to hunker or to hike
Hiked about 20 miles.
Woke in a cloud. Hiked over 4 high points. Got over 3 passes before the usual noonish thunderstorm. Popped up tents in a deep valley, ate cold pizza, and promptly took a 2 hour nap cozy in my sleeping bag as the rains wreaked their havoc. Started up the final pass around 4:30 and got stuck waiting out a rouge storm once we were way up high between two passes close together that were sitting at 12,300 ft.
For real, I was super anxious when that second storm hit. We were so high, so exposed. We hunkered down a a little lower than the trail in an area that had some small scattered trees and tried to tuck into a space that felt protected but, I didn’t feel good in that spot. I still felt so exposed, trapped by nature and I just wanted to run, to get lower fast. We considered dropping down to lower elevations following the stream that began in the bowl between the two passes we found ourselves paralyzed between, the topo made it look like a doable cross country route. We had just begun to weave our way down towards the stream and I knew instantly it was a terrible idea. So wet. So bushy. Would have taken us a million hours to traverse down down down to the dirt road on the map that would get us back to trail. It was my idea and it was a super bad idea full of 4 feet tall wet manzanita and swampy earth. I apologized to Cheesy over and over and yet was so thankful that she was willing to give it a go. I just could not make up my mind on what the safe thing to do was- sit tight? get lower somehow? make a mad dash to get up and over the next pass? hope the other side offers better protection? Cheesy and I bounced ideas off of each other, drenched and getting cold, and both eventually just said fuck it let’s go. So we did and we survived.
Our final descent of the day followed on old mining railroad bed. A smooth wide path that made way for easy trail chatter and planning ahead for camp. We found a beautiful spot up on a little hill next to running water a little way off trail. Couldn’t ask for anything more.
Day 14,
Hiked about 12 miles. Saw a big moose climbing up from a lake- like a mountain goat!!
Hitched from Monarch to Salida. Super long to get a hitch, but eventually some guy that works up on the mountain snagged us up when his shift was done. He was super nice and his dog was massive.
Mexican food for late lunch. YUM.
Stayed at Simple Lodge and Hostel in a private room and met some chill thru hikers to hang and chat with. I had a pretty bad Migraine come on before dinner, so I was to bed early, but cheesy was able to hang with Pepa and some others at the hostel.
CT 2022: Moonshine & Cheesy on the Collieget West Route!
This section was the reason I wanted to hike the CT. It is the CDT route through the Collegiate mountains. It typically stays above 10k feet and is often above tree line. Due to some crap weather on my CDT hike, I chose a lower route last summer. It made me sad to miss it. Well! I’d say this section has some of the best views on trail and it was worth coming back to Colorado for.
Not pictured: trying to get down off passes as fast as possible when thunderstorms started booming. Sleeping for 3 hours in our tents mid day during a downpour and waking to flooded tents. Standing in tree line saying “should we wait for the sky to clear or go up over that 12k foot pass now?” A trip to Cottonwood Hotsprings. FARTING. Marmots.
Day 15, Salida zero
Zero in Salida with Cheesy and we made some hiker pals, Pepa in particular.
Some days ya just don’t feel like writing, this was one of them days
Day 16, solo hiking
hiked 15.5 miles
I bid farewell to Cheesy this morning. It was good to have time with my friends.
Got a ride up to the trail with a taxi I booked but not before obsessively checking the weather report. Pepa joined me for the ride and split the coast of the taxi (he overpaid and wouldnt listen to my objections). We walked together for maybe 10 minutes on a dirt road that lead to single track. A pit toilet was there, which can’t be passed up. I stopped to use the bathroom and didn’t see Pepa for the rest of the day. I was super slow on the uphill and wanted some alone time walking anyway so I didn’t push myself to keep going in the rain.
Slept in a cabin at Marshall pass with 4 other hikers. Got there at 3:30 after dealing with lightning anxiety and being dumped on for a while. The usual happenings of the CT apparently.
The cabin can be seen from trail, but then you do a few switchbacks down to a forest service road where the only thing you notice is a pit toilet at the trailhead. I pulled up guthooks to see if anyone had said anything about a public cabin and there were a few comments about it existing, so I made way way down the road to find it and was welcomed in by another hiker to a warm fire already blazing in the wood burning stove. Dried all my gear by the stove happily while I lounged on a cot. Had intentions to move on and hike at least 5 more miles once my things were dry and the rain let up. But, after an hour or two of feeling warm and dry, I decided a warm dry night was more important than more miles, especially knowing rain was in the forecast again tomorrow. No need for a wet tent and how often do you come across public free cabins on trail full of wood to burn? 3 other fellas showed up closer to dinner and we had ourselves a jolly ol time.
Day 17, moods
Hiked 26 miles
First half of the day didn’t have much rain, just clouds, but I couldn’t seem to get more than 2mph. It felt frustrating. 2nd half had rain, lots of it, some thunder once I was in an open field, heaps of mud, rocks, and roots. Took a one hour lunch break and then otherwise walked all day with just little 5 min breaks here and there to catch my breath, pee, or eat a handful of nuts. Set up camp around 7 for dinner and bed. There were multiple hikers camped in a 1/2 mile stretch, which is always comforting when I’m solo.
My mood was kind of sour today. It’s just so frustrating to be afraid everyday. Seems like the second I’m exposed storms roll in and I feel like I need to get the fuck out. So stressful. Made me think if it keeps on like this I might call it. I’m supposed to be having fun, not constantly looking to the sky and worrying about storms, imagining being fried to a crisp in my cute little hiking outfit, left dead for the birds and coyotes to rip apart.
Day 18, unplanned hitch out
hiked 11 miles
Hitch to gunnison
More bad weather? More exposure? I’m going to stick my thumb out and see what happens. 3 cars later and I was out of there.
Burger, beer, coffee, hotel, all the things that are better than suffering in bad weather and being afraid.
Day 19, unplanned zero
Zero
Hitch to Lake City. Super Rainy and stormy weather.
CT 2022: The Part With The Rain Jacket.
All the locals keep asking “how you doing out there with all the rain and storms?! Raining more than usual!”
Well, Kind Local, I’d say I’m surviving, but not thriving! Very happy with my rain gear (Pategonia gortex rain jacket with hyperlite rain skirt), but damn, the amount of rain and the constant threat of thunderstorms has really beaten me down! There still isn’t a clear day in the forecast and it’s gotten me to switch my hiking plans a wee bit.
Honestly, it’s my very big fear of lightning in exposed terrain that’s beating me up…and with daily storms and magnificently exposed mountain traverses my anxiety around being STRUCK BY LIGHTNING has SPIKED. I feel so vulnerable! Scared! Anxious! It really really f@cks with my head. There are others that just push on, look at the odds and go “eh, unlikely I’ll get struck.” And I’m like “AHHHHH I’M IN AN OPEN FIELD AT 12k AND I HEAR THUNDER I MUST RUUUUUUN!” It’s almost comical?
Anywho! This CT hike ain’t going to be a classic thru. I just bailed on a 50 mile stretch to get out of some storms, eat, sleep, dry off, obsessively check the weather radar, and I pop back up on trail in a different section. So this is now a LASH (long ass section hike) and when I get to Durango, I will have hiked all of the CT, but not in one continuous go. I blame it on me being a scardy cat and I’m maybe ok with that?
I’ve always said I wouldn’t let fear dictate my choices. It was my new years resolution years ago…but maybe in this case I’ve given a big enough effort and can just accept it scares the shit outta me.
My mom’s afraid of the dark and toads, my friend Bud is afraid of heights, and I’m afraid of lightning. What are you afraid of?
Day 20,
Hike 1 mile out, 1 mile back
Tried. I tried! There was a trail angel in town giving rides to hikers at noon. Fine, I’d would rather start sooner, but that’s when a trusted ride was available and I prefer that to hitching alone. Means I get more time for more coffee. Got the ride up. Started walking at 1pm. Got one mile. Trees thinned and lightning began. Sky getting darker, clouds all moving in. No thanks, not hiking into this. I turned around completely defeated as other hikers just kept pushing on around me, my heart pumping louder with each crash of thunder and crack of lightning, wondering how they can keep moving forward when I am riddled with panic and fear.
I retreated back to the trailhead to wait it out under the brick awning of the pit toilet. After a bit, another CT hiker rolled in, said hey, did the name things, how scary it was on the ridge coming in. He was hitching into town, did I want to hitch with him? Noooo no I’ve already been to town, I’m waiting out the storm and then I’m going to try to get 5 to 10 miles in. But then, as I watched him walk towards the road and stick his thumb out I thought, what the hell. I tried. And back I went to town with Frosty.
Pepa had hitched in as well before I got back to the trail head, so it was a mini reunion of sorts. the three of us shared a room and I ate way more food than I needed.
Day 21, CT high point
Hiked 23 miles.
Cried.
Best day in the forecast, still got rained on 3 times, still saw lightning. Cried. Was very prepared to quit at the first road to Silverton. I mean, I really cried. Only a mile away from the highest point on the CT, with literally no cover for miles, a storm rolls in and I know I can’t beat it. So I scramble my way down the hill side, which makes it sound smaller than it is, these mountains are high and massive, but they are like rolling bald hills in this section, rolling bald hills that lift you up nice and close to the low lying storm clouds hungry for something to ground themselves into. Like I said, I scramble my way down the hillside, maybe dropping 200 feet in elevation into a space that makes me feel like the earth will hide me from danger and pop up my rain fly, literally crying the whole time and yelling “It wasn’t supposed to storm today! this was the one day that didn’t have a storm in the forecast! I hate this trail! I’m quitting!” and on and on. And then I curled up, crying in my tent while I waited for it to pass hoping this wasn’t the last day of my life because what a dumb way to die…crying in my tent trying to hike a damn trail.
CT 2022: The CT High Point!
Was it pretty neat? Yes. Did this section have some of my favorite views on trail? Yes. Am I glad I came back to the CT/CDT for this? Yes. Did I cry cry cry not an hour before this photo because dark clouds rumbling with thunder were heading my way and I felt like I had nowhere safe to go? Yes. Did I yell “I fucking hate this trail and I’m quitting at the next road!” Yep. Did I hike past the road? Yes. Yes I did.
Day 22, I hide, skies seek
Hiked 18.5
Hid from the sky from 2:30 to 6 on and off.
Didn’t cry about it but wanted to around 6:30pm when I was up high on a plateau and another storm rolled in scaring the shit out of me. So much for weather reports. Original report said storms from about 2 to 5. It’s 9:30pm. Was storming just a few minutes ago. I practically ran down the mountain to camp and definitely skipped the switchbacks.
First half of the day: incredible. Gorgeous views. The shit that really makes my heart sing.
Tried to get to Stoney Pass early and failed. Missed out on seeing Bill by 40 minutes. He left a little note at the trailhead. So frustrated. Had I started walking at 6am instead of closer to 7 I would have caught him up there.
*I met Bill on the CDT the year prior. He and his wife took me in when I bailed at Stoney Pass and walked the forest service road to avoid bad weather. They offered a shower, but then did my laundry, invited me to join them for dinner, kept the beers coming, and gave me a warm bed to sleep in. WE had been texting all trail about meeting up while I was on trail, coordinated while I was in Lake City, didn’t have cell service to update him regarding my progress.
Day 23, train ride
Hiked 8 miles to the train
There is a train into Silverton! The CUTEST! After 8 pretty miles of hiking downhill past remnants of old mines, interesting rock formations from fault lines, little lakes, and densely forested landscapes, I emerged into this open meadow area where an old historic train line rolls through. It takes folks from Durango up to Silverton and will pick hikers up along the way.
I joined a gaggle of other hikers waiting for the train with their gear splayed out to dry and followed suit. Yard sale.
I wandered around town with a few of the hikers and thought about how if this was a longer trail, this would be about the time when trail pals would start to become a part of my tramily. But this trail is nearly done and we wont have time or the miles left for that.
Coffee, burger for lunch, throbbing headache, then hotel. Episode after episode of Grey’s anatomy.
Fire Hazard (a trail pal of mine from the CDT!) was in town from Durango to see some of her old AT friends, so I grabbed a drink with her and some CT hikers. Ordered some pizza to go and then: PIZZA IN BED.
CT 2022: The San Juans, Baby.
Here are some vista’s that made my heart swoon. This section was STUNNING. When I wasn’t frantically looking for low points to hide from lightning, I was LOVING it. The mountains went on and on in every direction and were so grand, imposing…just…wowee. lil ol me walkin way up high up and over these massive mounds called mountains. This section bounced around 12k for nearly 60 miles. Meaning. You up there. Fortunately for me, I was finally a weee bit acclimated breathing a little better, not as light headed when I pushed. Still, accents we slow and steady, but stopping to breath meant soaking up the views more (or panicking that the storms were approaching and I couldn’t get over the high points fast enough🤣)
Day 24, a most fulfilling & beautiful day
Hiked 12.3
Morning in bed, Greys anatomy, coffee shop at 10:30. Head to resupply and run into Frosty. Wander. More coffee. Gas station hot dog. Head to trail at 2:45, chill with some hikers giving trail magic, hiking around 3:30.
Some of my favorite views on trail. Red rocks. Dramatic cliffs. Lush green hillsides. Moody sky but not scary. Maybe a little scary, but not too bad. Colors popping. Incredible mountain pass with the perfect grade. Gorgeous views all around. Coyotes talking on my descent into a thick forest. Camped with 4 other hikers I had lunch with yesterday.
One of the most fulfilling and beautiful solo afternoons on trail, big part not having to hide from major storms. Eyes on the sky. Thunder didn’t start until I was cozy in my tent at 9.
If every day could offer what today did…that’s what I was hoping for on this trail.
Feeling strong, fit, capable. Not struggling with elevation. Incredible views with the imposing majesty of the mountains everywhere. Light. Perfect light and shadows. Birds, deer, pika, marmot. It was great.
Day 25, no real rain
Hiked 28 miles
Slow going this afternoon with some muscles cramping up near my right shoulder blade, but felt pretty good all morning. Got sprinkled on once and then no rain! Up and over a pass with no issues today.
Day 26, first 30
Hiked 30 miles
Hiking by 6:45 am. Perfect morning temps with climbs that took some work, but not too much.
Sunny, until about 9am when wisps of clouds started coming in, hinting at the urge to build up around the mountain peaks to storm.
First round of thunder waited until I was over the last pass of the day, around 1pm. Still, exposed in a scree field, I went as fast as I could without twisting an ankle to get into the trees beyond. Prevailing thought while hurriedly picking my way towards the trees : “the lightning isn’t going to have time to kill you if you do the job first falling a couple thousand feet down this scree field.” Got into the tree line just in time for a nice crack of lightning. A.Dren.A.Lin. Next few miles were a descent so the only thing to do was keep moving.
Round two came around 5. Lighting right over my head, thunder booming. So angry. So often. I get it. Move on. I hunkered down under some thick pine and aspen for a little bit when the rain started to pour and to calm my nerves. That lightning was close. All around me. The kind that makes the hair on your skin stand straight up and your ears ring.
And by 6, things were calm again. Slow roll of thunder far enough away that I stopped noticing it.
I’m camped 2.8 miles from the end of this trail next to a river that occasionally sounds like people laughing or telling secrets. I have Spider Monkey, a CDt friend, coming to get me from the trailhead at 8am.
I smell terrible. Almost went to the trailhead tonight, would be getting there about now (9pm) just so I could get out of these clothes. I haven’t washed anything since I was in Salida. It’s time. 9 days of hiking. Ew. But I stayed. What’s one more stinky night? And sleeping next to a noisy river sounded like a nice ending. So rarely did I get to sleep near moving water on this trail.
INSTAGRAM:
CT 2022: The Final 75 Miles.
They. Were. Beautiful. And I was only caught in one scary storm. These were my biggest 2 days on this trail. I left Silverton at 3:30 on a Friday with about 75 miles to go thinking I’d be to Durango Monday night. 3 and a half days. A whole day sooner, I was camped near the trailhead. I really do like walking. I had enough food. I could have slowed it down. But it felt good to hit that 30 mile per day mark. I see good camp spots when I’ve met my mile goal for the day and note how nice they are, look at the time, and go shiiiit I’ve got 3 more hours til sunset. Let’s goooooo! My body likes it I think. No pain. No injuries. No blisters. Very thankful.
Day 27, the end
Hiked 2.8 miles
August 7, 2022. Woke up with just enough time to pack up and make my way down trail to meet Spider Monkey at 8am. Packed up my wet things, did not eat breakfast or change out of my sleeping clothes, threw on my pack on for the last time and started hiking in the damp air along the river. Pretty immediately regretted not changing into my hiking shorts. Wool leggings are so hot. This made me a little cranky on the walk, and then I was cranky about the fact that I was cranky for the final miles. There’s this stubborn feeling you get hiking though- to stop when you didn’t plan on stopping is the worst. I didn’t want to keep Spider Monkey waiting and I didn’t feel like stopping to change. So, instead I was cranky. Really tried to shake it for the final mile and just be outside and happy, reflect on the experience. It worked some.
Being greeted at the end of a trail with a hug from a trail pal is really special. All crankiness dissipated.
Stinky clothes and all, Spider Monkey took me to a local greasy spoon for some amazing hiker trash breakfast before taking me back to my car; where the other life I live was waiting for me to get a move on.
CT 2022: It’s a Wrap!
May these 3 images capture the many emotions I had while hiking and upon finishing this trail:
1. Sigh of relief/wowwees/did I just do that/what an accomplishment/yay
2. Butts
3. Fuck you for scaring me almost everyday. That was rude! But then again, I kept coming back for more so maybe it’s my problem.
Post Trail, August 12, 2022
Hi! I hiked the CT!
Not as a continuous footpath, but, with everything I did last year on the CDT and this year combined, it all works out to being HIKED.
Did not expect to feel how I feel in my body right now after only a month of hiking. AMAZING.
My legs feel great. They look nice, smooth, strong. My ass looks amazing. Face is less puffy and back to looking like me. Boobs, smaller. I lost 10 lbs. Can I keep this weight? These legs? I love how my face looks, how my clothes fit, how I feel in my skin. Can I keep this feeling? I didn’t feel this good after 800 miles on the CDT. HOW DO I KEEP THIS?
The hike was beautiful. My takeaways:
- takes me 3 weeks to fully acclimate to high elevations (above 10k)
- I am terrified of thunderstorms at high elevations and it takes over my thoughts making it hard to just roll with the punches
- on thru hikes, I prefer to not have partners, on backpacking trips, it’s super fun and I like being in groups and partnered up
- I like longer trails better than little short thru hikes. You finally get acclimated, trail legs kick in, and then the trail is done.
- if I ever hike the CDT again, it will be a sobo hike, get all of the Montana miles in and hike in Colorado AFTER monsoon season. if storms are still daily, then I’ll take all of the lower routes in CO. Full send into the easy (reletive to CO) New Mexico terrain
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