Starting on Saturday, July 7th

Ok - I'm starting a westbound hike on Saturday July, 7. I don't necessarily want to hike in lock step with anyone but it would be fun to see who I might be roaming with. I plan on mailing all of my gear to some mailbox place or hotel near DIA - I'll fly in on the 6th - I'll probably hit up an outfitter for a can of fuel, a grocery for a few perishables (block of cheese maybe) and be on my way to Waterton Canyon. I've got Yogi's guide and directions by bus, light rail and the Jeffco call and ride and will do all of this as expediently as possible on the morning of the 7th. The big deal is that I only have about 20 days +/- to hike. I'm pretty fast but I am not expecting to finish on this trip - I'm thinking about 18 actual hiking days at 18 miles per day average - this is about 325 miles - we'll see how it goes but if I go slow, I'll only make it to Monarch Mountain Lodge (mile 253) - optimistically, I'll make it to Creede. If I'm really flying, I won't rule out finishing the trail but that's a long shot - I want to have fun. - I'll also build in a full day to shuttle back to DIA (by whatever means I can). Next year, I'll return to finish the trail west of where ever I stop this year. This year, my family wants me home by the end of the month. That's my plan - - like I said, I don't want to hike with you (as in, wait on you or have to catch up to you or share gear with you) but it would be fun to know who I'll be "hiking along side" and maybe drinking a beer with in Breckenridge and so forth ...... best to yall, papa d

You may want to edit your thread title (if possible) to reflect the July 7 start.

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Originally Posted by Cookerhiker

You may want to edit your thread title (if possible) to reflect the July 7 start.

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wow - you are right - not sure why I put in the 20th - not sure how to edit a thread title ??

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Originally Posted by Papa D

wow - you are right - not sure why I put in the 20th - not sure how to edit a thread title ??

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Have the moderator do it :D (it is now done..)

Wow, Moderator, your control and get-her-done are impressive. Like it. Bring it on...

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Originally Posted by Mags

Have the moderator do it :D (it is now done..)

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wow - great - thanks - took the data book with me to work today and perused it at lunch - looking forward to my trip - - hope to hike with some of you folks

Hi - I am starting on Monday 2nd July (fly in on the Sunday and staying at hotel near airport) and will be at it untill mid August. Im not fast (maybe 10 miles a day) so you will probably pass me on the way. I will be the Brit with the large red pack and currently have no walking buddy.
Im still puzzling over how to get to the start point at the Canyon so any pointers would be great - know that the bus will nearly get me there but is a Taxi feasible for the last few miles as I am not up to speed with public transportation in the US?

Patch

Hmmm.... A hotel near the airport? Sure, it'll be convenient when you land, but IMO, on the Sunday you'll be a man on a mission. Your mission will be:

1) Hit the supermarket to buy supplies for the first stage of your hike.
2) Hit the outfitter/gas station to buy stove fuel (you're not planning to fly with stove fuel, right?)
3) Hit the REI store to buy any last minute bits of gear such as Aqua Mira.
4) Hit the post office to mail a re-supply package up the trail (at 10 miles per day you'll be 11 days to Breckenridge...you're not planning to carry 11 days of food, right?)
5) Hit the liquor store to buy a bottle of "ground softener" that you can nip from every night before bedtime.


With all of those chores to complete before your Monday departure, IMO you should select a motel that is near public transit (light rail) and near a supermarket. Without a good location, there's no chance you'll get all of those chores done. Personally, I elected to stay in the Denver Tech Centre neighbourhood which is right on a rail line. The neighbourhood is dead and boring, but the rooms are cheap and they're handy to transit. Google Maps will help you find out whether there's a grocery store near you motel.

The other advantage of staying near a transit line is that it will probably be less expensive when you want to actually hit the trail. You can take the train to the very last station on the line and then call a taxi, which will cost $3 for the transit ticket and then perhaps $20-30 for the taxi ride. If you are staying at the airport, you'll end up paying a cabbie $75 or $100 to take you to the trailhead.

You still have lots of time to make your arrangements, but I cannot encourage you enough to spend some time using google maps, the RTD system map and hotels.com to select a motel location that will work well for you.

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Originally Posted by Busker

Hi - I am starting on Monday 2nd July (fly in on the Sunday and staying at hotel near airport) and will be at it untill mid August. Im not fast (maybe 10 miles a day) so you will probably pass me on the way. I will be the Brit with the large red pack and currently have no walking buddy.
Im still puzzling over how to get to the start point at the Canyon so any pointers would be great - know that the bus will nearly get me there but is a Taxi feasible for the last few miles as I am not up to speed with public transportation in the US?

Patch

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From Mags' website: Here's how to get to the trailhead via public transport: -

• Airport bus "Skyride" to Market Street Sation ($10) –
• walk to nearby lightrail station on 16th Street mall. Take Ligh Rail to Mineral – Lttleton station ($2)
• Taxi to Waterton Canyon TH ($20)

Here's the link to the entire site:http://www.pmags.com/colorado-trail-end-to-end-guide-2

Hi,
Thanks for the directions and hotel tips, it will be pretty helpful. I have booked and paid for the hotel already so I have to live with this.
I will hopefully be able to get the missing stuff the day before as I will be flying in on the Sunday and to be honest all I really need is the alchol for my stove (even though I dont see what the difference between taking this on the plane as opposed to the and 1/2 bottle of whisky that will be in my pack).
I am going to take 7+ days of food with me and see how I get on - maybe I will be faster on this trail as thier doesnt seem to be so much up and down work as others I have done. Also will have spent a couple of weeks previous doing some walking so should be well prepared and hit the ground running.

Thanks

So can you average more than 10 mpd? The looming issue for you in the begininng is your ability to acclimate. If you acclimate easily, you'll reach Breckenridge in 7 days where you can resupply, slackpack over Tenmile (if you choose), and then continue on. Hope everything works for you!

I find that altitude is a bit hit and miss - I have been up to 20000 feet with no problem on one trip and then suffered on another at less then 10000. I thought their were some minor resuply points before Brekenridge and was going to use these if I ran into problems - I know their isnt much at these but probably enough for me to limp in if I am desperate?
I should be OK at 10 mpd and have done a lot more than this at times (probably double) but just found that pushing it to hard always brings out the injuries and to be honest I have enough aches and pains to contend with without adding to them :-)

I am trying to cut the stuff I carry down to a minimum as its more fun this way but I think that going out with less then 7 days of food is not sensible.

Any tips on the trail would be handy...not being from around these parts.

Regards

Patch

Well I certainly agree not to push things, especially in the beginning. That's my philosphy as well. The only problem is that 10 mpd vis-a-vis 7 days of food means you have to resupply before Breckenridge and pre-Breck options are not impossible but limited.

This thread is an excellent discussion of supply options: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...esupply-points

The major other tip for you is water. Unlike when I thru'd last year following a wet/snowy winter, this year is much drier. Granted your early start helps things but be mindful of limited water options in Segments 16-18 and the first 7 miles of Segment 19 plus most of Segments 26-27. If you read my journal (link below), you'll see how we dealt with water on those segments. The journal will also give you a good idea of our camping locales.

Best wishes on your hike!

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Originally Posted by Busker

I am trying to cut the stuff I carry down to a minimum as its more fun this way but I think that going out with less then 7 days of food is not sensible.

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Well, IMO, you've got two basic options. First, you can pack 7 days of food, and haul 15 miles per day to end up in Breck on day 7. The first part of the trail is not super hard. You start out at about 5,000 feet in Denver and slowly work your way up to about 12,000 feet in Georgia Pass on day 6.

The second option is, if you truly expect that it will require 10 or 11 days to make it to Breck, you are best to buy a little extra food, and split your food bag into two. The first half you carry out of Denver, and the second half to mail up the trail to one of the towns near the trail, such as Bailey.

If you try to carry 11 days of food, you may be miserable because it should weigh 20-25 pounds. On the second day, you will be crossing a burned out area that has no water for 10 miles, so you'll be carrying extra water too. A day in the hot sun in segment two with the food weight and the extra water weight might be brutal (you should be expecting that the temperature for segment 2 might be 90-100 degrees F, or 33-38 degrees celsius with NO shade).

You can always try to scrabble together a re-supply in one of those small towns, but you really shouldn't expect more than gas station fare (potato chips, chocolate bars, other?).

Hey man - I'll plan on catching up with you and at least camping with you one night - - I'm worried a bit about water sources on the trail - - we may all have to camel up here and there.

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Originally Posted by StubbleJumper

.... On the second day, you will be crossing a burned out area that has no water for 10 miles, so you'll be carrying extra water too. A day in the hot sun in segment two with the food weight and the extra water weight might be brutal (you should be expecting that the temperature for segment 2 might be 90-100 degrees F, or 33-38 degrees celsius with NO shade).

You can always try to scrabble together a re-supply in one of those small towns, but you really shouldn't expect more than gas station fare (potato chips, chocolate bars, other?).

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Here's how we handled Segment 2: after camping the first night at Bear Creek, we got to the Platte River, cooked our dinners there, cameled up, and carried perhaps one extra liter of water than normal. Didn't leave the Platte (beginning of Seg. 2) until late afternoon, dry camped that night, got an early start the next morning before the heat of the day, and made it before well before noon to the Segment end where a nearby firehouse has water available.

The General Store in Jefferson, though small, has a decent deli where you can get a sandwich.

Busker, I've got at least 4 years on you and I wasn't in tip-top shape plus I had acclimation problems on Days 1 and 3. If I can make it to Breck in 8 days, you can make it in 7.

I'm aiming for Breckenridge in 5 days, 4 nights - need to make it there on the 5th day in time to hit the hostel for a shower and the brew-pub for an Avalanche Beer!

20 to 25 lb of food (11 kg to us Europeans :-) ) is a wee bit excessive to my mind. Thats why I am saying 7 days and it will probably be closer to 10 lb if I can get some sandwichs, snacks and crisps on the way (so now I am sure everything will be OK) - the more I carry the less chance I have of doing it but each day I walk the load gets lighter anyhow. I always tend to pack heavy anyhow (35 lb) which is maybe why I only average 10 mpd. The water I can live with but the heat could be difficult espically if its high humidity as well.
Maybe I will try the PO forwarding as a back up as it wouldnt hurt sending a few lb of food - but I am always a bit nervous about relying on this though.

"Hey ho, onwards and upwards apart from the downhill parts" was what my old headmaster used to say - mind you he died on Mont Blanc when he fell of.

[QUOTE=Busker;1285461The water I can live with but the heat could be difficult especially if its high humidity as well.[/QUOTE]

You shouldn't become too concerned about humidity. Colorado's climate is, generally speaking, semi-arid. Statewide, average annual precipitation is only 17 inches, although some places in the San Luis Valley average 7 inches, and some mountains see 60 inches on their Western faces. It's not just a matter of rainfall, but also a matter of altitude. The sun/UV index are rather intense, so moisture tends to evaporate quickly.

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Originally Posted by Papa D

Ok - I'm starting a westbound hike on Saturday July, 7. I don't necessarily want to hike in lock step with anyone but it would be fun to see who I might be roaming with. I plan on mailing all of my gear to some mailbox place or hotel near DIA - I'll fly in on the 6th - I'll probably hit up an outfitter for a can of fuel, a grocery for a few perishables (block of cheese maybe) and be on my way to Waterton Canyon. I've got Yogi's guide and directions by bus, light rail and the Jeffco call and ride and will do all of this as expediently as possible on the morning of the 7th. The big deal is that I only have about 20 days +/- to hike. I'm pretty fast but I am not expecting to finish on this trip - I'm thinking about 18 actual hiking days at 18 miles per day average - this is about 325 miles - we'll see how it goes but if I go slow, I'll only make it to Monarch Mountain Lodge (mile 253) - optimistically, I'll make it to Creede. If I'm really flying, I won't rule out finishing the trail but that's a long shot - I want to have fun. - I'll also build in a full day to shuttle back to DIA (by whatever means I can). Next year, I'll return to finish the trail west of where ever I stop this year. This year, my family wants me home by the end of the month. That's my plan - - like I said, I don't want to hike with you (as in, wait on you or have to catch up to you or share gear with you) but it would be fun to know who I'll be "hiking along side" and maybe drinking a beer with in Breckenridge and so forth ...... best to yall, papa d

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I hope you at elast get to finish section 21, it is awesome when you rise before dropping onto snow mesa and then whala....snow mesa (which is so cool). Good luck again with your hike, footing is much better there than we are used to on the east coast (except right before and after snow mesa). I believe if you can do 18 on the AT you could do 21+ out there. Altitude and weather arebthe only wild cards.

Busker:

Be advised - the Denver REI is in downtown Denver; nowhere near the airport.

It is very easy to reach the Platte River on day one. The first 6.5 miles along the road in Waterton Canyon are essentially flat or only gradually rising, but you are out in the open, so start early if it's going to be hot. The next 6 miles are uphill under tree cover; the last 4.2 miles are all downhill, again under the trees. There is a great campsite at the top of that hill (on yourr left) butit is dry. Better to go all the way down to the river, where there are campsites across the bridge. Your body will thank you the next day when you're faced with the burned area in segment 2 (actually, almost ALL od segment 2 is burnt area.

Segment 2 is all uphill and out in the sun. You'll want an early start so as to reach the trailhead parking lot at the end without being fried. The only water in segment 2 is at the fire station near the road crossing. Your next water is a few miles into segment 3.

Breckenridge is 105 miles from Waterton Canyon and can be done comfortably in 6 days. Even if you think it will take 7 days, only carry food for six. The free Summit bus stops right across the highway and to the left at the end of segment 6. The little enclosed shelter is readily visible. If memory serves, the bus comes about every 45 minutes.

First of all, I don't think he wants to hike 16.8 miles on his first day - not when he's spoken of averaging 10 mpd. Secondly, camping is prohibited by the Platte. The guidebook doesn't mention this but the signs all around do. Thirdly since he's just arriving, I wouldn't think he'd get a very early start on Day 1.

I'd recommend he camp the first day at the Bear Creek crossing at 8.7 miles. Get an early start on Day 2, arrive at the Platte, camel up, fill up, cook your main meal, and then pack an extra liter for a dry camp partway through Segment 2. Get up early on Day 3 and he should get to the road before the heat of the day. The road marks the end of Segment 2 with the fire station within eyesight to fill up your water.

Oh by the way, Segment 2 isn't all uphill - it rolls a lot.

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Originally Posted by Busker

20 to 25 lb of food (11 kg to us Europeans :-) ) is a wee bit excessive to my mind. Thats why I am saying 7 days and it will probably be closer to 10 lb if I can get some sandwichs, snacks and crisps on the way (so now I am sure everything will be OK) - the more I carry the less chance I have of doing it but each day I walk the load gets lighter anyhow. I always tend to pack heavy anyhow (35 lb) which is maybe why I only average 10 mpd. The water I can live with but the heat could be difficult espically if its high humidity as well.
Maybe I will try the PO forwarding as a back up as it wouldnt hurt sending a few lb of food - but I am always a bit nervous about relying on this though.

"Hey ho, onwards and upwards apart from the downhill parts" was what my old headmaster used to say - mind you he died on Mont Blanc when he fell of.

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You are leaving Denver with 10 lbs of food for 7 days? That's 1.5 lbs or 24 ounces of food per day. Personally, I have trouble finding foods that have sufficient calorie density to carry only 24 ounces per day. I need a minimum of 3,000 calories, preferably 3,500 (even at that, I began my CT hike last year at 189 lbs and finished at 168 lbs). Taking into account food preferences, I find that I need about 2 lbs per day (ie about 32 ounces of food at 110 or 120 calories per ounce).

A stop in Jefferson will certainly help. A 200 gram bag of potato chips has a lot of calories!

Why the aversion to sending a mail-drop? The US Postal Service is pretty reliable and a re-supply box costs about $5-6 to send up the trail. I mailed myself new socks and a whole re-supply to Twin Lakes and was quite pleased by the experience. You just need to be sure to arrive in town when the post office is open (ie, you might need to wake up and start hiking early in the morning to be sure to arrive in time). Ultimately, if everything goes completely awry you can simply abandon your re-supply box by never picking it up and all you lose is perhaps $15 of food and $5-6 of postage...you don't want to waste $20 but it's not exactly the end of the world if it happens.

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I'd recommend he camp the first day at the Bear Creek crossing at 8.7 miles. Get an early start on Day 2, arrive at the Platte, camel up, fill up, cook your main meal, and then pack an extra liter for a dry camp partway through Segment 2. Get up early on Day 3 and he should get to the road before the heat of the day. The road marks the end of Segment 2 with the fire station within eyesight to fill up your water

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That seems like sound advice to me and will probably take it on board as I dont really see that I am going to start until 12:00 at the earlyist (if thats a real word).

I will also give the postal drop a go, not being from the USA I have no idea how reliable it is. I am doing a couple of weeks with my brother on the AT just before the CT and will try it out there by posting some of my dead weight forward - if it works then I will post the food out at the same time as I pick the dead weight up from my finish point PO. Any pointers on how to do this would be apreciated (how to go about the posting that is)

Papa D, This sounds like a great hike! Enjoy yourself and stay safe.

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Originally Posted by Busker

That seems like sound advice to me and will probably take it on board as I dont really see that I am going to start until 12:00 at the earlyist (if thats a real word).

I will also give the postal drop a go, not being from the USA I have no idea how reliable it is. I am doing a couple of weeks with my brother on the AT just before the CT and will try it out there by posting some of my dead weight forward - if it works then I will post the food out at the same time as I pick the dead weight up from my finish point PO. Any pointers on how to do this would be apreciated (how to go about the posting that is)

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If you're resupplying in Jefferson at Mile 72.2 (Kenosha Pass, US Rt. 285), then mail your supply box to Jefferson Market, 38600 Highway 285, Jefferson, CO 80456. Address it to yourself i.e. your name and write "hold for CT Thruhiker" in large lettering on the side. The people in the market are very friendly.

When you reach Kenosha Pass, the market is to the left, about 4-5 miles down in the valley. It's not a bad hitch.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by Busker

That seems like sound advice to me and will probably take it on board as I dont really see that I am going to start until 12:00 at the earlyist (if thats a real word).

I will also give the postal drop a go, not being from the USA I have no idea how reliable it is. I am doing a couple of weeks with my brother on the AT just before the CT and will try it out there by posting some of my dead weight forward - if it works then I will post the food out at the same time as I pick the dead weight up from my finish point PO. Any pointers on how to do this would be apreciated (how to go about the posting that is)

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Mail drops are dead easy. Just go to the post office, and buy a fixed rate priority post box. The small boxes (perhaps 20cm x 15cm x 5cm) cost $5-6 and for that fixed price you can jam in as much stuff as you like and send it anywhere in the USA. Once you've jammed the box full of food and other supplies, just take it to the post office and post it. The normal approach is to address it to yourself:

Your name
General Delivery
Bailey, Colorado
zip code

Hold for Colorado Trail hiker, expected arrival date July XX, 2012


Once you've sent your package, the only trick is to be sure that you arrive at the post office during its hours of operation (check USPS.com for each town's post office hours and their zip code). When you get to the post office, tell them that there is a package waiting for you. You'll need to present some ID (your passport) and then they'll give you your package. Dead easy.

When evaluating your re-supply options, you should consider using a mail-drop for Twin Lakes as the town is only about 1 mile off the trail which is really convenient, but the store has a very limited selection of food.

All of you: Have a delightful hike! I hope your days are peaceful and filled with beauty and wonder. Your evenings, star studded and eloquent. I will be a year behind you starting in 2013. I jus changed my plans from NB to SB and so will be following in your footsteps. Be careful and have a great time.

Thanks everyone for your great advice, greatly appreciated and hopefuly will meet all of you on my stroll across the mountains ;-)

Hi,
had to cancel at the very last minute due to family problems - will have to plan again fro next year. Enjoy yourselves everyone.


Regards


Patch