21 day CT July thru......advice on resupply.

[saltysack]

The collegiates actually have a fair bit of climbing in the first couple of days out of Twin. But overall, when I think of that 80 or 90 miles from Twin to Salida, I think of side-mountain hiking. For hours at a time, you seem to be going into and out of drainages along the mountain side.

South of Salida, my memory is that there's more climbing, complicated by higher altitudes (it's one thing to climb 5,000 feet in a day if you are at an altitude of 10,000 - 11,000 feet, but at 12,000 or 12,500 it seems much more difficult). The section south of Salida is mainly above the tree line, so it's much more scenic.

Side mountain hiking...assume your talking about the east? Doing the cw north at roughly 3.5 days wasn't easy for me maybe I better evaluate the idea of a 21-23 day thru....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cookerhiker]

...South of Salida, my memory is that there's more climbing, complicated by higher altitudes (it's one thing to climb 5,000 feet in a day if you are at an altitude of 10,000 - 11,000 feet, but at 12,000 or 12,500 it seems much more difficult). The section south of Salida is mainly above the tree line, so it's much more scenic.

Yes, the CT highest point (see my WB avatar) is in Segment 22. Ironically, the high point is on a rolling mesa so you don't even feel like you're climbing - actually, you're not. But there's a lot of steep up and down beyond that point and it did seem more difficult when I hiked it. I remember feeling frustrated because after 350 miles, I felt I should have been stronger in Segments 23 and 24.

But at least when you leave Salida, you can make good time after the steady ascent to the Monarch Range. Our three longest mileage days were consecutive days in Segments 16-19.

[saltysack]

Yes, the CT highest point (see my WB avatar) is in Segment 22. Ironically, the high point is on a rolling mesa so you don't even feel like your climbing - actually, you're not. But there's a lot of steep up and down beyond that point and it did seem more difficult when I hiked it. I remember feeling frustrated because after 350 miles, I felt I should have been stronger in Segments 23 and 24.

But at least when you leave Salida, you can make good time after the steady ascent to the Monarch Range. Our three longest mileage days were consecutive days in Segments 16-19.

Great thx....just ordered your book....look forward to reading it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cookerhiker]

Great thx....just ordered your book....look forward to reading it!...

Thanks! Hope you enjoy it!

Feel free to offer comments - positive, negative, or both - on this page:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/104177-New-Book-Colorado-Trail-Thru-hike?highlight=

[hikeandbike5]

it's easily doable in 3 weeks. i hiked it in 24 days, including all resupply stops (no maildrops), and i stayed in town twice- salida and lake city.

i'd resupply:

frisco
twin lakes
salida
lake city
silverton maybe, but from lake city you're pretty close to the end.

[saltysack]

Thx...Frisco vs Breck? Thought if made there in 5 days would hit hostel for food etc in breck? Which easiest in out?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hikeandbike5]

i prefer frisco.

no need for a hostel 5 days in. if you're on a strict 21 day schedule (eg flight out of durango), hostels probably are out of the question. you burn about a half day, minimum by staying in town.

maildrop at monarch crest might speed things up a bit, salida is a ways from monarch pass. twin lakes has full resupply/all hiker staples and a large hiker box, but you pay a bit of a premium resupplying there. (worth it though imo).

[StubbleJumper]

it's easily doable in 3 weeks. i hiked it in 24 days, including all resupply stops (no maildrops), and i stayed in town twice- salida and lake city.

i'd resupply:

frisco
twin lakes
salida
lake city
silverton maybe, but from lake city you're pretty close to the end.

The CT can definitely be done in 21 days, but I wouldn't want people to think that it can be easily done in that time. It's 485 miles at high altitude. For anybody who lives near sea-level, it can be quite an adjustment and you spend the first couple hundred miles sucking air. And even for those who live at altitude, once you subtract a half-day each to get into and out of Salida and Lake City, you really only have 20 days to actually hike. Banging off an average of 24 miles per day for those 20 days means that you have to be in great trail shape right from the beginning.

[saltysack]

Yea getting into Salida from MC was lil bit of a pain...getting back in morning would probably set up taxi if no one was headed back to MC from hostel but could send my resupply box to MC incase I opted to skip Salida. Only reason I'd go into hostel was if timing worked...i.e. Got in daily miles. I was thinking Breck at 104 miles would be (5) avg of 21 mile days ending day 5 picking resupply box @ hostel. Thought Breck was closer to trail?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[saltysack]

Chaffee shuttle for 10$ during week only....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Venchka]

Yea getting into Salida from MC was lil bit of a pain...getting back in morning would probably set up taxi if no one was headed back to MC from hostel but could send my resupply box to MC incase I opted to skip Salida. Only reason I'd go into hostel was if timing worked...i.e. Got in daily miles. I was thinking Breck at 104 miles would be (5) avg of 21 mile days ending day 5 picking resupply box @ hostel. Thought Breck was closer to trail?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

According to a map I just found online, the trail is approximately halfway between Frisco & Breckenridge. The two towns are connected by a free public bus. The trail crosses the bus route.
Like all internet information, trust and verify. Good luck.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[StubbleJumper]

According to a map I just found online, the trail is approximately halfway between Frisco & Breckenridge. The two towns are connected by a free public bus. The trail crosses the bus route.
Like all internet information, trust and verify. Good luck.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, my memory is that Breck is roughly 4 miles from the Goldhill trailhead. However, when you are hiking west and hit the highway near Breck, you just walk across the road and there's a bus stop for a free bus that takes you into Breck. The buses are not all that frequent (ie, perhaps hourly), so you might end up taking a bit of a forced break in the hot sun at the trail head. The trail does go right past the Copper Mountain ski hill. I know that there was a gas station and pizza joint in Copper, but I'm not sure that I'd want to try a full re-supply there.

[saltysack]

I'm assuming gear wise would be about same as my September trip?
I.e. 10-20* quilt maybe lighter baselayer i.e. Cap 2 vs 4? Other than that same?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Coffee]

Getting into Breck is pretty easy with the free bus system and it is easy to avoid a long wait at the road by downloading the schedule ahead of time and timing arrival (taking a break in a better spot if needed to time it well). I remember there being an early bus to get back on trail. I used the local bus system to slack pack between Breck and Copper Mountain. I spent two nights in Breck at the hostel and would do that again.

I resupplied in Salida and stayed at the hostel taking a zero there. The hitch in was interesting ... I got to Poncha Springs and then had to hire a taxi for the rest of the way. Would suggest confirming with the driver that he's heading into Salida before accepting a ride since hitching on a busy road in a place where hikers aren't common is not easy. I arranged a shuttle back to the trail at the hostel. I would probably send a box to Monarch Crest if I do the CT again.

The hitch to Lake City took a long time but I got there and hired a shuttle to get back on trail. I'd probably do that again, or perhaps walk into Creede.

[DuneElliot]

I'd also vote for Frisco but mostly because I know the town better. However, I do have a friend in Breck I am hoping to catch up with.

[saltysack]

Getting into Breck is pretty easy with the free bus system and it is easy to avoid a long wait at the road by downloading the schedule ahead of time and timing arrival (taking a break in a better spot if needed to time it well). I remember there being an early bus to get back on trail. I used the local bus system to slack pack between Breck and Copper Mountain. I spent two nights in Breck at the hostel and would do that again.

I resupplied in Salida and stayed at the hostel taking a zero there. The hitch in was interesting ... I got to Poncha Springs and then had to hire a taxi for the rest of the way. Would suggest confirming with the driver that he's heading into Salida before accepting a ride since hitching on a busy road in a place where hikers aren't common is not easy. I arranged a shuttle back to the trail at the hostel. I would probably send a box to Monarch Crest if I do the CT again.

The hitch to Lake City took a long time but I got there and hired a shuttle to get back on trail. I'd probably do that again, or perhaps walk into Creede.

I had same issue getting out of poncha springs...$35 taxi but next time I'd just set up taxi from simple hostel in Salida if no one going that way....how did the slack pack workout? Seems like would eat lots of time up? How many miles of slacking just curious if it's worth it?

[Coffee]

I had same issue getting out of poncha springs...$35 taxi but next time I'd just set up taxi from simple hostel in Salida if no one going that way....how did the slack pack workout? Seems like would eat lots of time up? How many miles of slacking just curious if it's worth it?

My original plan was to spend a zero day in Breck. It was on the CT trip that I realized that I can't do zero days (I now prefer neros) ... I get too eager to hike. So I slack packed from the Gold Hill Trailhead to Copper Mountain and I think it was just a half day hike, around 12 miles. The next day I took the bus to Copper Mountain and continued. This resulted in getting to Leadville too early and I took a nero day there as a result (which was nice). So overall it worked out ok.

[Venchka]

Summit Stage. Free Bus. Summit County. Colorado
http://summitcountyco.gov/586/Transit-Summit-Stage
Contact for the summer schedule when available.
I hope this helps. They also have an app.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stumblegasp]

You could skip the section between Denver and Kenosha Pass (Hwy 285 connecting Bailey and Jefferson) and not miss much. That would save you 72 pretty bland CT miles. Of course getting to the Kenosha Pass trailhead could be a problem.

[colorado_rob]

You could skip the section between Denver and Kenosha Pass (Hwy 285 connecting Bailey and Jefferson) and not miss much. That would save you 72 pretty bland CT miles. Of course getting to the Kenosha Pass trailhead could be a problem.

Agree, those 72 miles are kinda boring, though section 5 is kinda cool. If I happened to be home that day, and we could arrange that in advance, I could give you a ride to Kenosha, it's only 50 minutes from our house. A sixer of good microbrew would cover my "cost"...

But better yet, go ahead and skip section 6, one of my least favorite sections (except Georgia pass), and start at Breck.