Thanks to Coleman Ranch in Saguache

[Coffee]

In Segment 18 of the Colorado Trail, there was an old horse trailer parked near to the trail. It looked like it warranted further investigation and turned out to be a hiker shelter provided by the Coleman Ranch of Saguache! I made a note to send a thank you to the ranch after the hike but I can't seem to find contact info and figured I'd post a note here! This was the best "trail magic" I have ever experienced personally, coming in the middle of a relative dry segment of cattle country. One of the parts of the trip I'm sure to remember in 10 or 20 years! Here are a few pictures taken the afternoon of August 17:

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[Dogwood]

That was very generous for Saguache Ranch to do that. Kinda neat saying you slept in a CLEAN horse trailer on a maintained trail hike.

[Coffee]

I didn't actually stay there myself but it was definitely tempting with the drinks and the wood stove. I ended up continuing on to a dry camp about a mile into Segment 19, but had I arrived later in the day ... well, it would have been very tempting!

[Twogears]

I passed this trailer very early in the day and didn't even go over to it to explore. Wish I had known that it contained trail magic.

[Coffee]

I probably wouldn't have investigated either except word on the trail was to be on the lookout for a trail angel named Apple who was known to be in that area so I was looking for something and apparently found unrelated trail magic!

[Nooga]

Was Apple and the geodesic dome there when you hiked thru? He was providing great magic (cold drinks, snacks, fuel, etc.).

[Coffee]

Was Apple and the geodesic dome there when you hiked thru? He was providing great magic (cold drinks, snacks, fuel, etc.).

I never saw Apple or his camp. I think that I read that he leaves on August 15 and I hiked through that segment a couple of days later.

[hikeandbike5]

Unfortunately, when I passed through (september 1/2 or so) the trailer was a disgusting mess of trash. Sadly unattended caches of snacks/drinks inevitably turns into a big pile of trash, and hikers love to add to the mix by adding their hiker trash.

On another note, I'm guessing the trailer is only temporary? I can't imagine an unpermitted trailer like this not running afoul of forest service rules..

[Coffee]

That's unfortunate. The trailer was in good shape when I was there with one other thru hiker. There was a trash can with a few empty coca cola bottles in it. Maybe the trailer was restocked shortly before I was there. Unfortunate that the ranch will end up having a trashed trailer to clean up after trying to do something good for hikers.

[Nooga]

I agree. The few spoils it for the many……..

[LeadZeppelin]

Yeah this was right where Apple's shelter was when I went through. I had such a good time sitting and talking with Apple that day. I didn't go up to the trailer, but I assumed it was Apple's! Interesting to know that it wasn't.