Brief trip report from my collegiate loop hike

[saltysack]

Day 1(Monday)
Long hitch from Leadville airport to TL trailhead. Started hiking mid day(17.5-18 miles)

Day 2(Tuesday)
Long tough climb up from silver creek TH....steep no sb...not being acclimated made for long day. 40* rain and wind at night. (14.5-15 miles)

Day 3(Wednesday)
Long day to chalk creek after resupplying at MPHS. The long road walk sucks!(20.5-21 miles)

Day 4(Thursday)
Had to carry pup out few miles as he started limping. I met an awesome CT vol who lived not far from Chalk creek trailhead. He drove me to the humane society in BV to get him checked. Vet didn't see any real issue so thought he would be fine with rest. I took Chaffee shuttle to Wagin tails kennel in Poncha Springs to board pup as there weren't any kennels in BV. The awesome shuttle driver dropped me back at chalk creek TH by 4:00. All this driving around only cost $10! Long night hike to Angel of Shavano TH.(17 miles)

Day 5(Friday)
Pushed to Monarch crest through ****ty weather. Simple hostel for night.(19 miles)

Day6(Saturday)
Tried to hike on from MC but turned around after 5 brutal miles....22* snow and 50+ mph wind very low visibility....waste of 10 miles...glad to be back @ simple hostel in Salida.

Day 7(Sunday)
No luck after an hour hitching back to trail so I caught a cab as I didn't have time to waste. Late mid day start so I night hiked to Hancock TH.(17 miles)

Day 8(Monday)
Hancock TH to mm 118...(19 miles)

Day 9(Tuesday)
mm 118 to 137.5 after finding my food cache at CW pass was gone I hitched into BV ate lunch and loaded up on cliff bars.....mistake as they get old fast!...I called Chaffee shuttle for ride back to CW pass for $10...night hiked....amazing experience watching a big bull elk bugling out in a meadow at dusk then little after dark I spooked a moose just 30-40 yards away...scarred the ship out of me....
(20 miles)

Day 10(Wednesday)
Long day over LA pass and Hope pass to near junction of 82 and 24.....Long arse day!
(26 miles)

In all I met 12 hikers most of which were doing CDT. 15 mountain bikers all of which were nice. No motor cycles....bull elk with a few cows, big horn sheep, deer, porcupine, chipmunks, various species of squirrel and marmots. Even with the adversity of the trip. I had a blast!. Can't wait to do CT end to end...here are a few trip pics...
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/f59ebdbe4392fd343505a2c075192031.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/a3a31f793ffeee198dcdf8a75060bb22.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/bc036b0d5bec56601d881888ce28cca9.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/883e23e4797c54b1c12aa2f457e57853.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/e3e52256883cec74d563f72666d8ccc8.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/3cb117d1da0830495597fc6a37c1770c.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/b48bf5267be5cca226f5681ad7fd3925.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/832acc98e7bc5d94d4f360f2e0b748c1.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/50c0c370406a204b989091f22b0e3988.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/17d7ae6370b50bd35ac2170ea4aed7cd.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/1d352825b90ee1cd91d59d70928a5548.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/b34e390f59981b70dbdf793f2021c129.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/b9edea64abde3434d5364b998c358968.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/ae0109c92700a43dfffeb8f94b5994cf.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/c87abeb3e5e563392a06d3419b1142dc.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/5879eb56fcdaee51db8004ba175a6b8a.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161013/108ac508c052aea5bb3fb25f7bcf1d4c.jpg


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[Dogwood]

ah ahhh and here i am ranting on about homeless folks

ggrrreat pics but shart I'm chilly here in Atlanta hearing about the weather. time for a brewski, pie, and game of pool at Bensons in Salida

i'm envious.

Late Sept EARLY Oct can be a great time on the CT when the weather holds. Your dates on the CDT/CT was when I too met 4 SOBO CDTers couple yrs ago. Yogi blew right by going the other way on her AT and CDT in a season year. I think that was two yrs ago.

[Cheyou]

Thanks

thom

[AfterParty]

I don't want a time constriction like you had glad you made it through.

[Venchka]

I would have bailed out for sure.
The first half of September was summer weather. No fall color. Lows in the 40s. No rain.
Obviously the bottom fell out after I left.
Glad you finished. Come back to the CDT when the weather is a bit more hospitable.
Cheers!
Wayne


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[colorado_rob]

fantastic! Way to push through and get it done, but most importantly, to enjoy it despite your roadblocks.

It is so refreshing to see the "suck it up buttercup" attitude on WB, so many can't-do's on here.

thanks for sharing those photos, looks like you hit near perfect fall color conditions!

[Hosh]

Nice you were able to make it all fit into your fixed schedule in spite of the medical and weather issues. Glad you weren't stuck at elevation when the storm struck, the winds can be grueling above tree line.

Curious about your base weight and how well hidden was your food cache at CW pass?

[jeffmeh]

Very nice. Thanks.

[Miles 2 Go]

Thank you for sharing such beautiful photos and my goodness those Aspen trees are something to see in the fall.

[AfterParty]

Where is the second to last picture?

[Studlintsean]

Awesome report and pics.

[saltysack]

I believe it was on way up Hope pass....


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[DuneElliot]

Can't wait to see this next year

[saltysack]

Nice you were able to make it all fit into your fixed schedule in spite of the medical and weather issues. Glad you weren't stuck at elevation when the storm struck, the winds can be grueling above tree line.

Curious about your base weight and how well hidden was your food cache at CW pass?

Honestly I've never weighed my gear. I look at weights when I buy gear and buy lightest in my budget but with changing from the circuit to 40l gorilla and from marmot helium 15* bag to EE 20* Id guess 10-11 lbs...I tend to pack with the theory less is better. If I haven't used in a few trips it gets left behind. Obviously cache wasn't hidden well enough....it was about 75 yards before the road in thick underbrush....cache was contained in a Scent barrier bag inside a camo 50 cal ammo can....looking back I should have just carried the 1.5-2 days of food instead....


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[Wuff]

Bahhhhhhhhh why am I in a cubicle right now. Great pics, makes me miss the CT and just hiking in general. I didn't get much hiking in this year but in my head everyday:

1-2 months off next year
1-2 months off next year
1-2 months off next year

[Venchka]

Wiggle,
I feel your pain. I only escaped the Cubicle Prison in March.
Since then I toted my overweight backpack to 12,100+ feet. Gosh it felt great.
Got to get back on the trail as soon as possible.
Wayne


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[Venchka]

That should be Wuff.
Dumb phone.
Wayne


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[archie]

looks like an awesome trip!