CT trail mod in the San Juans?

[longhiker]

My girlfriend would like to join me for 4 - 5 days at the end of my CT thru' hike, in late August, near Durango / Silverton. I think I'll be there in the last week of August.

My default plan was for her to join me at a trailhead a little past Silverton (after she spends 3 nights or so in Silverton) -- say Segment 26 / 27 -- and hike with me at a greatly reduced pace to Durango. (She was going to join me by getting a ride with a shuttle company in Silverton that does trailhead drop-offs..)

But the problem with this plan is the following:

1. She will fly in from sea level in NJ (we live here) and will be of normal fitness.. not thru-hiker fitness. So I'm guessing she'll do at most 7 - 8 miles per day?

2. The final segment of the Colorado Trail doesn't sound like it has great views and yet lasts 20 miles or so.. I'd like her to see the best of the San Juans in her time there.. above treeline, views of the ranges and peaks... not many days in the woods.

So..

Does anyone have a suggested route we could spend 4 - 5 days on in the San Juans, on or near the CT, given all the above constraints? (Ideally between Silverton and Durango..)

A loop might work too.. she'd go back to Silverton and I could finish.. finishing together in Durango would be fantastic but I don't have to hike every mile of the official trail.. 450 / 486 is good enough for me.

[fiddlehead]

I think you should probably take the train (narrow guage) out of Silverton and get off at the Elk park stop which is on the CT (i think). That puts your start right in the bottom of a valley with uphill coming up but, a nice start to your hike.
From there, you'll have some options where she could get off.
See this website for more detailed info: http://www.squidoo.com/colorado-trail

For some of the best hiking in the area, I'd head south (east) on the CDT from Silverton and take out at the Vellicito creek trail.
Not the best part of the San Juan's but not bad at all.
The logistics would be fairly easy that way.

The altitude is going to a problem anywhere in that area for someone coming from almost sea level. After 2-3 days, she should be ok. (sleep high)

[Mags]

That's about why I would say, too. The train ride, though expensive, is pretty scenic! Worth doing at least once!

[longhiker]

Looks like your suggestion of Elk Park is pretty much a portion of the CT.. Elk Park to Molas Pass and so on sounds pretty good. I'll look into it. I remember having looked at the website you suggested before.. quite useful.


Where is the best hiking in the San Juans, if one weren't constrained by the CT at all?
(I might just finish the hike myself and then go on a short trip with my girlfriend with a rental car from Durango)

Is there a book or map or website that I can use to find out about short backpacking trips in the San Juans?

I noticed a reference to a CDT section hike in the San Juan mtns on PMags' website but didn't manage to find an actual link..
Thanks!

[fiddlehead]

The whole CDT through the San Juans is pretty spectacular.
Hard to say if one part is better than another.
I guess the best might be from Wiminuche pass to that Vellicito creek (or lake) trail. (heading west or north on the CDT)
But all of the CDT from the NM border to Silverton is GREAT!

Have fun.
Fairly easy access to the CDT from Wiminuche pass trail out of the Roosevelt reservoir (or is it called Rio Grande reservoir? ) if you can get to the lake by hitching.

[Hole-In-The-Hat]

Another alternative would be to have her meet you at Molas Pass, and pack together through segments 25, 26, and 27 then on to the Sliderock Trail Access Point / FS171N. This would be ~54 miles, and would avoid the less interesting stretch of segment 28. You'd need to arrange for pickup at the end.

This is a very pretty area, including alpine areas with good views. Not as spectacular perhaps as some described above, but it's still quite pretty -- and would combine your completion of the CT (less about 19 miles) with her visit.