June 22 start

[BensMusicHiker]

So I had originally planned to head out on the 26th of June but looks like I may have to kick off a few days sooner. Was curious if anyone thought a start date of the 22nd would be impractical. I know there has some pretty fast and hearty snow melt but wanted to get the word from a few of y'all as well.

[32ozgatorade]

VARIABLE CONDITIONS NOW, June 11. Snowpack is melting but few Colorado Trail Segments are snow free end-to-end. Nearly identical to the May 30 posting below, only ones known to be 100% passable are Segs 1-5, 11, 14, 17-18. CDT hiker than...kfully provided a bit more. Seg 15 ridge line so arduous that they bailed off. Seg 16 to near Windy Peak tired them with thigh-deep wading. Segs 19-21 required lengthy detours around hillside traverses covered in snow too deep for safe passage, though the Snow Mesa part involved only thigh-high, slushy drifts. GUESSING, Southern CT might be passable by Late June while the Northern CT might be Mid July. Volunteer wise, any of you willing to do some serious snow shoveling..?

So I had originally planned to head out on the 26th of June but looks like I may have to kick off a few days sooner. Was curious if anyone thought a start date of the 22nd would be impractical. I know there has some pretty fast and hearty snow melt but wanted to get the word from a few of y'all as well.

[colorado_rob]

Yeah, afraid you're going to be wallowing in deep stuff starting sections 6/7, but ya know, maybe in the early morning you can stay on top of the stuff, I'll be finding out myself a bit and I'll report back.

[Slo-go'en]

I think my plan to attempt this trail starting in August was a good decision

[colorado_rob]

I think my plan to attempt this trail starting in August was a good decision

Well, that's fine, but you will be missing the most fantastic window of CO weather, late June through most of July. August is the peak of the monsoons.

[Slo-go'en]

Well, that's fine, but you will be missing the most fantastic window of CO weather, late June through most of July. August is the peak of the monsoons.

Seems like their getting monsoons right now. I thought the worst of T-storm season was July. I'm going to have to look into this a little deeper...

[K6VOI]

I love monsoons. We live in the high desert in So Cal, and get like a millimeter of rain a year. Cannot wait to leave this area and this state! Bring on the monsoons! I love storms! We just have to proceed carefully when hiking up passes. We will determine if we are taking the Collegiate West or East, depending on storm patterns. Or if that can be determined. Really want to do the CW!!!!

Hiked the entire JMT last year in 20 days and did not get ONE drop of rain or any clouds for that matter. It was blazing hot last summer in the Sierra's

Oh and we are starting the CT on July 26

[SunnyWalker]

Are you talking about the CT or the CDT or what?

[colorado_rob]

Seems like their getting monsoons right now. I thought the worst of T-storm season was July. I'm going to have to look into this a little deeper...

Don't overthink it, and ignore my previous post; the benefit of an August start is that you'll be hitting the San Juans in early September when the weather generally turns fantastic. The monsoons are easier to deal with further north; August in the San Juan's can be really, really wet. It's all a crap shoot! really, nothing wrong with an August start, and like you say, zero residual snow problems to worry about.

And yes, so far June has been very wet, but for early June, this is not atypical. We had frost a couple days ago, and I'm only at 6000 feet.

I like your attitude K6VOI! I generally like storms too, at least when I'm not above treeline.

[colorado_rob]

Are you talking about the CT or the CDT or what?

Discussion applies to both the CT and the CO portion of the CDT.

[Mags]

that you'll be hitting the San Juans in early September when the weather generally turns fantastic.

Wild flower season in the San Juans is, of course, spectacular.

But there is something special a about the high country when the ground cover is turning russet, the aspens have a golden hew and there is a crispness in the air with the sound of the elks bugling in the background.

I should shut up...I like it after Labor Day for the reasons above...and less people too!

[colorado_rob]

...I like it after Labor Day for the reasons above...and less people too!

In 2012, the CO Mountain club (cmc.org) had an initiative to put a team on top of every single (public) 14er (52 of them) on one particular day, September 8th, chosen because of the weather statistics for early September. Hard to believe, I didn't think we had a snowball's chance in he||, but we were successful! Statewide, bluebird skies the entire day.

[bearcreek]

Wild flower season in the San Juans is, of course, spectacular.

But there is something special a about the high country when the ground cover is turning russet, the aspens have a golden hew and there is a crispness in the air with the sound of the elks bugling in the background.

I should shut up...I like it after Labor Day for the reasons above...and less people too!

Best time to see bears as well. They begin following ripening berries up to treeline where they concentrate and are easy to spot. I encountered 5 bears in a single afternoon up Cochetopa Creek on a September hike.

[Slo-go'en]

I also like the early fall the best. Maybe I'll push back my start a little latter in August. But not too late, don't want to get caught in an early season snow storm! I just hope I can handle the altitude - it's been a long time since I've hiked above 6000 feet. I know a guy in the area who hikes with goats. Said he'd bring them up to meet me with a resupply somewhere along the way. That would be fun

[TrentC]

Looking forward to my late start of Aug 24th. Can't wait to see the CT in late summer...

[colorado_rob]

Well it's June 22 so Ben the OP will probably not see this, but we just got back last night from hiking section 5 through 1; we saw roughly 30 thru-hiker's (well, wannabe's at this point, of course), so there sure are plenty of folks starting this early, at least, actually some days earlier.

Every one we talked to (most of them) understand that they will have some slow going in sections 6-9, but are still very optimistic. there is even a guided group that will hit the snow in a couple days from now.

So, at least any snow-created misery will at least have company! I'm guessing it really will not be too bad, but only a guess.

As an aside, water sources in sections 1-5 are all in good shape for now; there is a dry section as everyone knows from the South Platte river at the end of section 1 to mile 2.5 into section 3 where the stream is running well, about 14 miles, or 10 miles if you detour to the fire station "emergency water" stop. We camped a night right in the middle of the dry section (mile 6.6 in section 2); we just carried 4+ liters for about 7.5 miles (NEBO) for camp and the 6.6 miles the next morning.

[Nooga]

Thanks for the trail condition update. I'm planning to start July 2, so hopefully snow conditions will have improved by then.

[GlobeTrotter]

we saw roughly 30 thru-hiker's (well, wannabe's at this point, of course), so there sure are plenty of folks starting this early, at least, actually some days earlier.

Wow, 30 thru-hiker´s already! That is significantly more than I would have imagined, at least early in the season. Anybody know how many on average attempt/complete in one year? I thought I had read something like 100, beginning mostly in July and August, but who knows or for that matter really cares. But, maybe it is a significantly more popular trail to thru-hike than I thought.

[GlobeTrotter]

Well, I became curious and searched the CT foundation page to see that in 2013 about 130 reported to have thru-hiked. So probably a healthly number more did it and did not bother filling out the forms. Might still be interesting to know the success rate, though, since they some how calculate that for the big 3.

[colorado_rob]

Wow, 30 thru-hiker´s already! That is significantly more than I would have imagined, at least early in the season. Anybody know how many on average attempt/complete in one year? I thought I had read something like 100, beginning mostly in July and August, but who knows or for that matter really cares. But, maybe it is a significantly more popular trail to thru-hike than I thought.

I guess all the main long trails are getting more popular, eh? I was quite surprised to see so many already. Nice mix of young, old, men and women and a few europeans.

Keep in mind, we were hiking against the grain NEBO, hence why we saw so many people, a couple dozen bikers and about the same number of day/section hikers as well.