Pace of Colorado Trail hike

[Coffee]

My current thru hike plan for the Colorado Trail calls for thirty days of hiking, two zero days, one near zero, and two 14er side trips (Massive and Elbert). My planned average pace is around 17-18 miles per day but there are a couple of days in the 22-23 mile range as well. I have a firm stop date for the trip so I do not have the option of slowing down and still completing the thru hike, although I do have the option of eliminating the planned zero day in Creede if needed, and I have a slack day in Durango that could be eliminated as well.

I have just completed a 260 mile section of the Appalachian Trail (Rockfish Gap to Boiling Springs) in 13 days of hiking, which included one short day out of Harper's Ferry. Nine of the thirteen days on the trail were over 20 miles with the highest mileage day at over 29. Except for the 29 mile day (the last day), this pace was comfortable for me since I get up very early and am usually on the trail by 7am with 10-12 miles done before noon. I had seven back-to-back 20+ mile days and while I was obviously tired (and slept well), I did not feel like it was a death march or anything like that at all...

My concerns with the CT vs. this AT section are that (a) elevation will be a factor on the CT; (b) afternoon thunderstorms could halt my hiking days prematurely; (c) I am unfamiliar with the grade/trail quality of the CT vs. the AT; and (d) the CT will be twice as long as my AT segment, including the side trips I have planned, and I'm not sure how my body will hold out for a month vs. two weeks at that pace.

I really enjoy hiking, but not hanging out in camp for hours, so I very much would like to spend most daylight hours on the trail rather than in camp assuming I'm physically capable.

If anyone who has hiked both the CT and AT (or at least the AT section I just hiked) has comparative feedback on the trails, that would be very helpful in my planning process. While I cannot change my return date, I could potentially start a couple of days earlier, although that would be quite an expensive proposition for a few reasons. Thanks!

[garlic08]

I generally keep a better pace in the CO high country than I did on my AT thru (25 mpd vs 20). Afternoon monsoon storms might pin me down for a few hours, but I use those hours to rest and eat and then resume the hike in the evening if things let up. Evening is my favorite time to hike. Other issues like your sustained pace I can't help with other than to wish you luck and have a great hike out here.

[Spirit Walker]

One consideration out west is how far you have to hitch to get to town (and back to the trail) and the fact that rides may be hard to get at times. You may be slowed down more than you expect by resupply. If possible, try to factor in a little extra time.

Generally speaking, the grade and tread aren't that difficult (not PCT good, but not NH bad). It's pretty comparable to most of the AT. Long ups and downs, not short ones. In places though, the horses have torn up the trail pretty badly, as do motorbikes and atvs.

When is your hike? When we hiked in Colorado (CDT) in June and September, thunderstorms weren't that big an issue. We had a few bad storms, but not many. On our July hike in the San Juans, we had daily storms, but nothing that necessitated early stops. OTOH, we avoided peakbagging, since every time we hoped to climb a 14'er, there were storms in the vicinity.

As to altitude, there is no way of knowing until you get out there how much you will be affected. My husband had altitude sickness on our first trip to CO (the July hike) and we had to bail after two weeks because of serious pulmonary edema. On our first CDT thruhike he had no problems at all. On our second CDT hike, he had a couple of days of aphasia (almost passed out ) but then was fine the rest of the way through the state. I had no problems on our first trip, but on our CDT hikes I was slowed down and had trouble breathing whenever we were above 10,000'. Didn't stop us, but climbs definitely felt like more of an effort than on lower elevation hikes.

[Ercoupe]

Heavy snows this year may have some effect. After the front range I saw rain, storms for the next 23 out of 25 days. Yes most did not last long, but since you are hiking into them, you will not be able to see them coming, or their extent, because they come from the southwest. Rise early and plan high sections before noon. Better views. Altitude will slow you down, but there is so much daylight it should not affect your mileage. I have not done the high new loop.

[Coffee]

My hike is from late July to late August so I wouldn't expect snow to be much of a factor but I do anticipate frequent (maybe daily?) storm systems in the afternoons. I like getting an early start and there is plenty of daylight at that time of year. While it would be a hassle to set up camp in early afternoon to sit out a storm and then pack up and resume hiking into the evening, I can see how that could add flexibility to put in more miles when necessary. In general, I hope to cover 10-12 miles before noon on most days.

I have some experience hiking at altitude from my JMT hike last year, although that was at a slower pace. I had no altitude issues until the third full day on the trail over Donahue Pass where I had a headache (also possibly brought about by dehydration). A couple of ibuprofen tablets seemed to cure the problem and I had no further issues with altitude on the trip. On the CT, I'll first camp above 10,000 feet on the third night so I may experience similar symptoms.

As for hitching, I go back and forth on whether I want to resupply more often (enabling a lighter pack) at the cost of taking time to hitch to and from towns, or carry more food and stay on the trail more of the time. One thing I did find on the AT over the past two weeks is that I'm simply not packing enough calories for the pace I'm hiking at. On the AT, I corrected this by adding more food in town but that's less of an option on parts of the CT.

Thanks for the feedback. I guess it is true that I won't know for sure what works for me until I get out there on the CT!

[Mags]

As for hitching, I go back and forth on whether I want to resupply more often (enabling a lighter pack) at the cost of taking time to hitch to and from towns, or carry more food and stay on the trail more of the time.

I usually lug more food for that reason. Getting in and out of town is always more time consuming than what it is planned. Esp when you have a narrower window of time for a vacation, more time on the trail is always good.

A trade off which I am reminded of every thing I strap on a pack with a week's worth of food.

[Paddlefoot]

If anyone who has hiked both the CT and AT (or at least the AT section I just hiked) has comparative feedback on the trails, that would be very helpful in my planning process. While I cannot change my return date, I could potentially start a couple of days earlier, although that would be quite an expensive proposition for a few reasons. Thanks!

Your schedule sounds somewhat similar to mine last year. I completed the trail with 29 days of hiking, 3 zero days (Leadville, Salida, Lake City) and 1 nero (Silverton). I started at Waterton on June 23rd and finished in Durango on July 24th.

I had to hunker down a couple of times in the woods during afternoon thunderstorms and set up camp early one day near Stony Pass when the sky got completely black and the rain dumped.

Ten-Mile Ridge and Waverly Ridge (Eastern Collegiates) kicked my butt, but in general I thought the trail tread was wonderfully maintained.

If you are in reasonably good shape, I think your mileages will be fine.

I started as a moderately out-of-shape 43 year old who hadn't done a long hike since I thru-hiked the AT in 1991. My body was twenty years older than my last thru-hike, but my load was probably 15 pounds lighter - so I'm not sure I can compare the two experiences accurately.

I huffed and puffed a bit during some of the high elevation hiking at first, but never had any headaches (chugged a LOT of water in Breckenridge, though). By the end of the hike I felt the best I have in years.

Have a great hike. I'm so jacked up about backpacking again, I am considering a SOBO CDT in 2015!

[Dogwood]

Sounds like you can avg low 20's during that long day time of the yr. You'll have some showers and possibly lightning but I like how Garlic handles that scenario. Possibly start(I suppose towards Durango) a day or two early at Denver or skip Mt Massive. If, for some reason you finish a day or two early plenty to keep you busy in Durango. R U flying back home from Durango?


The CT tread is every bit as good(wide, well maintained, well signed, not as well blazed though(what trail is as well blazed as the AT?), probably better graded than the AT though(mounatin bikers will be experienced) as the AT. The ease of grading will NOT apply to the side trips up Mt Elbert and Mt Massive though! Starting at Denver allows you to work into the thru-hike. If you can hike the JMT you can hike the CT!

As far as this: "As for hitching, I go back and forth on whether I want to resupply more often (enabling a lighter pack) at the cost of taking time to hitch to and from towns, or carry more food and stay on the trail more of the time. One thing I did find on the AT over the past two weeks is that I'm simply not packing enough calories for the pace I'm hiking at. On the AT, I corrected this by adding more food in town but that's less of an option on parts of the CT" I go back and forth under this scenario quite often electing to do the hitches to/from town carrying less wt but also because I consider a big part of all my thru-hikes to be traveling(In town experiences - local culture, local people, hitchhiking experiences, museums, gardens, architecture, hitting the library for internet service(as I'm currently doing) , etc. But than again, I rarely thru-hike w/ a pre hike arranged flight to catch. HYOH. You'll do fine.

[Coffee]

I do have a flight reservation out of Durango which I purchased using miles, and had to do so in advance due to limited seats for free tickets. However, other than a reservation for two nights at the Fireside Inn in Breckenridge (over a weekend, to facilitate either a zero or slack packing segment 7 to Copper Mountain) and a hotel reservation in Durango the night before my flight out (Labor Day weekend), I have no fixed plans so I can potentially use good weather to my advantage by making more miles early in the trip if it is comfortable to do so. My plan, if I arrive in Durango with more than a day or two to spare, is to rent a car and check out some of the sights in the immediate vicinity as well as possibly making a trip to Santa Fe since I've read it is an interesting place to visit. Lots of car camping options in the southern Colorado/northern New Mexico area as well.

[edh]

I hiked at almost exactly that pace last year on the CT - coming from the vast 80m heights of the UK; took me a while to get used to the altitude.

I had a lot of time to hand so took quite a few zeros; the US culture is (almost) as much fun as the trail for me.

The tread is very easy mostly - compared to off trail in Scotland.

PCT2015? - me too

[Dogwood]

Sant Fe is really cool(Pecos Wilderness has some awesome day hiking) but you could also take the narrow gage train to Silverton(bit touristy but also w/ lots of old architecture and very cool mining town history) for a few hrs and back to Durango which might be nice going past where you hiked but on the train this time. The scenery afforded from this railroad is quite good IMHO.

Another cool scenic option is drive over to Mesa Verde NP to spend the day checking out the extensive Indian ruins. http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm

Another long day option is to continue onto Albuerquque and take the tram up to the Sandia Crest and have dinner at the small restaurant atop the mountain crest and enjoy the sunset and night scene overlooking Albuequrque and then drive back to Durango or stay in Alb for a night.

[Coffee]

Mesa Verde sounds really interesting. I wasn't aware of it before; thanks for the link.

[Mags]

Mesa Verde is cool and worth going to, but it is world heritage site and can get very crowded esp when school is out.

If you just came off a 3 wk backpacking trip the crowds may be overwhelming. Hovenweep NM is similar but a lot less crowded. Very cool place.

My wife and I went there a month or so ago:
http://www.pmags.com/echoes-of-the-p...f-the-ancients

Only about an hour or so further than Mesa Verde from Durango.

[Venchka]

Shameless plug for a favorite place: Bandelier National Monument.

http://www.nps.gov/band/index.htm

It is on the way/near Santa Fe if you go that way.

Have fun!

Wayne

[Mags]

I was also in Bandelier earlier this year. Great place!
http://www.pmags.com/the-good-way-ba...ional-momument

[bearcreek]

I would recommend Chaco Canyon. It is 112 miles from Durango so it can be done in a day. Very interesting place. Mesa Verde is really the most extensive of all the ancestral pueblo sites, but it is heavily visited during tourist season. There is a new national monument between Durango and Pagosa Springs called Chimney Rock. It is also a fascinating site which includes a ancient observatory.

[Venchka]

You could spend another vacation in the 4 Corners area.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[fiddlehead]

I think you'll do fine on your pace that you pre-planned with your experience level.
2 days in Breck could be quite expensive. It is not a cheap town.

Some more options from Durango would be to take the miniature train over to Silverton and back.
This takes you through some of the best parts of the CDT and the Hard rock ultra race. Incredible.

Also, if you rent a car, Arches NP is not far away in UT and that whole Moab area has some beautiful geological scenery going on.

The trip to Pagosa would give you a nice soak opportunity in some great hot springs.

[CarlZ993]

You could spend another vacation in the 4 Corners area.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

That's for sure. Mountains to Red Rock Canyons. Lots to do & see.

[Mags]

I would recommend Chaco Canyon. It is 112 miles from Durango so it can be done in a day.

While Chaco is indeed cool, and can be done in a day, it is akin to going Rome in the morning, getting a cup of espresso, going to one museum and flying out the same day.

A lot to see and do in Chaco and a day trip is not enough. At least to me. It was that great of a place.