Heads up for CT hikers - Closures

[Paddlefoot]

I know better than to even ask the question, since I used to occasionally go out on wildland fire assignments when I was a park ranger......but I can't resist asking.

Does anyone have a clue when segments 1 and 2 could open up again?

I'm supposed to fly out Saturday, but I am thinking of either waiting a few days, or bagging the trip for this year.

[frogchop]

So far the fire hasn't directly impacted the CT and while it's "only" 600 acres currently, it's on a relatively remote ridgeline in moderate to heavy timber. It's going to be a handcrew-only affair and it could be anywhere from several days to a week before they get a handle on it, if, and that's a big if, it doesn't blow up. Today was awful fire conditions, as the fire near Pagosa Springs blew up from about 9,000 acres to over 18,000 acres just today, so it's a relatively good sign that the Lime Gulch fire (the one impacting sections 1-2) didn't blow up today.

On the other hand, I'm not sure how close the fire down near Pagosa is to the CT in that corner of the state and that thing is now officially a monster that could take a month or more to suppress without cooperative weather. It's in the wilderness, too, so very little road access. That's the fire that has me more concerned for the long run. Anyone know how far from the CT it is currently?

[bearcreek]

On the other hand, I'm not sure how close the fire down near Pagosa is to the CT in that corner of the state and that thing is now officially a monster that could take a month or more to suppress without cooperative weather. It's in the wilderness, too, so very little road access. That's the fire that has me more concerned for the long run. Anyone know how far from the CT it is currently?

That fire is 70 miles from the CT and currently does not look like a problem for CT hikers. The CDT is a different matter, and is closed in the vicinity of Wolf Creek Pass. There is another new fire called the Papoose fire which is burning in the vicinity of Rio Grande Reservoir. That is fairly close to the CT, but the CT is primarily above timberline in that area. (Segments 22, 23 and 24) That fire has not been picked up by Inciweb yet, but the smoke plume is visible from Durango.

[EdwardH]

Thanks for the Public Transport info Mags...

I'm flying in from the UK in a couple of weeks and was planning on starting on a Saturday - looks like I might have to stay in Denver a little longer than anticipated...

...and there I was agonising over gear lists...never considered fires

[Mags]

Thanks for the Public Transport info Mags...

I'm flying in from the UK in a couple of weeks and was planning on starting on a Saturday - looks like I might have to stay in Denver a little longer than anticipated...

...and there I was agonising over gear lists...never considered fires

You never know..the fire could be contained by then and the trail accessible as well. Keep on monitoring the CTF facebook page is my best advice. The page is accessible even w/o a FB acct. I'll try to post what I find on this forum, too.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-C...ocation=stream


As for fires, alas, that is the new norm in the West during the past few years overall for various reasons beyond the scope of this thread.

EDIT: Looks like a gentleman named Marc Cerniglia is offering to give rides to the Little Scraggy TH on 126. Check the FB page for mode deets.

[EdwardH]

I'll hold off booking an extra couple of nights accommodation then....my credit card would suffer even more if exposed to REI for two more days

You get fires, we get wet 'summers'...

[Paddlefoot]

I had planned on starting Sunday from Waterton.

Any experienced CT hikers have thoughts on this alternative plan?

Take the shuttle to Breckenridge from the airport and hike westbound from there, and then on reaching Durango, get back to Breckenridge and hike east finishing in Denver.

Are the passes in 7,8, and 9 easily passable soon? Are there any issues with hiking the first sections in late July?

This is frustrating!