Continental Divide Trail

It’s been years since my last update and some of you might be wondering, “What about the rest of Colorado? Did you finish?”. The simple answer is yes. Colorado was beautiful but difficult. After Gray’s Peak much of the CDT in Colorado rises between 10,000′ to 14,000′ and with the shorter days, my long mile days began to suffer. Many days, I wouldn’t reach my mileage goals until after dark. Colorado was beautiful, though, with miles and miles of hiking above tree line pulling you along.

Gray’s Peak with Torrey’s in the background. I feel like I’m hitchhiking with the sign.
Front Range above Boulder, CO
Yes, that ridgeline is the Trail. It was pretty lonely up there.
Flora Peak above Berthoud Pass, CO
Mountain Goats at 13,500′. They were common in the Front Range at altitude.
CDT near Webster Pass
More Mountain Goats
Much of the CDT coincides with the Colorado Trail

Once the CDT joined with the Colorado Trail, more and more hikers could be seen on the trail. It was pretty lonely everywhere else. Elsewhere, somedays, I’d be all by myself.

The section of the CDT coincident with the Colorado Trail was much easier to follow.
By late July, most of the snow has cleared out of the mountains.
Point where the Colorado Trail splits off of the CDT.
The one Appalachian Tral like shelter on the entire CDT. They forgot the floor.
Sunset alpine glow on trail meant it was time for dinner.
On San Luis Peak (14,019′) and my 5th 14er on trail. Wow was it windy!
Meeting up with Copenhagen and Trail Wife. I had been at their wedding in Green Valley Wyoming.
San Juan Mountains
Unlike in Idaho, the wildlife seemed less afraid of people. This moose almost walked right up to me.
.The trail does weird things to your feet. This was painful enough, I had to take the better part of a day off until I traced it to impacted mud in the tiny holes in my insole.
Everest, Morning Glory, and Obama aka (Mobama) in the Southern San Juans. Despite the rain, trail life was so much better after I met up with these amazing people again. We stayed together until I finished up.
The trail is hard on equipment but nothing a bit of duct tape can’t fix.
Last day on trail
Finally, the road where I flipped up north was in sight.
Cumbres Pass brought me back to where I had originally skipped up north from the record snows.

My CDT adventure spanned 4 1/2 months and nearly 3,000 miles on foot with a full pack forming a continuous (albeit with a flip) connected footpath spanning from Mexico to Canada.