The Western Terminus

Day 34

Miles hiked today:  14.4
Miles from Denver: 485.4
Elevation: 6,960 ft
Segment 28
Landmarks:  Junction Creek, Gudy's Rest Overlook, Junction Creek Trailhead, Western Terminus, Durango

VIEW MAP

It rained all night.  My tent does a decent job of keeping me dry, but basically everything was a little bit damp, and it looked like it would rain more today.  None of this mattered, because by the end of the day I would be dry, clean and sleeping in a bed with my stuff drying. Today was the last day on the trail, and my spirits couldn't be dampened.  In fact, where normally I would be a little bummed about the rain because of the prospect of the following damp, chilly night in the woods, the fact that I was headed in to town freed me to appreciate the rain, the fog and the mist for the beauty it really provides.

About 6:30 am I awoke, and the rain had stopped.  The thought that went through my head was that this was only a window before it would start raining again.  I quickly got up and started packing, then joined John and Kathleen for some breakfast, the couple that had camped here.  I was very excited about the fact that for this stretch, I had calculated the food I would need almost exactly, down to the last granola bar.  After breakfast was over I had a bagel, three slices of cheese, a granola bar, a snickers bar and some bits of jerky left.  I was headed out about as light as I could get, and I planned to make very short work of these last 14 miles.

The rain started up again, so I shouldered pack and headed out.  The overcast clouds along with the rain had a really incredible visual effect on the woods, transforming them from the dry, dark place I came through yesterday to a vibrant, alive, fluorescent palette.  The greens and yellows were very bright; the fall colors had come at these elevations to the underbrush and ferns.  This particular forest had an almost shocking variety of plants and trees, more so than anywhere I've seen on the trail.  Spruce trees lined up next to fir, aspen and ponderosa, in a very mixed manner.  There were tons of low plants, bushes, yucca, wildflowers and grasses.  All of it mixed together for one last great display as I strode closer and closer to my goal.

There was a four mile climb up out of the campsite, and from there the trail is all downhill.  This entire segment is 20 miles long and drops from 11,600 feet at Kennebec Pass to 6,960 feet at the terminus.  So basically it was all downhill.  The rain stopped and started, started and stopped.  I was moving fast to keep warm, and because I knew my mom was waiting at the trailhead, possibly with lots of food and maybe some hot chocolate.

My mom had driven down all the way from Sheridan, Wyoming to pick me up from the trailhead, a drive of two and a half days, and the last we spoke I couldn't really say what time I would be down there.  I figured I could get a cell signal at some point from a lookout, which I did, and called and left a message.

Before long I came to Gudy's Rest, with just four miles left on the trail.  Gudy Gaskill is the super-volunteer who was present at the very first meeting for the organization of the Colorado Trail Foundation in the 70's, and decided to make this trail her project.  She toiled for decades, organizing volunteer trail builders, petitioning forest ranger districts and private landowners, and generally making the trail into a reality.  She is what Myron Avery was for the Appalachian Trail, the person that made it happen.  So it is a very fitting tribute that there is a bench overlooking the thick cloud that covered Durango far below, and a very poignant landmark telling me that I was almost done with this trail, this walk.

I arrived at Junction Creek Trailhead, and after a few minutes was able to connect with my mom who was waiting nearby.  She was stocked with food, a warm car, and a tentative hug due to the stench of a wet smelly hiker, and we embarked for town and a four day adventure through Colorado, eventually back to Denver for my flight on Monday.  I am blessed to have such a hitch into town and back to my flight!  It will be a fun couple of days.

It is really hard to describe my feelings at this point about being done with this trail, but I do know that I am absolutely impressed with this trail and all the work that has been done, and astounded by the beauty of these mountains.  The Colorado Trail is a "short" trail, but mile for mile has far more views and open scenery that anything back east, and the trail work itself is very impressive in most segments and is obviously a labor of love for those that built it.  As a thru-hike, it is a really incredible experience, and has roads at all the right places for resupply.  I would fully recommend it, even as a first trail to any thru-hiker, with the caveat that the dates should be chosen carefully around the weather.  I really lucked out in the weather; I only had storms twice on high passes, and for the last three weeks I have had almost 100% clear weather, and just beautiful walking.  Those that started three weeks ahead of me saw rain or thunderstorms almost every day.  Because several 20 mile days were entirely above tree line, the weather is really critical and safety is a big factor.

It has been really amazing revisiting the world of a thru-hiker these last several weeks.  I missed it so, and am really glad I had a chance to come out and do this.  I have probably lost around 27 pounds, according to a scale I found in Silverton.  Thru-hiking is the ultimate crash diet, however the trick is keeping the weight off.  I am now off to re-entry to normal life, which will include conducting a tour in DC as early as next week, the same as I did two years ago when coming off the Appalachian Trail.  I just know I'm going to hear complaints about the 100 foot elevation climb up the hills of Arlington Cemetery, and will most likely have a hard time sympathizing.

Kennebec Pass

Day 33

Miles hiked today:  16.7
Miles from Denver: 470.9
Elevation: 8,520 ft
Segments 27, 28
Landmarks:  Cape of Good Hope, Highline Trail, Indian Trail Ridge, Sharkstooth Peak, Taylor Lake, Snowstorm Peak, Kennebec Pass, Junction Creek

VIEW MAP

I guess I was expecting a boring ending to this trail.  The San Juans were just so amazing, that I would have been perfectly content to walk on forest service roads the rest of the way.  But the Colorado Trail had one last great, ridgewalking, panoramic day in store.

I was truly in no hurry today, knowing I would get to camp long before sundown.  My mileage for these last two days is more or less set due to the fact that there's only one campsite that's about halfway that has water, which is about 17 miles.  I am just hoping that its not already taken when I get there.

The day dawned clear and bright, which I was glad for but I was also wary today that the forecasted thunderstorms would come.  I ate breakfast and still had one full water bottle left over from all of the water I hauled with me yesterday.  It's a good thing too, because within a half a mile I passed the point where there was supposed to be a spring, and it was dry.  Such a little thing could have made life very miserable for me, so I was very glad I took precautions.

Just as the trail was about to climb out of the trees and onto the ridge, I ran into two men from Alabama who were doing an 7 day section of the Colorado Trail.  The one gentleman had been slowly doing one section after another for the last 8 years, and was finally set to finish on Thursday.  This is not unlike all of those section hikers of the AT, who finally finish their goal after years or even decades of coming back summer after summer.  I'm not sure I could stick with it for that long, so I'm glad I have the luxury to do this hike all in one shot.

The ridge walk today was spectacular, and up there with the countless others this trail has taken me on.  It is called both the Highline and the Indian Trail Ridge.  The mountains ahead of me and a little to the right, called Sharkstooth Peak just kept getting closer and closer as the trail took me up the spine of a separating divide of two river drainages.  Behind me I could still see Rolling Mountain and the peaks around Molas Pass, and to the east I could still see the Grenadier Range.

The ridge went on for 5 miles, and just when I was ready for more, came the sign to turn left and down.  Below was Taylor Lake, the first water source from yesterday, and a huge basin at 11,500 feet called the Cumberland Basin.  I stopped for some lunch and water at the lake, while the sky turned into a solid overcast of ever darkening grey tones.  I packed up and headed for Kennebec Pass, which was one mile away.

I am reminded of the Kennebec River in Maine, which you had to cross in a canoe because it was too dangerous to ford.  It would be interesting to learn whether this pass was named for the Kennebec.  Either way I like it, and it is just one more thing on this trail that has reminded me of something on the AT.

I camped about 7 miles down the big descent into Durango.  I could actually see Durango for the first time from the top of the pass, which was very exciting.  I am almost there!  The trail drops from 12,000 feet just above Taylor Lake to 7,000 feet at Durango, in a little over 20 miles.  The elevation profile is really something to behold.  I dropped nearly 3,000 feet in just a few hours, and made camp about 14 miles out from the end.

Fittingly, a couple named who had met on the Appalachian Trail in 1982 came into camp and I had a nice conversation with them until it was dark.  They have been hiking this same section through the San Juans year after year, and I couldn't agree more that it is the best part of the Colorado Trail.  It was nice to chat with some fellow thru hikers, and we talked about shelters, trail towns, hostels and ice cream.  I can't think of a better way to pass my last night on the trail.

Blackhawk Pass

Day 32

Miles hiked today:  21.9
Miles from Denver: 454.3
Elevation: 11,000 ft
Segments 26, 27
Landmarks:  Hermosa Peak, Blackhawk Mountain, Blackhawk Pass, Straight Creek, Hotel Draw Road

VIEW MAP

Even though I was camped at a busy road for four wheelers and ATVs last night, thankfully there wasn't too much activity.  What I didn't anticipate was how windy the spot was, and I was kept up listening to the tent make sounds in sudden gusts.

I wasn't in too big of a hurry to get going today, mainly because I knew exactly how many miles I planned on doing, I knew it was going to be a pretty flat walk, and I knew it was supposed to be sunny all day.  All of those things were as true at the end of today as they were at the beginning, so there really weren't any surprises.

I passed a couple this morning who were out backpacking for the weekend.  They were fascinated by my trip, but I had to laugh when, after explaining that I had walked from Denver and had gone some 440 miles with only 45 left, and I was excited I was almost there, the gentleman said, "so you have what, a week left?"  I said, "Three days."  His eyes got really big, and I think he was shocked anybody walked that far that fast.  I lost sight of them after the first turn, and never saw them again.

This morning was the best part of the day.  The trail goes right past the foot of Hermosa Peak, and you can see Blackhawk Mountain long before you go over it.  Going over Blackhawk Pass was really something special, and I was aware that this could possibly be the last such experience on this trail.  I had a break in the cold wind when I was at the top of the pass, and I really didn't want to leave.  There were fantastic views looking back at Rollling Mountain, north towards Lizard Head Peak and the Wilsons, and even the Grenadiers far to the east.

There is a note in the data book that Straight Creek, which I encountered after Blackhawk Mountain, would be the last water source for 23 miles.  This presents a problem because that would add up to a 30 mile day for me, and I'm not going that far.  I've also heard from several sources that there is indeed a spring running about halfway into that stretch, but these sources are weeks old and we haven't had much rain.

So, I loaded my pack down with 4 liters of water, or nearly nine pounds for the entire afternoon.  I normally carry 2 liters, so two more wasn't a huge difference especially because I only have a few days of food.  But I know for a fact that tomorrow when I'm not carrying all this water, and have eaten a lot more food this pack is going to feel featherweight.

The trail is headed due south now, making a beeline for Durango.  I only have about 30 miles left, which I will split into two somewhat easy days.  Today will be my last high mileage day, and most likely I will have a lot of leisure time on my hands tomorrow.  It is also supposed to storm both days, so that should make life interesting.  I'm looking forward to the last five miles of segment 27, which is described as having a 5 mile ridgewalk above treeline.

Rolling Mountain

Day 31

Miles hiked today:  20.9
Miles from Denver: 432.4
Elevation: 11,120 ft
Segment 25
Landmarks:  Lime Creek, Rico-Silverton Trail, Rolling Mountain, White Creek, Cascade Creek, Bolam Pass

VIEW MAP


I never really thought I would say this about a 21 mile day, but today was easy.  Comfortable.  A very pleasant walk.  I really can't express it any better than that.

Silverton was a very nice town, and the hostel was really great.  Rob, the owner, just bought it 6 months ago, and is adding on to it.  He was extremely helpful and laid back from when I first met him, and even had offered to take me up to the trail this morning.

I had done all my errands yesterday and was ready to go, with the exception that I needed to grab my half-pizza out of the refrigerator and put it in my pack.  I would eat like a king today on the trail.  I grabbed some breakfast at the nearby coffee shop and I was ready to go.  I was very excited to see the last 74 miles of trail, and even maybe a little bit anxious to get them done.  Not that I want to get this trail over with, but there is something exciting about coming upon the end of an experience like this, and I am getting anxious to be in Durango after all of these weeks.

I had checked the weather, and its kind of mixed.  Today was fine- the Weather Channel had big swooshing icons for 'windy.'  It was also partly cloudy.  In real life that translated to just cloudy, but thankfully it didn't rain.  It was very, very windy though, especially when I was up on an exposed spot on a ridge.  Tomorrow should be sunny, but my last two days on trail, Tuesday and Wednesday have over 30% chance of thunderstorms.  It's possible I could be in for a wet finish.

Rob dropped me off at the trailhead at about 9 am, which is pretty good.  It's still not exactly early, especially because I wanted to do 21 miles today.  It didn't matter in the end because the terrain was rolling, with two gradual climbs, and the views were spectacular.  The tundra and the ground plants are starting to change to fall colors, so everywhere I looked there were golden yellows and lime greens.  You can see the gold on the side of mountains from far away, or in the grass far below.  I didn't see any stands of aspen today, but I saw some yesterday and they are still green.  I think they will change after I am through.

Today was one of those days where I found myself stopping every 20 yards to take out my camera and take a picture.  I am carrying a DSLR in a zippered bag hanging at my stomach, so each time I take a picture I undo the zipper all the way around the case, take out the camera, take off the lens cap, snap a picture, then reverse the process.  I have done that hundreds of times on this hike, and sometimes dozens of times in one day.  Today I was doing it ever couple of minutes, because with all the clouds the light would change on a distant peak every couple of minutes, often warranting another picture.

I ran into a good number of people today, including two groups on horseback, a large backpacking group, mountain bikers, a family, and a feeble looking old man with a giant pack who wasn't very talkative.

I got into camp at around 6, which is extremely early for me.  Over the last couple of weeks I have been getting in after dark often, and I really enjoy having some daylight left to set up my tent and cook dinner.  So today it felt good to get in early.  I am camped at a road for 4 wheelers, and its a pretty popular spot.  There were quite a few people buzzing around on those contraptions a little bit earlier, but now all is quiet.

So now the pizza is all gone, and I'm in bed early.  Tomorrow should be a beautiful day, and I'm looking forward to enjoying these last few days in these beautiful mountains.

Silverton

Day 30

Miles hiked today: 10.8
Miles from Denver: 411.5
Elevation: 10,889 ft
Segment 24
Landmarks: Weminuche Wilderness Area, Elk Creek, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge RR, Animas River, Grenadier Range, Molas Lake, Molas Pass, Silverton

VIEW MAP

It was incredibly warm last night, in comparison to the last several nights. I think I chose my camp site very well. I was high enough up the river valley that I wasn't where the cold air settled at the bottom, and I was far enough away from the river itself that I didn't get any condensation. I had set an alarm to wake up early, and because it was so warm I had no trouble getting up and getting going.

I had nearly 11 miles to go, with the last 5 including a 2,000 foot climb. I figured the climb itself would take me a little while, and I wanted to get to Silverton before the post office closed. I didn't know their hours, but to be on the safe side I was assuming 11:30 am.

I was on trail by 6:30 am. The walk down Elk Creek was very pleasant, through a very old spruce forest with a rushing river alongside, all the time with towering rock mountains several thousand feet above. I can see why this area is so popular. The holiday weekend has brought out all the short trip hikers, rock climbers and families. There were definitely a lot of people here who probably aren't climbing all the way up to the Divide, and will be missing out.

The sun never hit the bottom of Elk Creek as long as I was following it, and as I descended the air got colder and colder. Even though the bottom of this river valley was my intended destination yesterday, I am very glad I stopped much higher. The sun started to hit the upper peaks, making for very beautiful views.

Elk Creek flows into the Animas River in a T shaped junction about 5 miles from Molas Pass, which also marks the crossing of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This train is a relic from the mining days of Colorado, running on rare narrow gauge track, and today is a big hit with tourists who want to see the dramatic mountain passes in this classic train. Hikers on the CT can actually flag it down and hop on board, although they still charge you for your ticket. I have to admit that as I photographed the tracks it would be a pretty scenic ride.

The Animas River also marks the end of my descent down, and the beginning of a 2,000 foot climb. I had budgeted some extra time for this, as climbs like this have really been kicking my butt. But what I didn't realize was that I am in much, much better shape than I was even two weeks ago in the Collegiate Range, struggling up Wesley and Harvard mountains. The other thing I didn't think about was that because I have been hiking for over a week above 11,000 feet, this climb, which starts at 9,000 feet would be no problem.

Indeed it wasn't. In fact, I don't normally say this about climbs, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I was able to fly up the mountainside without stopping but a few times, and I believe had I pushed it, I would have been able to do it without stopping for breath at all. It was a really spectacular feeling. I enjoyed it so much that I was sort of disappointed that it would be so short a day.

The trail comes tantalizingly close to Molas Lake Campground, where I knew there was a camp store and showers, but still a mile and a half from the road. My friends from way back at Buffalo Creek campground in Segment 4 that had fed me said they would be here this weekend, but unfortunately I only had a little bit of time before the post office closed. The interesting thing is that the trail, when within view of the highway, meanders back south, up some more elevation, and then switchbacks south again before finally connecting with the road.

It was a great feeling to step onto that pavement knowing everything that was behind me, and how relatively short the trail into Durango was ahead of me. I stuck my thumb out and almost immediately got picked up by a woman named Kelly, who is a hiker herself and was actually on her way to the trailhead to start a trip of her own. She has been hiking in the Weminuche Wilderness for 26 years, and says she takes at least one trip most years. She takes unknown trails that aren't even on the maps, and knows the whole area very well. She went to extra lengths to drive around town until we found the post office before dropping me off. What a great hitch!

For all of the rushing I did, the post office wasn't even open yet, as their hours were 11 to 1. No matter. Silverton has an excellent hostel, where I was given my own room with a key, a towel and washcloth, and even a free load of laundry. The shower was very powerful and very hot, and very soon I was feeling very refreshed. I set about a series of errands, starting with food. I went to the Handlebar Saloon (the logo is of a handlebar mustache) on Kelly's recommendation as a hiker friendly place with good food, and sure enough the waiter knew me as a hiker as soon as he saw me. I ordered a pitcher of water, a beer, a coke, two entrees and a bowl of peach cobbler. The waiter didn't think I could make it through both entrees, but because they came about 5 minutes apart I was done with the first one before the second one even came. It was the peach cobbler that finally did me in, and I cried uncle with about 5 bites left. Ah the joys of a trail town!

Silverton is a pretty nice town, but it is a town hung up on exploiting its own wild west history. There is little else than restaraunts, ice cream shops and souvenir shops here, to maximize the tourist dollar. There is even one store called the Tourist Trap. There are plenty of great places however with lots of character. It feels a little more real and a little more down to earth than say, Breckenridge. You can almost feel the presence of the locals just around the corner from the tourist junk shop.

The hostel owner offered to drive me up to the trail tomorrow for 5 bucks, which is a pretty sweet deal. I'm looking forward to getting back on the trail.

The Grenadiers

Day 29

Miles hiked today: 20.2
Miles from Denver: 401.3
Elevation: 10,320 ft
Segments 23, 24
Landmarks: Continental Divide, Continental Divide Trail, Cuba Gulch, Minnie Gulch, Headwaters of the Rio Grande, Stony Pass, Weminuche Wilderness Area, The Grenadiers, Elk Creek

VIEW MAP

It is hard to believe, but this just gets better by the day. These 60 miles or so have to be some of the best trail in America. The weather has been absolutely phenomenal, as I haven't seen a threatening cloud since Monday. I also haven't seen a tree up close for nearly two full days of hiking, as the trail spends nearly 33 miles above tree line.

I woke up this morning to a very cold and frosty world. There was heavy frost coating my tent, due to the condensation freezing. My bottles hadn't froze, but when I got some water out of the pond, ice started to form. It was about 7 am, and very cold to be up, but I wanted to eat breakfast here while I had the water source. The worst part was packing away a frosted tent into a stuff sack with bare hands. It took my hands at least 10 minutes to recover from that.

I was up and ready before David and Jen were barely out of their tent, so I bid them goodbye and started on. Immediately I was climbing up a pass, into another set of mountains, then over another pass and into another. This repeated over and over again, and it never failed to astonish me that there were yet more incredible mountains over the next pass. The trail was following the Continental Divide as closely as it could, hence why it was going over all of the passes.

Finally the trail dropped down into a drainage to the left, which it turns out, is the headwaters for the Rio Grande. Curving around the side of a mountain, the trail joins Stony Pass road for a short spell before heading due south into the Weminuche Wilderness Area. (pronounced Whe-Me-Nooch) This is the sixth and final wilderness area that the CT passes through, which is yet another reminder that I am nearing the end. This is the last stretch of trail that the CT will be on the Continental Divide, and I am certainly going to miss it.

The area south of Stony Pass certainly had a little different character. I'm not quite sure how to describe it, other than it feels more southwest. There are more rocks than north of here, and a lot of the mountains are composed of different stuff. The trail is again following the Continental Divide as closely as it can. Pretty soon came the sign I had been waiting for, which directs the Continental Divide Trail south towards Mexico, and the Colorado Trail to the west. This is the last time I'll see the CDT on this trip.

The Colorado Trail immediately turns up on the Continental Divide itself after that sign, for one last glorious half mile on the Divide. This was probably my favorite spot of all the miles I spent up on the Divide on this trip. The trail was up on a grassy hill, which would have been suitable for a soccer game. It really reminded me of Max Patch on the Appalachian Trail. In all directions were breathtaking mountains, but due west was the most breathtaking view I have seen thus far; the jagged rock towers of the Grenadier Range, standing sentinel over Elk Creek a thousand feet below. The late afternoon sun glimmered off of the creek, as well as the quartzite surface of the Grenadier peaks. The creek disappeared into a black canyon of incredible scale. And right next to me was a sign saying that I was to descend down that canyon.

Of all the breathtaking views and mountains I have seen over the last four weeks, this one takes the cake. What's more is that I had been hoping this to be the case, after reading a short description on the Grenadier range, but mostly just because I thought the name was extremely cool. If the trail ended in Silverton, 13 miles from here, I could be happy. This is a truly incredible place.

Getting down to Elk Creek was quite a trick. Very aware that my shoes are prone to slip, I gently navigated the over 20 switchbacks that bring the trail nearly a thousand feet down a steep grassy slope. From here the trail follows Elk Creek in a nearly four thousand foot, 8 mile drop to the Animas River. This is definitely a little different scenery than what I've been seeing for the last 3 days.

I decided to stop with a little bit of daylight left for a change, and I will make an early run for the post office in Silverton. I still have about 10 miles to go tomorrow, which includes a two thousand foot climb. I am very excited to be so close to the last resupply town, and the last leg of the trail. I plan to be in Durango on Wednesday, and life will swiftly return to normal. But I am in a very good mood after the last several days of Middle Earth-ish terrain, and I can't wait to see what the last four segments of the trail have in store. Tomorrow is a town day, which means beer, pizza and a hot shower. That makes me extremely happy too.