Copper Mountain

Day 10


Miles hiked today: 6.2
Miles from Denver: 124.1
Elevation: 10,600 ft
Segment 8
Landmarks: Copper Mountain Ski Area, Tenmile Range

VIEW MAP

I have been looking forward to today for a while because my dad will be joining me on the hike for a few days. We have made a tradition in the last couple of years of going on hikes together, starting with him joining me on two different sections of the Appalachian Trail. The reason I stayed in Breckenridge again was because he was driving down to meet me, and this made it easy.

In an amazing bit of trail magic, my friends Melissa and Scott, who so graciously took care of me when I landed in Denver and got me to the trail with food and everything else I needed, are in town. Furthermore Melissa says they would be HAPPY to assist my Dad and I with a little logistic problem we have, which is how to get the car at the end of the segment if we park it and hike 25 miles. They are in exactly the right place on the right day to help, and more than that, they are willing. They have been up here for a wedding, so are in no big hurry to return to Denver on this Sunday afternoon.

Thus started a day which consisted mostly of driving all over the heart of Colorado, probably making an 80 mile loop between Copper Mountain, Leadville, Tennessee Pass and Vail to place my Dad's car at the far trailhead. This is so immensely helpful to us I can't even describe it. Finally we end with a nice plate of burgers at a restaurant in Vail, and it is time to get on the trail.



We are on trail by 3:00, which doesn't really matter because we only have 6 miles to walk. My Dad will be here for 3 days, and we will be doing the next 25 miles to Tennessee Pass. Right in the middle of this section is an above tree line pass that we will need to cross tomorrow, so for today we just need to camp as close as possible to the pass, which is that 6 mile mark.

It is interesting walking on a long distance trail right through a ski area. Copper Mountain has turned its lower slopes into a golf course, and the village is hopping with a big concert, trampolines and I'm sure lots of beer and food. It is even stranger being on a long distance trail, seeing all of this, and not stopping. We were still full from Vail, and were anxious to get on the trail.



After navigating through the confusing network of ski runs and mountain bike trails, we finally left Copper Mountain behind us and started up a steady climb along a stream. We camped in a big meadow next to a collapsed and long-abandoned cabin. The best guess is this was a cabin for mine workers, as mines of all sorts perforate these mountains like swiss cheese.

Tomorrow will be a much longer day, and as I packed up after dinner the temperature was falling fast. This looked to be a cold night.

The Tenmile Range

Day 9

Miles hiked today: 13.3
Miles from Denver: 117.9
Elevation: 9,800 ft
Segment 7
Landmarks: Tenmile Range, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain

VIEW MAP

Nothing before on this trail can prepare you for crossing the Tenmile Range in Segment 7. It was fun and exciting going above tree line to go over Georgia Pass a few days ago, but this was MUCH better.

The Tenmile Range stretches from Frisco to south of Breckenridge, and if you've ever been to Breckenridge the ski resort is built right on the side of it. But there is so much to it to the south, which of course can best be appreciated by walking atop it.

I got a little bit complacent about the hike today because its "only" 13 miles, and thanks to public transportation between ski resorts I was going to hike this segment which goes over the range and finishes at Copper Mountain, then catch the bus back to Breckenridge in time for a shower and some pizza at the Fireside Inn. It's kind of like slackpacking only better, because I'm only taking public transit, and also taking my pack. Why take my pack? It's a personal thing long debated among thru-hikers, but for myself I want to hike the entire thing with a full backpack.

Anyways I was in no hurry to leave this morning, the weather was beautiful and I stopped in a restaurant for some breakfast. I waited about 30 minutes on the bus to take me to the trailhead (it's going to be rough not having this bus the rest of the trail), and was finally hiking by 9:30 AM. There were quite a few things I didn't fully appreciate about this Segment at this time, but the numbers were right there in the datebook: 3,600 feet elevation gain to 12,440 feet, and 4 miles above tree line.

I may be a thruhiker, but I've only been on the trail for a week, and I'm not exactly in shape yet. In fact it may take more than 485 miles to make that happen. This climb up was very tough, and took much longer than I anticipated. When I got to tree line, I met a nice couple from the area named Roger and Joyce, who were going to Copper Mountain like I was. We chatted for a bit about my hike, and when it was time to go up, it turns out their pace is about the same as mine. Roger is in extremely good shape and barely paused for breath on the climbs, and Joyce is slower than I am but just barely. So I ended up hanging out with them for the entire afternoon, almost like having one-day hiking partners.



The hike was epic. Being on top of the Tenmile Range is like being in mountain heaven. There are mountains as far as you can see in all directions; jagged ones, flat ones, hooked ones and rounded ones. There are mountains piled on top of mountains, and some by themselves. The weather stayed beautiful the whole time, and I was giddy with excitement over all the views and photographs. As Roger said, "This is special." I couldn't agree more.

Roger and Joyce were kind enough to give me a ride into Frisco at the end of the day, which was one-half my bus transport. It was kind of relaxing to ride the bus, watching people get on and off coming home from work. When I finally pulled up in Breckenridge, I made a beeline for the Fireside Inn, who were pleased to see me, and very soon I had a shower, pizza and lots of good conversation with my fellow hostel mates. There was even an AT thru-hiker alumni staying there this night.