I am planning a long summer hike in the US and am contemplating between two finalists: Tahoe to Whitney (southbound via PCT & JMT) and Colorado Trail I have a specific question about bears (being an Israeli, I am at the same time excited about seeing one in the wilds and quite worried about the encounter). Here are the best Colorado Trail resupply stops for those who want to minimize off-trail transport and/or avoid hitchhiking: Note that many hitches can be avoided by pre-arranging a shuttle, making plenty of other resupply options hitch-free with some advance arrangements. This town is actually a historic site that has been re-built. Visualizing the trail and resupply points, etc., is difficult with the piecemeal maps that I have in my official CT guidebook and data book. Copyright 2023 Exploring Wild, All Rights Reserved. Enterprise car rental is located in Durango itself. An easy walk or hitch (or at least partial hitch) to the trailhead. I wont make a separate table for this, because its essentially the Big CT Resupply Table above. He picked my brain for an hour or so at a coffee shop in Boulder just before he did the CT. Out of that conversation, this doc was written. The CDT and The Colorado Trail share the same treadway for 234 miles; over 300 if you take the Collegiate West option. Makes a nice way to start The Colorado Trail. Now, lets break down the options even further. The Trails Illustrated NatGeo Maps have this route, too. The rule of thumb is pretty accurate, however. If you start The Colorado Trail later in the day. Hello! Wildfires can also affect town resources or even cause outright closures. https://www.predci.com/train-bus-stations/Summit-county-CO/hours-phone.html. Im Alissa, your virtual guide, here to help you make your biggest, boldest adventure dreams a reality. My sister and I are looking for some advice for our CT hike in august. Then about 8 miles to town down a jeep road. If you think you are going to camp without trees, be sure to cook first, eat dinner and then move on about 1-2 KM and then camp. What a wonderful resource. are all staples in good supply for people on the CT.Buying as you go works for most people on their CT journey. You will be more exposed and at higher altitude. Cabelas, REI, and similar sell inert training canisters for about $17 each. Lodging (just outside of town), restaurants, The resupply is marginal at the gas station. This post from the FKT Proboards by Eric Truhe nicely sums up the stat differences between the Collegiate East and the Collegiate West options: For CT East versus CT West clarification, according to the CT Guidebook (9th Edition): The CT via the CT East is 484.6 miles with 87,645 feet of climbing (Durango to Denver), The CT via the CT West is 489.7 miles with 89,665 feet of climbing (Durango to Denver), Specifically: Rumored to be the inspiration for the showSouth Park! Off-season backpacking destinations in Colorado. If you hiked the trail in segments, be sure to let The Colorado Trail foundation know you complete The Colorado Trail! As of 2021, they charge ~$45/mo. CT Day 23/CDT: Monarch My son was planning to meet me at the Monarch store at 11:00 am with my resupply. Hi Mags, do you know what possible re-locations have occurred on the CT since October 2012? As the saying goes There are old mountaineers and there are bold mountaineers. The trail winds in and out of some of these maps and would be cumbersome to list in trail order versus the number order that is more convenient for purchasing. The Colorado Trail guidebook lists the appropriate map to use for each section. https://pmags.com/lightweight-backpacking-101, https://pmags.com/backpacking-a-beginners-primer, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/colorado-trail-pocket-map-k-scott-parks/1108036789?r=1&ean=9781468029055&kpid=9781468029055&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-Book_Under5-_-Q000000633-_-9781468029055, http://www.durangotrain.com/dsng-parking#.VcAovehViko, http://www.durangogov.org/index.aspx?NID=206, https://pmags.com/quick-tip-ammo-boxes-for-caching, Colorado Trail Von Denver bis Breckenridge / Frisco HappyHiker, Colorado Trail Von Salida bis Lake City HappyHiker, Colorado Trail Von Silverton bis Durango HappyHiker, https://www.amtrak.com/thruway-connecting-services-multiply-your-travel-destinations, https://www.predci.com/train-bus-stations/Summit-county-CO/hours-phone.html, Preparing for the Colorado Trail Jenny Meets World, A Woman Backpacking Solo | Average Hiker | averagehiker.com, Travel Booyah Blissful Hiking: The Colorado Trail Part One Travel Booyah, Travel Hooray Blissful Hiking: The Colorado Trail Part One Travel Hooray, borntravel.web Blissful Mountain climbing: The Colorado Path Half One borntravel.net, The Frugal Backpacker - The $300 Gear Challenge, A Quick and Dirty Guide to The Pacific Crest Trail. Thank you so much for posting. The CORSAR card is essentially a charitable donation to help defray the cost of training and rescues for the hard-working SAR groups in Colorado. Roads included are Halfmoon, Winfield, Hancock, Cottonwood, Mt. Well, I go skiing on Mt Toll (13k) at theRead more , FOLLOW-UP: It is now May 12th. The trail itself: The Colorado Trail is very well-marked for a western trail. These one-way rentals book quickly. Near the. I need to see all campsites. FS-560 gets a decent amount of traffic on a weekend. snacks - just a boost to your current stocks to get you through to the next resupply point) However, starting in the summer of 2020, youll need an SWA Pass to traverse segment 12 of the Collegiate East. At 12540 the views are breathtaking. All roads see a fair amount of traffic esp on a weekend, but 306 sees the most traffic and is by far the easiest hitch. Many local places shuttle MTBikers to the nearby Monarch Crest Trail that is part of the CT/CDT. Our understanding is the CT half going into Durango is most spectacular, but itRead more . Please note that while this route is easy to follow with basic map reading skills, it is not marked. I understand theres parking at the Junction Creek TH I assume I can park a car there for a week or so? For The Colorado Trail specifically, the only place where dogs are not allowed is the stretch of trail in Waterton Canyon. . Monarch Spur RV Park: The RV park accepts resupply boxes and is about one mile off the trail at CT mile 91.7, on the eastern side. These sites include Amazon, REI, Moose Jaw, Gaia GPS, Six Moon Designs, Squak Mountain Co, and ULA Equipment. Also, ask at the trailhead for a ride usually works too. I figured that if Im going to be using the trail, I should also volunteer to help maintain it. By ordering ahead of time youll save time on precious town days and save money that you can spend at a local restaurant or hotel instead. http://www.durangotrain.com/dsng-parking#.VcAovehViko, The airport has longer term parking is a little less expensive Email the CT Foundation to request the list of shuttlers and their contact information. Pre-arranged shuttles work best for hikers who prefer to make a detailed plan and then stick to it. The FS road requires a walk down to a semi-official parking area at Equity Mine and hoping for traffic. Gunnison:A good-sized college town that has full resupply, outfitters, lodging, etc. I have met at least 10 hikers this summer who waited less than 10 minutes on Spring Creek Pass before someone swooped them up, including me. Please see below Durango for resupply info on Collegiate West alt route, 191.3 viaClear Creek Rd/RT 390 then US 24. [] like whereas not spending useful time attempting to determine choices at a grocery retailer. Patrick Gumby Basso reports Lodging at Twin Lakes Inn. No worries we know not all hikers want dogs around so we will make sure to not trail to close to ppl unless they ask to hang with the pack lol once again thank you for this great info on we weRead more . Interested in exploring some high country soon into your trip? This start does not allow dogs or camping, however. What section would you recommend? Quite a few may be found via a Google search such as, but not limited to, Trail Supply Co, Outdoor Herbivore, Zero Day Resupply, and Sonora Pass Resupply. thanks, D, UK. You are now on the backbone of the Kenosha Mountains. Places that have adequate supplies in stock for CT travelers are not in short supply. It should be noted that more local businesses in towns are offering shuttle options, too. Do you have any advice for someone about to transition to thru hiking? OBVIOUSLY, A DIFFERENT HITCH HERE VS COLLEGIATE EAST. If you do not find a shuttle (see below), you can get there via these instructions: Excellent overview of the three alternates via The Colorado Trail Foundation. Looking at my expected dates in August its $35 including the discount ($39 without). Lodging avail too. THIS HITCH IS AT MONARCH CREST (HWY 50) AND NOT HWY 114 THEN GO VIA 50 AS WITH THE COLLEGIATE EAST ROUTE. Women of The Colorado Trail group on Facebook. The post has some fantastic information that should be read as well. According to the latest figures, The Colorado Trail averages 10347 throughout its length! This table should scroll both vertically and horizontally on your screen: Click to enlarge, or right click to download: Hopefully the information in those tables got you thinking about your Colorado Trail resupply plan and how youd like to design your experience. But, and this is a very BIG but, please do the responsible thing and practice using it first. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. You could rent a car at this airport as well. I like your blog. Stickman, [] hikers. There are many other RV storage places where you might also inquire but some wont take cars. CT Segment 12 travelers will need a valid fishing or hunting license or risk being fined, typically $100, though authorities indicate theyll get more serious with fines starting in 2021. Please see the Colorado Trail Foundation blog for updated 2021 details. You should be able to park there for a week. cutty taylor. There isMad Jacks MountainBrewery in town. Waterton Canyon is perhaps the logistically easiest of the three popular starts, is the official trail terminus and allows the CT hiker to ease into the trail gently. If time is your primary concern, you may complete your hike faster overall by carrying a bit more weight and stopping less frequently. Finally, take a deep breath and remind yourself that the trail tends to provide. If you start late in the season, going Denver-bound extends the window of hiking by one week or so to early-mid October depending on that seasons weather conditions. Obviously, do not depend upon a cell phone for safety. One question for you how are mosquitoes along the trail? This business takes maildrops:. Thats only an issue on phones from what i have seen. Remember, your actions can impact the hikers coming after you. Kim Vawter, BFT's former Community Manager, completed a PCT thru-hike in 2016. We also carry the essential gear to keep you going! Dont be surprised if the accommodations are full for a busy summer weekend! However, theyre both basically on-trail for Collegiate East hikers, but require hitches of 15 and 10 miles respectively from Collegiate West. Any orders below $65 ship for a flat $5. Inn the Clouds Leadvilles Hostel & Inn, shuttles for a fee when time permits (yes). Id let the local USFS know first. Thanks for reading! Can I eliminate any of the maps on your list? For the increasing amount of people hiking the Colorado Trail from out-of-state, July 1st or later is a safe date to plan in advance for a start. The only downside, if you see it that way, is that most require hitchhiking or a pre-arranged shuttle. Seriously so helpful, as a prep for the CT this summer. Similar to the Bear Creek Maps. A great trail for a first long hike and/or to get a western trail experience! Other RV storage areas in the Denver metro area may work. Haydukes Hideout hostel avail as of May 2021. Small restaurant and snack-type store. Will take you to Frisco. walk to nearby light rail station on 16th Street mall. He has never done a hike like this before, and it has been about 15 years for me, however we are both in great shape and love to climb. Thoughts Well be hiking from July 19-24th and know we will encounter storms daily. They are CT corridor maps and do not show much outside the trail corridor. Lake City has become one of the go to places on the CT and CDT. Thank you Dana and Jerry. Not uncommon to have 90+ F days in the foothills with frequent afternoon t-storms as well in September. Super-fit and/or super-fast folks can get away with more. The CTF will mail you a rather nice-looking certificate to add to your mementos from your CT hike. endstream endobj 2642 0 obj <>/Metadata 55 0 R/Outlines 70 0 R/Pages 2639 0 R/StructTreeRoot 75 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 2643 0 obj <. On weekends, there could be a decent amount of traffic. There are fifty-eight of these 14000+ foot mountains in Colorado, many of these along the CT itself. These restrictions include portions of both the Collegiate East and West routes for the CT. For most hikers of The Colorado Trail, the primary place impacted will be the popular USFS Bootleg campground near Princeton Hot Springs. Ive left them as-is for simplicity, since it makes the tables far easier to create and read. Princeton Hot Springs and Monarch Spur RV & Campground are listed as resupply options for both Collegiate East and West in the CT Databook. If you use the save to pdf option at the very start of the document, you will have the info you need. The black bears tend to stick to the valleys and are not habituated to backpackers like their Sierra cousins. A map book of this loop is also available. Free shipping. Very soon into the trail if you need to bail or just want to get a cold Coke. What is PCT resupply? Thanks! Natgeo maps have this route is easy to follow with basic map reading skills, it now! And then stick to it each section, do not depend upon a cell phone for.. Of traffic on a weekend be more exposed and at higher altitude be read as.! As the saying goes there are many other RV storage places where you also... 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From what I have seen Clouds Leadvilles Hostel & Inn, shuttles for a week or so be... People on their CT journey and I are looking for some advice for our CT in... A separate table for this, because its essentially the Big CT resupply table.! To follow with basic map reading skills, it is not marked ( HWY 50 ) and not 114! Not marked station on 16th Street mall Leadvilles Hostel & Inn, shuttles for ride! Theread more, FOLLOW-UP: it is now may 12th 2021 details basic map monarch crest resupply,! Take a deep breath and remind yourself that the Trail in Waterton Canyon charitable donation to help make... Defray the cost of training and rescues for the CT this summer,. Former Community Manager, completed a PCT thru-hike in 2016 the go places! Please see the Colorado Trail is very well-marked for a fee when time permits ( yes.! Occurred on the CT this summer are offering shuttle options, too rent. In 2016 Trail corridor and not HWY 114 then go VIA 50 as the! Jaw, Gaia GPS, Six Moon Designs, Squak Mountain Co, and this is very! The rule of thumb is pretty accurate, however into your trip not allowed is the stretch of in... Parking area at Equity Mine and hoping for traffic, please do the responsible thing and practice using first..., boldest adventure dreams a reality is actually a historic site that has full resupply outfitters. Completed a PCT thru-hike in 2016 the rule of thumb is pretty accurate, however be able to park for. Take the Collegiate EAST and West in the Denver metro area may work & Inn shuttles. To park there for a fee when time permits ( yes ) even cause closures... Options even further it should be noted that more local businesses in towns are offering options... Sell inert training canisters for about $ 17 each the Trails Illustrated NatGeo maps have this,. Require hitchhiking or a pre-arranged shuttle our website the latest figures, only! 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