"Go prepared for rain," one of my colleagues at work told me. How'd she know my first three days on this trail would be rain soaked. Those first three days included getting used to the terrain, crunching miles to get to camp before the rain came, and drying out gear early in the day. The rain came predictably around 3:30 pm. Coloradoans say this type of rain isn't typical. I don't care. Rain is rain and the weather forecast is wrong until my hiking day is done and my shelter is set up. If this is the East side what will the West side be like?
The Collegiate Loop is the connection of two trail systems south of Leadville CO. The Colorado Trail begins in Waterton Canyon SW of Denver, ending near Durango. The Continental Trail runs from the boot heal of New Mexico to Glacier NP in Montana. The two share some miles in Colorado however they split near Twin Lakes and Monarch Pass, thus the Collegiate Loop is formed. The Collegiate Loop wraps the highest concentration of 14k foot mountain peaks within the lower 48 States. Many of the peaks named after Ivy League institutions.
This hike of 160 miles mostly above 10,000 feet is a fall back plan to my Sierra's portion of the PCT this summer. Bummed, very much so yet, with COVID-19 I thought better to leave the PCT section for another time.
I divided this hike into three legs, building with difficulty. Leg one got me to Mt Princeton Hot Springs where I panned to take a day off, a zero. However, when I got there there wasn't on site camping so I moved on to Chalk Creek, only a couple of miles up, for the night and made a short day into Angel of Shavono campground the following. Thus beginning Leg 2.
Leg 2, the trail that day moved quickly with minor elevation changes. I flet like I was on the set of a Western for 10 miles expecting Clint Eastwood or John Wayne coming down the trail any time. I made Shavono in good time, found a place to hole up just outside the campground. I caught up with a group of Colorado Trail hikers who remembered me from my first day. They moved on in the afternoon. I also met a couple of other hikers who chose the campground. These two helped me pass the afternoon and evening away. I realized I need to learn to cook in camp, thanks ladies.
With Leg 2, I didn't see rain, cool temps were welcomed. I learned as I came up above 11k feet my 30° quilt began to suffer. I slept cold at Fooses Creek just south of Monarch Pass. This would start the high elevation camps.
At Shavono, in the morning two guys from the midwest whom I met on my day 2 caught up with me. We traveled over to Fooses Creek and eventually to Boss Lake where they contined on. The guides both recommended getting water and dry camping before hitting the ridgeline above Fooses' the next day. I'm glad we talked to a few day hikers coming down to find out water is available almost all the way to the top.
I like to break camp around 6 am. I'm naturally up around 5:30. Climbing out of Fooses Creek, only 500 vertical feet in 1/2 mile at 6:15 winded me. Thankfully I planned a coffee on top to finish watching the sunrise decorate the surrounding mountains and canyons. This is also where I turned my face to the North. Most hikers who've done both sides say the Westside is the best side. The two guys and I traveled most the day together enjoying the views and climbs. Some of this looks like the High Uinta's, some looks like California, all of it is definitely Colorado.
What have I gleaned from this journey thus far? People will gravitate to those most like them and to whom they are most familiar with. This lesson always makes section hiking and these shorter thru hikes rough. It's hard to gain entry into an already formed hiking group. Second, getting info (beta) from someone who just came down the trail trumps the guide book and phone apps. Their info is most current. Third, no matter what's in the food bag something else will be better tasting. I am sick of 'bars' I don't care to name brands. What's in my food bag? Yet, more bars. I'm glade we stopped at the souvenir shop at Monarch Pass they had a small, and I mean coffee shop sized grill. Yet, I dined on the tastiest breakfast sandwich know to me, for now.
I'm getting teased with a few rain drops at camp. I may just call it early.
Hike on. Hike wise.
