Miles: 29.83

Gain/Loss: ↑5896’ ↓6877’

Closest Towns: Twin Lakes, Buena Vista

Shuttles/Public Transit: Bustang, Rocky Mountain Taxi

I was looking to get out and do something hard this weekend, so I chose to go up through some of the Colorado Trail where I knew there would be a bunch of snow. I parked at the Clear Creek Reservoir Trailhead and got started at 8:15 am. I immediately ran into some CT volunteers, and then saw more of them about a mile later. It was sunny and cool when I started, basically ideal hiking weather. The trail was snow-free and in great shape until about the 4.2 mi mark, and it took me a little over an hour and a half to get there.

I faced consistent snow and postholing until mile 4.8, but I was able to sort of follow some moose tracks. It took a half hour to cover that 0.6 mi. Once I got up to the crest of the trail and started descending the southern aspect of Mount Waverly, the snow was gone. I tried to do some running on the descent, but the shoulder strap pocket I have on my pack made it really uncomfortable. I don’t know who makes it, but it’s not the ULA, Gossamer Gear, or Hyperlite one. I got it at Shaw’s in Monson.

The snow started again almost immediately after I started climbing again after a swamp in the low point on the trail between Waverly and Mount Harvard. There weren’t even animal tracks to follow through the snow-covered side hill this time. I wanted a workout, and I sure was getting one without poles in the snow. The snow was mostly consistent for about four miles, and then I got a break from the snow for a mile. My snow conditions map showed that I should have been beyond the worst of it.

Well, I wasn’t. It was a warm day and the snow was just getting more and more soft. From Frenchman Creek, my legs punched through up to my hips more than they didn’t and it took me about 40 minutes to cover a mile. I was trying to saty in some bear tracks, but it looked small and I was heavier than the bear or the snow was just much softer than when it passed through. My feet were slightly numb but just getting by and my base layer pants, trail runners and socks were soaked. Things got alot better from here, and the snow ended for good around mile 15. I took a short break and filtered some water at Four Elk Creek, then made much better time down to Silver Creek TH at mile 18.6. I passed Harvard Lakes, but there were some people there so I kept going.

I took a rest for about a half-hour, had some snacks, and changed my socks. I wanted to keep hiking for a few more hours, but didn’t know how much more post holing I had in me. I decided to go up towards Yale and check it out. I got about a mile up and saw more trail than I wanted to where I thought the trail went, so I turned back and decided to hike through lower terrain. I got back down close to the Silver Creek TH, and took the Ridge Trail at 20.8 miles.

It was easy to follow and went through some pretty terrain above North Cottonwood Creek, though the amount of downed trees made it look like a tinder box. It led me down into the Trail West Resort, where I passed a cool wood fort and then wound up in a nerighborhood. I cut cross-country through the national forest to a forest road, then continued cross-country across a meadow to CR 340B. I’d hiked about 24.5 mi and realized I was only a little 5 mi from Buena Vista, where it seemed like I could get pizza until 11 pm. I got into town just after 10pm to discover that the pizza place stops selling food at 9 and the local bar had a sold out show. I was still able to get a beer at Crave. Rocky Mountain Taxi took me back to van and they were great.

Colorado Trail Day Hike

Elbert Box Chutes

Rooting for Will