8/10 - Wed - Broome Hut to Loveland

Broome Hut (#1 - 08:26)

I started at Broome Hut at 8:26, which was a little later than I wanted because I left my phone at the trailhead. Bonus miles. Broome was built in 2013 by the Grand Huts Association to replace an old A-frame cabin known as the Gwen Andrews Hut. It was originally built by Colorado Academy students in the 1940s and now has a capacity of 16. Grand Huts plans to connect three more existing structures and four new huts to create a hut system extending to Grand Lake. Check out their website for more info.

Mushroom on Nystrom ridge

The climb up to the Nystrom Trail ridge above the hut rose a real nice 600’ in just under a mile. The trail doesn't have tread anymore, but I found like 4 cairns. It was easy to navigate in an alpine meadow with great weather. It was nice to get to tread on the CDT though after 3 miles of that. The CDT kept going up until Mount Stanley at 12,159’ and then dropped about a thousand feet in a mile.

Alpine CDT views

I stopped to filter water and have a snack at the intersection of the Vasquez Trail and my “Performance Greens” drink mix almost immediately didn't agree with me and I threw up once I started hiking again. Descended to 10,500’ to go right back up. It was hot and sunny on the road, so I went slow and felt bad. I still threw up again on the way up the road. It took me an hour and 40 minutes to cover 3.2 miles.

Red Mountain (L) and Harrison Mountain (R)

It was hot and sunny on the road, so I went slow and felt bad. I still threw up again on the way up the road. It took me an hour and 40 minutes to cover 3.2 miles. Finally rejoined the CDT again after getting up to Jones Pass at 12,454’. It was at least a lot cooler on the ridge, so I was feeling somewhat better. A series of humps culminated in the 13,255’ Mt. Hassel. Sure was. Descended the Herman Gulch Trail for around five miles to cross under I-70, and take the Bakerville-Loveland Trail towards Loveland. I threw up one last time along the rec path before I found some camping in the woods near a stream. Great first day.

Mt. Hassel