CDT Joy: Colorado High Point

Day 82: 23.3 miles

Outstanding: Back with a complete package.

I was awake before the sun came out and packed my team in the dark. At night I was thirsty and I drank almost a liter of water, so I didn’t have enough in the morning to make a hot drink.

I walked to the next water source at 0.7 miles away and filter more water. I started walking on almost all my layers and wearing gloves, my sleep pants and my swollen jacket while walking. I’m really starting to add a warmer set of base layers to my walking package in the morning. I have felt comfortable during the night at temperatures below the freezing with my 10F zpacks zipacks zipacks and Nemo Tensioner throughout the season, but if it is still cold in the morning I would like another option in addition to shorts.

From the water source, today’s walk was mainly below the line of trees to vary. We still had a significant elevation and climbing and we were about 10,000 feet for most of the day. I felt that I was dragging the uphill, but then I realized that today it was the first day in several days that I had a full day of walking and a complete package. Slackpack really allows you to push the rhythm and walk faster than when it is loaded with your entire team.

In the afternoon, I walked through Mount Massive, and I will save that 14th for another day. I finished the day near Monte Massive Trailhead and enjoyed a chicken mushroom backpack meal and chatting with some hikers before bed early for an early start to Mount Elbert in the morning.

Day 83: 19.6 miles

The highlight: Mt. Elbert. Twin lakes.

My alarm shot at 4:30 am and boiled water for hot tea. In the previous 14, Grays Peak was so cold that I didn’t drink water, so I thought it was better to get some warm liquids to prepare for success.

I also woke up with a small headache and took some Aleve to pinch it from an outbreak. It was a cold morning, but it was above freezing and much more pleasant than I expected to be at such a high height.

After leaving the camp, near the mass path, midnight and I walked along the dirt road to Mount Elbert Trailhead at half a mile away that was furnished with a private. Then, we begin our rise to meet with the CDT for a little before taking an alternative trail to Mount Elbert.

Other hikers said that walking to Mount Elbert, the culminating point in Colorado and the second highest peak in the continental United States, is like being on the PCT and walking to Mount Whitney. It is not part of the official path, but when you are so close to something so epic, and you have a good safe weather window, you must do it!

The secondary search added approximately 6 miles to our walk today, but we found an alternative path in the city of Twin Lakes and another alternative to the CDT that would save almost the same number of miles.

Dawn while walking to Mount Elbert

The first mile and a half on the path was soft setbacks and slowly we passed from darkness at early dawn. We arrived on Treeline just in time to see the morning dawn about the mountains and one of the most beautiful views I have experienced so far in the CDT.

We take a short break to force us to feed some calories and drink liquids before continuing up. Above Treeline, the path was steep and I found myself taking micro breaks to recover my breath in the highest elevations. With 2 miles for the end, we still had 1,500 feet to climb.

Although sometimes I felt slow and that my great package of backpackers was overwhelming me, I still managed to pass more than 15 people on the path in my backpacks.

In the last half mile we arrive at a false summit and we arrive at the snow line. I had Yak Traks in case I needed more traction, but the grip was fine with my new tennis shoes. TThe last thrust was hard. I obtained some calf cramps and took a salt tab to help. I felt that I did my first days in the Glacier National Park, breathing with strength, pain in the body, trying to train my body to do this hard work. But a hard effort makes it an even more rewarding end.

We arrived at the summit and were received with 360 degree views of the beautiful Colorado. This was such a gift from the top of Grays Peak’s clouds.

Photo of the Mount Elbert Summit

After taking some photos and dance a little, we walk along a different path to connect with the red CDT line. From there we walk a few miles to a crossing that leads to the city of Twin Lakes.

When reading Farout’s comments, we noticed that most restaurants were closed for the season or only served on weekends. My hope was to get some hot food, any hot food, then replenish in the general store and charge electronics, before returning to the path that day.

There was a VW food truck, which served hot burritos, so I got two to more than 1,000 calories to replenish the calories burned on the climb. Then, a storm entered and was approaching quickly. The General Store allowed us to lodge inside while the storm passed for 20-30 minutes, then we relapped and sat outside to load my battery banks in a nearby power outlet.

Hot burritos of this food truck!

A man who left the general store offered me a beer to me and other hikers and we all sit down chatting for an hour and enjoyed the gift. Then another round of beers passed and grabbed a Gatorade ice cream sandwich and store cookies. After that, a place offered us a short trip along the way to the beginning of the path to take us back to the road.

From the way, the road went up and went up to Hope Pass. This is the same path that the runners assume the iconic Leadville 100 career. I was always impressed by the Ultramraathon Challenge, and now to walk with a complete package, I am reflecting on how strong I am and how I could do anything, even this race, if I put my mind and train properly. Devils, I travel on the foot of Canada to Mexico for 4-6 months, and walking with almost daily marathons with 20-30 pounds on my back.

When we approach the Summit of Hope Pass, we continue listening to Thunder and raining from time to time. I all thought that the storm had passed and we could cross safely, another storm rolled. I was tired of the summit of Monte Elbert and did not want to wet before a very cold night at great altitude. Why walk 3 more miles on a pass exposed in a storm, when we could finish early and do it with good weather with fresh legs and energy?

I found a camp next to an old cabin near the water and prepared my store for the first camp in recent memory. It was just after 5 pm and after establishing itself, the storms and intermittent rain continued until night.

Day 84: 25.8 miles

The highlight: Hope Pass. Lake Ann Pass.

I woke up without an alarm for the first time in quite some time on the road. It seems that we always get up early to overcome the weather, make more miles or both. It was 6:20 am and the sun was coming out to be able to prepare without my lighthouse. I boiled water to prepare matcha tea and ate a pop cake before packing my equipment.

There was an ice sheet that covered my store when I went out to pack it. I rolled it and felt how heavy it was with all the ice inside. Not wanting to carry all that extra weight, I unrolled it and shook it before packing it again. Even this second time, there was still some ice and the store did not push its bag. My hands were numb, so I only pushed the tent at the top of my backpack and thought I could dry it in the sun today.

The day began with a climb to hope. I was very happy with the decision to wait for the rain, since I could climb with spikes and snow dust views. From the pass, I descended for several miles before walking up to the second pass for the day, Lake Ann Pass.

Snow -covered approach for the hope of hope

As one assumes that we pass the Alpine lake on our way to the pass. The Pika was very active today and collected food for his hairs. From the pass, I continued on the red line CDT in a newly created part of the path that moved him away from a dirt road and on one track.

At the end of the day, I started my next climb to Cottonwood Pass. I walked until 7 pm and then looked for a camp so that the night was installed before it was dark. Today, midnight left a little in front of me and took an alternative to go to a nearby thermal source at night, so I camped alone and ate in the dark before preparing myself for the bed.