21 day CT July thru......advice on resupply.

[saltysack]

Since my September collegiate loop hike I've been itching to get back out west. Thinking about trying CT, about 3 weeks is longest I can get away so again I'd be on a tight schedule if I can pull this off. What resupply locations are closest and easiest access to trail. I'd most likely mail boxes ahead to save time rather than buy onsite.


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[MuddyWaters]

Since my September collegiate loop hike I've been itching to get back out west. Thinking about trying CT, about 3 weeks is longest I can get away so again I'd be on a tight schedule if I can pull this off. What resupply locations are closest and easiest access to trail. I'd most likely mail boxes ahead to save time rather than buy onsite.


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Breckenridge
twin lakes
monarch crest store or monarch lodge
Lake city
molas lake campground

If you hit it when the trail angel Apple runs daily shuttles to Lake city it would simple to get in and out.

[Zed]

Breckenridge or Frisco are both accessible via bus from the trailhead.

Twin Lakes store is west of the trail a few miles (may not be open this year, all ahead).

Monarch Crest on the Collegiate West or Monarch Mountain Lodge a bit off trail on the East.

Hitch or shuttle from Spring Creek Pass to Lake City. (Creede is another possibility, but hitch is tougher. Shuttle is available $$)

Mail drop to Molas Lake Campground.

Chuck out Mags's guide: http://www.pmags.com/colorado-trail-end-to-end-guide-2

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[Cookerhiker]

The CT doesn't pass through any trail towns like the AT e.g. Hot Springs, Damascus, Duncannon, Hanover etc. Jefferson is 4 miles dow the highway and a fairly easy hitch, especially when hitching from the trailhead parking. Breckenridge is easy to get to because of the free bus service from the trailhead into town. The Twin Lakes General Store is only about a mile off the trail.

Since you're planning to average 23 mpd and since the first (northernmost part is relatively easy (assuming no acclimation problems and I see you live in Florida), then I'd resupply at the following places for the northern half:

Breckenridge - 101 miles
Twin Lakes (because it's close to the trail) - 176 miles
Salida - 249 miles

Your problem is the second half of the hike. You almost have to resupply in Salida even though it's 15 miles down US Rt. 50 from the Collegiate East route and even further from the West route. The reason is that after Salida, you don't cross a paved road near resupply for another 105 miles. This road - CO Rt. 149 - goes to Lake City, not an easy hitch. But given your time constraints, it's your best bet.

So the second half starting from Salida is:

Lake City - 354 miles
Silverton - 407 miles (an easy hitch from the trailhead)
Durango - 486 miles

You can make good time through the Dry Hearland - Segments 16-19 - but make sure you plan your water stops. Good luck!

[map man]

Saltysack, if you take Collegiate East, and since you are planning to send packages ahead, Mount Princeton Hot Springs is right on the trail. You would know this better than I, since you have already done the Collegiate Loop, but I hear that Collegiate East is a little easier hiking than Collegiate West, and perhaps that's a consideration for you since you are pressed for time (and you already covered Collegiate West on your loop hike).

485 miles covered in 21 days means 23 miles a day if you are going to make it. Mount Princeton Hot Springs is 125 miles from Breckenridge and 128 miles from the Lake City road crossing. You could do each of those segments in five days at 25 miles per day if you wanted to skip Twin Lakes and the Highway 50 resupply options. All depends on how much food weight you are comfortable carrying away from your resupply stops.

[StubbleJumper]

First off, the CT is awesome. Definitely do it (I've done it twice)!

That being said, only having 21 days means that you have to haul ass. Either you need to be in *great* trail shape from your departure in Denver, or you need to have a contingency plan to cut out some of the miles.

I would say that CookerHiker has provided some good advice on resupply. Leave Denver with 5 or 6 days of food to take you to Breck. You can get to Breck by taking the free bus for 4 miles from the trail head. In Breck you can re-supply, do laundry and get a couple of good meals. You could consider slacking section 8 by taking the bus to Frisco and hiking back to Breck with a day pack. Then Twin is 1 or 1.5 miles off the trail, so you can either send yourself a maildrop to the post-office/general store, or re-supply at the general store. You can get a delicious burger and beer in Twin before leaving town. Salida and Lake City are the next obvious resupply points. If Apple returns to provide his usual wonderful help, you could send a resupply package to him and skip Lake City (he's a great guy, so don't be shy to call him!).

That brings me to the awkward part of this. As I suggested, you really need to haul ass to do 485 miles in 21 days. If you find that things are not advancing quite that quickly, you could consider stopping in Silverton and taking the steam train to Durango. This will probably cost almost $100, but it's a beautiful train ride and it would cut about 4 days off of your hike. The final 4-ish days into Durango are nice and they're worth doing, but if you need to bail out, this is an excellent option. All you need to do is hitch the 5-ish miles into Silverton and the train leaves a couple of times per day.

It's an awesome trail. I'm jealous that you are doing it in 2017 and I will not!


SJ

[Slo-go'en]

I hitched into Jefferson in minutes and the guy even waited around and took me and another couple who had gone in before me, back. I wasn't planning on going there, but the campground had closed and the water was turned off (it was after labor day) and I was out of water. Not much at the one little store there (Jefferson is like three buildings) but she had sandwiches and snacks and lots of homemade fudge. I had to beg to have her fill my water bottle even after spending $20 there on other stuff. If you end up staying at the campground (there are some free hiker campsites just past the campground along the CT as it goes around the back side), a quick hitch into Jefferson for some food and beer would be a help.

If you go into Breckenridge (and you pretty much have to) go to the Breckenridge brewery and ask for the working mans lunch. Burger, fries and a draft of your choice for $5.00, best deal in town. Usually just the beer is 5.

[saltysack]

LOTS of good points.....I've read Mags guide several times....very helpful!

Muddy, your suggestions were what I was thinking would be easiest....

Zed, I heard the store has changed hands but would still cater to hikers....I guess we will have to wait and see. Thx for the heads up.

Cook, Think as much as I liked Salida it was time consuming getting in and out so I'd mail a box to monarch crest store....although I can't imagine having the will power to pass up on a cold IPA and pizza from Moonlight!

Map, I think I'd take the west as the 5 mile road walk on the east sucked...the west was definitely harder but the views and solitude were well worth it!

SJ, the train sounds like a perfect safety net! I'll definitely reach out to Apple when it gets closer!

Slo, I'll definitely look into Jefferson if I can make it work....


Again, thx for all the great info!


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[Venchka]

A suggestion: If you should decide to stop short in the Silverton area, you might be able to hitch south from Molas Park / Pass directly to Durango. It's worth a try.
Last year our Colorado trips were about a week out of sync. Let me what your schedule is for next summer. If I'm in the neighborhood I'll do my best to help out ride wise. No way I'm hiking 25 miles per day. Good luck.
Wayne


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[Ercoupe]

If you go the lower east route then the RV park one mile south of trail crossing M50, will hold packages. The RV park store had very few supplies, but it did have showers, laundry and a seperate camping area. There is also a cutoff trail going much closer to twin lakes store from Mt Elbert, so no need to backtrack.

[DuneElliot]

I'll be out there on the CT this year too. There's no way I'm going to manage your speed either and had planned to start late July but due to my parents' schedule (they'll be taking care of the dogs) I will probably have to go earlier...and even then I may not finish the whole thing in the time I have.

Hope to see you out there.

[colorado_rob]

Coupla thoughts....

I'm sure you're aware of all the fuss about epic snow levels in CO this winter (we're about 170% of normal), and at your speed you'll be to section 6 on day 4 or so, and it's way too early in the snow season to predict what the tallies in June will be, but if you have start date flexibility, all other things being equal, even a July 1 start (usually "safe") for you might involve a bit of inconvenience and slower hiking due to annoying leftover snow. That all being said, July is generally fantastic, especially early July, before our monsoon patterns form up in mid-late July. Maybe what I'm trying to say here is that if you want to get the full monty done in 21 days, and given that snow does slow one down, look at no earlier than maybe a July 4th start, with this all subject to change based on our spring snows.

As far as "skipping" a bit of trail to get it all done in 21 days, the train ride idea is good logistically, however you'd be skipping a fantastic portion of the CT. IF I were in your situation and wanted some time margin, I'd skip from Twin Lakes to Monarch, simply because you've already done the CT west. Sure, you'd be skipping a gorgeous section (the west side), but you've seen it once, and plenty of gorgeous stuff ahead.

I personally hope you do not do that ho-hum CT east ~80 miles, yikes, I did a bunch of it last summer again, and it has few redeeming qualities. Not sure what I was thinking. I wish the CTF would just make a call and make the west side the only official route, but whatever. I suppose the only reason to do the east side is that it's the classic CT route. And there's MP hot springs.

[saltysack]

I'll definitely pass on the east....I agree they should just call the west the official route and do away with the east or better yet designate the west for hiking and east for mtb only....I'll have to wait as it gets closer to follow the snow pack. Another option I'm thinking as much as I'd like to do an ete...I could do it over (2)two week trips over two years. I.e. Salida to Durango then following year Denver to Salida etc...great idea about skipping from TL to MP.....if the SJ's rival the collegiate west I surely don't want to skip it. I'd really like to do the west again sobo. Thx for keeping me up to date on current snow levels!


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[Venchka]

For future planning:
Last year I ran into two gentlemen who were hiking the CDT from the New Mexico border to Silverton. They were allowing 2 weeks. That route covers the South San Juan and Weminuche Wilderness areas and most of the San Juan mountains. A really nice piece of real estate.
Postholer.com has snow level information in nearly real time.
Good luck!
Wayne


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[Cookerhiker]

My 2011 thruhike occurred just a month or two before the west route was added, so I hiked the east. Of course I didn't like the road walk and some of the steep climbs had little or no reward before turning right back downhill again. So without having hiked the west, I'll concede that it's more scenic but on the east side, I did enjoy walking among bristlecone pines (perhaps on the west also?) and the campsite partway up Mt. Yale was cool. As early risers, we enjoyed a spectacular view of the sunrise's glow on Mt. Princeton.

East or west, you're in the Rocky Mountains What's there not to like?

[colorado_rob]

... I'll concede that it's more scenic, but I would not regard the east as "pathetic." I did enjoy walking among bristlecone pines (perhaps on the west also?) and the campsite partway up Mt. Yale was cool. As early risers, we enjoyed a spectacular view of the sunrise's glow on Mt. Princeton.

I was way out of line using the word "pathetic", I should have said "ho-hum" perhaps. I'll edit right now. Thanks for calling me out on my faux pas.

[Cookerhiker]

I was way out of line using the word "pathetic", I should have said "ho-hum" perhaps. I'll edit right now. Thanks for calling me out on my faux pas.

No problem and I've now edited my post.

Some day I have to hike the Collegiate West route.

[StubbleJumper]

I was way out of line using the word "pathetic", I should have said "ho-hum" perhaps. I'll edit right now. Thanks for calling me out on my faux pas.

Agreed, it's not the best piece of trail (ie, hike along a side-mountain into a drainage, and then out of a drainage....rinse, lather, repeat). However, even the most ho-hum part of the CT is more interesting than long parts of other trails. We become spoiled on the CT with the breath-taking beauty and the excellent trail conditions. And breakfast at Mt Princeton is excellent!

[saltysack]

How does the rest of the CT compare to collegiate sections as far as difficulty and terrain?


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[StubbleJumper]

The collegiates actually have a fair bit of climbing in the first couple of days out of Twin. But overall, when I think of that 80 or 90 miles from Twin to Salida, I think of side-mountain hiking. For hours at a time, you seem to be going into and out of drainages along the mountain side.

South of Salida, my memory is that there's more climbing, complicated by higher altitudes (it's one thing to climb 5,000 feet in a day if you are at an altitude of 10,000 - 11,000 feet, but at 12,000 or 12,500 it seems much more difficult). The section south of Salida is mainly above the tree line, so it's much more scenic.