Colorado Trail & CDT Variations - 2nd Thru

[Coffee]

I thru hiked the Colorado Trail southbound in 2014 and I am planning to hike in Colorado again this summer - probably late August to late September. Last time, I hiked southbound (Denver to Durango) and took the Collegiate West. To make this hike a little different, I would like to head northbound this time since I've found on other repeat thru hikes that changing directions can really change the experience (not to mention the views I'll look at all day while walking).

Since I've already hiked the trail end-to-end, I am also thinking about possibly mixing it up a little bit by incorporating segments of the CDT beyond where the CDT and CT are colocated. For example, one variation I find intriguing is the idea of heading north on the CDT around Georgia Pass rather than continuing on the CT toward the Waterton trailhead. I could take the CDT up into Rocky Mountain National Park and possibly end near Estes Park which could both be more interesting and also offers easy logistics to get back to Denver airport (many commercial shuttles). I like the idea of ending in Estes Park. However, it may be hard to arrange for proper permits in Rocky Mountain National Park since my exact trip date might not be known in advance since it comes at the end of a ~500 mile hike. Has anyone done this as part of a CT hike? Or in general, has anyone who hiked the CDT made a side trip toward Estes Park?

Any other potential suggestions for incorporating the CDT would be appreciated. I'm not wedded to starting in Durango either if there are other CDT access points in southern Colorado that I should consider. Can't wait to get back to the Rockies!

[Venchka]

Not sure why you would want to end in Estes Park? The CDT passes through Grand Lake, literally, makes a 25 mile U shaped turn through RMNP and then heads for Steamboat Springs and Wyoming.
Shuttle service from Grand Lake might be possible. Crossing RMNP on foot may or may not be possible. Bear cans are a definite in RMNP. You need to do some research.
On the other hand...
If you can get to Chama, NM, the CDT crosses the highway about 10 miles north of Chama and eventually picks up the CT around Eldorado Lake. The two trails then proceed towards Breckinridge, etc.
Good luck!
Wayne

[Coffee]

I've never been to RMNP and just thought that it might be interesting to cross it on foot and end in Estes Park which apparently is a major destination from what I've read. I have read about the bear canister rule (not a problem since I can ship my Bearikade to Grand Lake) but the permit system is a little confusing. I can see that walk in permits are sometimes available but I cannot find the percentage of permits that are reservable vs. held for walk ins or how hard it would be if I show up at the Kawuneeche Visitor center (near Grand Lake) and ask for a permit that gets me to Estes Park via the trail system. I am planning to call the park to find out about that. But I'm not dead set on ending at Estes Park.

I'll look into Chama NM. It looks like there is an extensive bus system in that part of NM. Might be cool to start there and cross into Colorado on the CDT.

[colorado_rob]

Not sure why you would want to end in Estes Park? The CDT passes through Grand Lake, literally, makes a 25 mile U shaped turn through RMNP and then heads for Steamboat Springs and Wyoming.

Perhaps Coffee meant RMNP when he said "Estes Park". Lots of folks refer to RMNP as "Estes Park" not realizing Estes Park is just a tourist-trap city right near the RMNP entrances.

Anyway, I might suggest a couple of zig-zag mountain pass crossings in a few of the ranges to mix stuff up, like down in the San Juans or Sawatches (Collegiates). Maybe do the CDT way south in lieu of the few few sections of the CT north of Durango, concentrating on the Weminuche wilderness.

Just FWIW, I personally don't like the hiking in northern CO near Steamboat and RMNP, except in RMNP proper.

[colorado_rob]

I've never been to RMNP and just thought that it might be interesting to cross it on foot and end in Estes Park which apparently is a major destination from what I've read. I have read about the bear canister rule (not a problem since I can ship my Bearikade to Grand Lake) but the permit system is a little confusing. I can see that walk in permits are sometimes available but I cannot find the percentage of permits that are reservable vs. held for walk ins or how hard it would be if I show up at the Kawuneeche Visitor center (near Grand Lake) and ask for a permit that gets me to Estes Park via the trail system. I am planning to call the park to find out about that. But I'm not dead set on ending at Estes Park.

Sorry I thought you might be confusing Estes/RMNP, lots of folks do. I see your plan now, yeah, Estes has lots of choices for transportation services, and doing your last few days in RMNP sounds like a great plan, if you can work the permit thing. It will be fairly crowded, even in the backcountry that time of year, but you might hit the Aspen gold just about right in mid September.

[Coffee]

Sorry I thought you might be confusing Estes/RMNP, lots of folks do. I see your plan now, yeah, Estes has lots of choices for transportation services, and doing your last few days in RMNP sounds like a great plan, if you can work the permit thing. It will be fairly crowded, even in the backcountry that time of year, but you might hit the Aspen gold just about right in mid September.

I'll have to give the park a call to see what the deal is on walk-ins that time of year. I'm pretty much open to any route that gets me across the park so being flexible could help. I am hoping for fall colors on this hike - one of the reasons I want to hike in September (the other being hopefully fewer t-storms!)

[Venchka]

Cumbres Pass on Hwy 17 North of Chama is where the CDT crosses the highway.
Lowe’s on the south side of Chama is a full service supermarket, liquor store and hunting-fishing supply stop.
The Rio Chama RV Park on the north side of Chama is a very nice campground. I’ve stayed there the last two years and enjoyed myself.
I ran into two hikers on the CDT near the Conejos River. They were hiking from Cumbres Pass to Silverton. They said it would take them about 2 weeks.
Wayne

[Dogwood]

I like what you're considering. There are many options. I've experienced several of them or something similar as a CDT and CT thru and section hiker mixing and matching CT and CDT CO segments connecting the two including the options presented so far.



Overall, tough strenuous higher elev hiking on the CO CDT particularly as a non regular high elev accustomed backpacker compounded by going NOBO starting in Durango or at the CO/NM border/Wolf Creek Pass on the CDT. Choosing these starting pts NOBO to Georgia Pass further NOBO back on the CDT or Handlebar's CT/CDT option NOBO on the CDT then through RMNP is a tough hike. I chose this once SOBO as a CDT/CT "section" hiker. It beat my arse down at the start when not in the midst of thru-hiker shape. IMO, that itinerary is best for one in well above avg backpacking condition from the get go. It's more of the harder higher CT west route type stuff made harder if you out and back summiting 14ers.



One could start on the CDT at the CO/NM state line taking the CT/CT to Georgia Pass and to the Greys/Torreys Peaks summits for a shorter strenuous affair.



A Roxborough SP ending or beginning is much different than doing the same at Waterton Canyon.




If you do want to cross RMNP between Grand Lake and Estes Park and are up to doing a LONG day, which if you went NOBO as you're anticipating you'd likely be able, you can avoid the canister. It's required for overnighting in RMNP. I've done it once and did the CDT RMNP loop as a day hike on a CDT SOBO thru. I stage on the night before in Grand Lake at Shadowcliff Lodge(hostel) which makes it logistically easier and which the owners can fill you in. There's a hostel in Estes Park on the other side as well. When getting into GL I get my permit not far down the road for the next day. I'm not recalling this RMNP Office. I always hitch there. You can rent a can there as well and drop it off on the other side of RMNP at a different RMNP Office if it takes more than a day. Doing this hike is basically up up up level down down down. Welcome to CO! Pull up a RMNP map.

[Coffee]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

I figure that going NOBO is going to be tougher than SOBO. If I start the traditional Colorado Trail at Durango, I get above 10,000 feet and stay about that level for a long time very quickly - so I'll have to acclimate over the first few days. That's the main downside of going NOBO and probably why most CT thru hikers go southbound. I've adjusted to elevation reasonably well in the past in the Sierra Nevada so I'm hoping the same is true in Colorado. Of course, on my CT SOBO thru, I had a lot of time to acclimate starting at Denver.

The idea of crossing RMNP in one day is interesting - presumably, a backcountry permit wouldn't even be needed based on my reading of the regulations. That could be a fallback if permits are somehow unavailable if I go this route and fail to get a walk-up permit. I expect I'd be in very strong hiking shape by that point.

[map man]

From the North Inlet Trailhead on the outskirts of Grand Lake to the Bear Lake Trailhead on the other side of the divide is a little less than 17 miles (with 4000 feet of up to Flattop Mountain and then 3000 feet of down to Bear Lake) by way of the North Inlet Trail and Flattop Mountain Trail and that is a very busy trailhead where you could undoubtedly Yogi a ride into town. Or you could hike another 7 miles to the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center which is on the edge of Estes Park.

[colorado_rob]

Silly and obvious question Coffee: Have you thought of just simply doing the Colorado CDT in its entirety vs. mixing it up with the CT? That way if you ever decided to do the entire CDT, you'd have a nice start.

Another point, also obvious: If you decide on mix/matching with the CDT, would you be doing the Collegiate west version vs. the east? Or perhaps you did west when you did the CT the first time, in which case, doG forbid I suggest, doing the east side this time?

[Coffee]

I actually had not thought of doing the Colorado segment of the CDT in its entirety until now - very interesting idea!

As as for the collegiate alternative, I did choose the west last time and it was probably my favorite part of the trail so I'm not sure I could bring myself to doing the east even though I've never done it. But that's definitely another good option.

map man, 17 miles wouldn't be a problem at that point should I choose to end at Estes park. It sounds like the day hike option would greatly simplify things for me (no bear can, no permit issues).

[Venchka]

Colorado CDT
Southern end. The trailhead parking lot is a few miles north of the NM border. You could day hike a round trip to the border. Or, call the trailhead parking lot good and plan on doing the short section to the border when you complete NM.
The north end gets tricky. There used to be seasonal air service to Steamboat Springs. That makes for a perfect place to “finish” Colorado and “start” or “finish” Wyoming. The actual Colorado-Wyoming border is one of those places that you can’t get to from here.
Cumbres Pass parking lot to Steamboat Springs or vice versa on the CDT. A good hike.
Enjoy!
Wayne

[Venchka]

Cumbres Pass parking lot to NM border is 6 miles round trip.
Wayne

[Dogwood]

Colorado CDT segment ~ 650 miles is harder than the CT. CT is ~ 485. It's not just length. CDT stays at a generally sustained 10,000 ft longer than the anything on the CT.

http://www.cdtsociety.org/colorado.html

Again, it's suggested you don't take on the entire CO CDT in and end to end fashion unless you're in above avg backpacking shape from the start. It's not a PCT NOBO or maybe AT NOBO bubble times type hike or even JMT SOBO thru where it's IMO easier to work your way into LD backpacking condition and acclimatization. There may be disagreements, if's, and's, and but's, but IMHO harder overall terrain from the get go going CO CDT NOBO starting at Wolf Creek Pass.

Good sustained climb out of the box going Denver bound out of Durango in the beginning as well out of Elk Creek after crossing the Animas on the CT too.

[Venchka]

Dogwood,
You forgot about 100-150 miles of Colorado.
Not to mention looking at Guthook’s CDT track in southern Colorado there are multiple alternates through the San Juan mountains.
The South San Juan Wilderness is high but relatively level and well watered to help acclimating. Resupply is another story. Fire damage is extensive for a day or so after Wolf Creek Pass.
Crowds? What crowds? People are as scarce as cell signals. 👍😎😄
Wayne

[colorado_rob]

Dogwood,
You forgot about 100-150 miles of Colorado.
Not to mention looking at Guthook’s CDT track in southern Colorado there are multiple alternates through the San Juan mountains.
The South San Juan Wilderness is high but relatively level and well watered to help acclimating. Resupply is another story. Fire damage is extensive for a day or so after Wolf Creek Pass.
Crowds? What crowds? People are as scarce as cell signals. 👍😎😄
Wayne

The relative lack of crowds on the CDT vs. CT is one major draw, I would think. Having hiked a lot of both of these trails down in the San Juans, I really don't think the CDT is that much, if any more difficult than the CT, especially for a seasoned hiker like Coffee. So what if the overall altitude is a bit higher, shouldn't be an issue.

But, I didn't realize the CDT was that long in Colorado! I knew it was longer than the CT, but never knew it was that much longer...

But, of course, doing the south (CO) CDT terminus to RMNP would cut a bunch of miles off, making it closer in length to the CT, and using RMNP (in Estes Park) a stopping point, makes it easier to pick up the CDT later in northern CO and into WY vs. the remote CO/WY border.

Just thinking outloud. Good discussion, IMHO, makes my wife and I want to try the CO CDT this late summer ourselves vs. our original plan of a big CT section (I just cannot make myself do Waterton->Breck again, I've hiked that section 4 times now).

[Coffee]

Terrific ideas. I didn't realize that the CDT is that long in Colorado either. I'm not sure that I would have enough time to complete the entire segment in Colorado but that doesn't matter too much to me. I do like the idea of a CDT segment (which of course overlaps a lot of the CT). I'll have to do some due diligence on this - part of the fun of hiking, for me, is the planning.

[Venchka]

I thought that I was the only person who didn’t know that the CT and CDT were one and the same for somewhere between 300 and 400 miles. From around Frisco-Breckinridge to the top of the Elk Creek drainage.
The South San Juan and Weminuche Wilderness Areas would be reasons enough for an alternative start to your NOBO trip.
Wayne

[Dogwood]

Dogwood,
You forgot about 100-150 miles of Colorado.
Not to mention looking at Guthook’s CDT track in southern Colorado there are multiple alternates through the San Juan mountains.
The South San Juan Wilderness is high but relatively level and well watered to help acclimating. Resupply is another story. Fire damage is extensive for a day or so after Wolf Creek Pass.
Crowds? What crowds? People are as scarce as cell signals. 
Wayne

That squiggly line called a tilde was used to represent the mathematical symbol for approximately which are two tildes one directly above the other. It was an approximation which is what I recalled from thru-hiking the CDT and CO CDT and confirmed by the CDTS(Continental Divide Trail Society). http://cdtsociety.org/colorado.htm


Even though I thoroughly enjoyed long/longish 68? and 711 mile(I had to just dig up old CDT trail journals) CO CDT hikes and the CDT has many alternates including several in CO where did you get the CO CDT is up to 800 miles? I've never heard the CO CDT segment being that lengthy.