Colorado Trail: Day 1

STATS: 11.7 miles; +2,203/-361 feet

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After a curbside hug and kiss from Larry, and before the sun even hinted at rising over the horizon, I walked into the Asheville Airport toward the security checkpoint, which amounts to about 20 steps in the blissfully tiny airport. Soon, I’d be boarding the first of two flights, heading toward Denver, Colorado.

I glanced an advertisement above me in the security line promoting Burnsville tourism. Sitting in the idyllic photo was my friend and hiking hero, Jennifer Pharr Davis, posing with her family in a mountain meadow. Would Jen leave Brew, Charley and Gus for nearly a month to hike the Colorado Trail, I wondered. Nah, she’d probably do it in half that time.

I studied the curated scene–a husband and wife lovingly toasting (their perfect marriage?) with designer water bottles, while their exceptionally well-behaved and adoring children, gazing as lovingly at each other as their parents, sit happily with them in a bug-free meadow. I wondered if any young family on vacation ever looks like this unless they’re planning to post the photo on their Facebook page. Mine certainly doesn’t, which is why you seldom see my vacation photos on Facebook. 🙂

Once past security, grateful I’d shipped my hiking poles and pocket knife ahead to Denver so I didn’t have to fret about a checked bag missing my short connection in Charlotte, I boarded my flight. I was seated next to a woman who appeared visibly anxious, wringing her hands while sighing deeply. Maybe she’s scared of flying too, I thought. Nothing helps me overcome my irrational jitters about flying more than helping someone else through theirs.

“Are you okay?” I asked softly, hoping she wouldn’t take offense. She seemed to welcome the invitation to share her story. She had booked this flight not even eight hours prior, after learning that her mom was at a hotel in Phoenix—the room booked for her with the help of a kind airport employee.

She had wandered aimlessly for hours in the Phoenix airport, oblivious that she had missed her connecting flight. Eventually, she received a worried call from her daughter, who was concerned when her mom didn’t show up at the Asheville Airport as scheduled. The woman’s recent suspicion that her mother might have dementia was acutely becoming her reality.

“You’re lucky to have each other through this. But I’m so sorry. I know it must be incredibly hard and scary to process,” I responded. 

I said a silent prayer of gratitude for the gift of my health and that of my family. Without it, I wouldn’t be embarking upon the nearly 500-mile Colorado Trail, my longest mombatical to date. I’d never been away from Larry and our kids this long, and this journey would likely test my emotional reserves as much as my physical abilities. I knew they’d manage fine without me, but would my guilt about this adventure’s length rob the joy of thru hiking one of the country’s premier trails? How long is too long to be away from home with kids still under your roof, albeit nearly adult aged kids? I didn’t know the answer to these questions, but I was eager to get moving and ponder them. 

Mid morning, I landed in the Mile High City and met my good friend Chris Ford along with his Denver-based friends, Kim and Jonny (and their adorable pup, Hazel). After some delicious breakfast calories at First Watch, they drove us to the Waterton Canyon trailhead, the Colorado Trail’s northern terminus. As if spending their morning shuttling us wasn’t enough, Kim also treated us to amazing hand pies from a local bakery. These were far swankier than the Hostess Fruit Pies I love bringing on backpacking trips. It was getting hard to leave the comforts of the front country after being so spoiled.

But we had miles to make, so we took quick requisite trailhead photos and set out hiking under the blazing sun in the heat of the day. My hiking umbrella quickly went above my head, but the heat even seemed to radiate from the gravel. Thankfully, the canyon road was well graded with minimal incline. And while uncomfortable, it wasn’t nearly as suffocating as the South’s late summer sauna effect. I was thankful to be in the canyon at all, no matter the temperature, since it was closed the day and evening prior after a lightning strike started a 12-acre wildfire. It reopened just in time for our start. 

Several miles in, we stopped for a brief break at a picnic table under one of the canyon’s many well-spaced pavilions (complete with vault toilets nearby). While I filled one of my water bottles with an electrolyte replacement powder, a pair of women backpackers joined us and we chatted briefly. I wondered how many thru hikers we’d cross paths with over the coming weeks. How does a trail family (commonly referred to as a “tramily”) form, I wondered. Would Chris and I remain a tramily of two or would we grow? Matching paces and personalities to ours felt like a tall order for two introverts who easily fall into comfortable silence together.

We tore ourselves away from the comfort of the shade and continued on, passing the dam and then leaving the canyon road to start the single-track trail of the forest. Hiking uphill was oddly refreshing compared to the easier grade we left under the scorching sun. Several incredibly fit mountain bikers passed by us heading downhill, each one solo. Was this the norm in Colorado, to look as fit as an Olympian and cycle alone? 

The trail wound its way upward for several miles through the woods, and we only stopped once more to filter water. Nearly 12 miles in, on a small shelf that sits around 7300 feet, we decided to stop for the day and dry camp. We were on the fast track for acclimating without the luxury of time to ease into the increasingly thin air. I knew this elevation wasn’t high enough to gauge my body’s reaction properly; but if history dictated anything, I’d be spared from altitude sickness. Chris, now a Triple Crowner (which means he’s thru hiked the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail), had plenty of experience and miles to know he’d likely be fine, too.  

We ate our dinners, reveling that we were finally here, finally doing this thing we’d talked about for months. We had scrapped our original plan to thru hike the John Muir Trail, despite scoring coveted permits, after a record snow year in the Sierra caused more concerns than excitement. The Colorado Trail was hardly a compromise.

As the sun set, we took a few photos of the distant views. Then we did our best to stuff all our food into our Ursacks. I had carefully chosen every ounce of food, limiting myself to the lower end of the recommended 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of food per day. But five more days of food–enough to get us to Breckenridge where we had mailed our first resupply–filled every nook and cranny of the thick bag. We tied them to nearby trees and tucked away into our tents as the night grew dark. 

Just as I was drifting off, I saw a headlamp moving down the trail at a faster pace than a typical hiker. Turns out, it was another mountain biker passing through—this one also by himself. Such a curious thing, I thought. Soon enough, I’d understand.

Colorado Trail Planning Tips

If you arrive in Denver with a little time to spare, check out Kim and Jonny’s Future Drawn Art Gallery. Jonny’s unique style of one-line art is mind boggling!

If time allows, it’s probably best to acclimate a few days before starting the trail. You may want to speak with your doctor about a Diamox prescription, which might be helpful in preventing altitude sickness (although I’ve heard of it causing icky side effects in some people, so weigh the pros and cons before taking it).

Most hikers start the trail in a southbound direction, to ease into the elevation and higher altitudes more slowly. This proved very beneficial for us. 

Waterton Canyon doesn’t allow dogs.

The Colorado Trail Pocket Data Book is a handy resource and worth the small weight penalty, in my opinion. I also enjoyed having the Colorado Trail Guidebook on my Kindle app to read about each segment the night before we hiked it.

Far Out and Gaia maps are great digital supplements to paper maps. Far Out is particularly helpful for planning daily mileages, as the comments reveal many more established dispersed campsites than the pocket data guide.

Waterton Canyon is incredibly exposed and can get very hot. My Gossamer Gear Liteflex Umbrella was invaluable (use code NANCYGG15 for 15% off).

Our campsite at mile 11.8 was small but had enough room for 3-4 tents (and had a nice view).