Alone on the Colorado Trail
My heart pounded in my chest for two reasons. Hiking above 12,000 feet is no joke, especially while carrying fourty pounds of backpacking and camera gear. But the real source was the impending apocalypse of a monsoon storm crashing overhead as I was exposed on this ridgeline.
Life was taking some big changes. So I decided to hit a 75 mile section of the Colorado Trail, taking the unconventional route from Durango to Molas Pass. Most Colorado Trail hikers head southbound. I’d be going against the flow of traffic. And I’d be climbing out of Durango, something most people are wise to avoid.
Solo time on a hiking trail is good for the soul. Even though I was a little anxious, I set out from Durango and began the climb. Day one is an ass-kicker. For most hikers, this is the long downhill finish of the Colorado Trail. For me, I’m climbing from 7,000 feet up to 10,000 feet and logging 14 miles before my legs give out.
Monsoons were the name of the game out here. And day one, the skies unleashed a fury of whip-cracking lightning and enough hail to cover everything in four inches of slush.
Day two I set out after a very damp night and continued to climb up to Kennebec Pass. This day was a real spine-tingler. The clouds were black and the lightning was flashing. I debated if I should return back down the mountain to the safety of trees, or push on and tempt fate, but continue to make miles.
The vibrant wildflowers are one of the many magical sights along the trail
I pressed on. But not without fear and trepidation.
At last I crested the pass and could see a mix of fair skies and dangerous weather. I ate lunch as lightning struck the ridge I would soon need to hike.
The exposed trail and an incoming storm
This leg of the Colorado Trail takes hikers through the San Juan mountains in the southwest corner of the state. It’s one of my favorite parts of Colorado as the mountains here are so colorful.
Each day I fell closer into the rhythm of the trail, wake up around 5 am to get an early start. Hike about 15 miles, documenting as much as possible, and then stagger into a campsite and enjoy the evening before utterly passing out.
One more pass in the books, this after a huge lightning storm raged all night
Even though I had done a reasonable job packing, carrying enough food for six days plus camera equipment meant that I was hauling a pretty heavy pack for the miles I wanted to achieve.
Each pass was exhausting, but I loved the thrill of seeing the landscape change every ten miles or so. After a few days my nerves about the trail had settled and I was truly enjoying my time alone on the trail. The physical nature of hiking through these mountains is deeply satisfying.
The view into the Weminuche Wilderness and the continuation of the Colorado Trail
As I neared Molas Pass and the end point of my trip, I was inspired and energized by my time on trail. This 75 mile section was just a taste of the 485 miles of the full Colorado Trail. Someday I will return and hike it in its entirety.
