Colorado Trail--questions by a future hiker

imported
#1

Hi everyone. I love the fact that there is a forum dedicated to this trail. After some thinking, my dad and I are tentatively planning on thru-hiking the CT in the summer of 2002. I’ve got some questions for you alum.

-When’s a good time to start?

-What weather should we expect (ie, how much rain did you get and were thunderstorms a big problem?)

-How long should we plan on it taking? I think we want to keep it to a month long trip, which brings the average to something like 14 miles per day.

-…That being said, we also are looking to alternate the route to climb some 14ers which will probably add 5 days, bringing the average to 16 miles per day. Is this a feasible pace? How is the terrain relative to the AT and LT?

Finally, for any alum willing, I’ve drawn up some alternate routes via climbing routes used in Gerry Roach’s book. If you have the book and wouldnt mind looking over some of my ideas, please email me. Thanks. -Sweeper

Sweeper

#2

…instead of walking 6 miles down chaffee co. 390, hike up missouri gulch over elk head pass (elk something) to french creek and then down to the ct. along the way you’ll be able to hit missouri, belford, oxford and harvard.

every one seemed to start earlier than me (i started aug 18)… i think the fear of a september snow storm is the reason. we’ll see how that goes.

i plan for a 6 week trek, thats an average of 10 miles/day.

t-storms are less frequent and severe this time of year (late summer fall), much more frequent and severe earlier in the summer… take your pick - less t-storms/threat of snow, more t-storms/no snow.

so far the terrain has been mellow, very virginia like in that it goes thru cow fields and rolls along ridges… although alpine zone is similar to nh or maine but very different…

good luck.

d-low