We just thought of the idea of leaving food caches periodically rather than having to hitch into towns for resupplying. Is that a realistic option? What are the downsides of doing that?
Nancy from Family on Bikes
Food caches? - The Colorado Trail
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#2
From http://www.pmags.com/colorado-trail-end-to-end-guide-2
CACHING: Every-so-often, I get an inquiry asking about caching supplies along the trail. As the hitches are easy with ample resupply, it is not an option that makes much sense logistically (have to drive A LOT to drop caches and A LOT to pick up caches). But it is an option that could work for some people esp in long stretches (e.g. at Spring Creek Pass) or if you absolutely do not want to hitch. James and Rebecca hiked the CT in 2009 using bear canisters cached along the trail. As they stated “If you take this method, please note that it is not okay to leave a bunch of flimsy Rubbermade bins in the forest. Bears will find your food and eat it. All.” . Here’s their link if you are curious about how and where they cached supplies: http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~rebeccaw/ColoradoTrail_planning.html
Caches
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#4
Military ammunition cans are bearproof and inexpensive. If you decide to do this remember that you will have to go back after finishing the trail to pick them up. Might be quicker overall to just hitch.
One of the problems with thru hikers getting rides is that they get so funky that are mistaken for homeless people and drivers are unwilling to pick them up. If you clean up a bit on the big day it will help. It should be much easier for a family than for most of us. I think you will want to go to a town occasionally to take a shower and eat, and eat, and eat.
andy
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#5
I agree - I think we’ll want to head into town. Getting a ride for four people could be a challenge, but we’ll see how it goes. If worse comes to worst I could hitch in my myself to stock up on food while my husband and the kids stay at the trailhead with the tents.
Nancy from Family on Bikes
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#6
Keep me advised on your progress. I offer free rides into Gunnison from Lujan Pass if I know you’re coming. I took a gang of 6 humans and 2 dogs this year. 
LP is abou 3 days past Salida if you are going southbound.
Apple
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#7
It is true that you might have a tough time getting a hitch as a family of four (although a woman by herself usually has no trouble getting a hitch). You might consider the use of a few mail-drops as an alternative, at least for the first half of the trail. As a family, you could catch the free bus into Breck. You could then send a mail drop from Breck to Twin, which is only about a mile off the trail. You might also see whether it’s possible to send another mail drop to Princeton which is right on the trail. From Princeton, it’s possible to walk to Lujan, where Apple has offered you a ride.
Well, that covers about three-quarters of the trail! You just need to figure out how to get into Creede/Lake City and or Siverton!
Loup
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#8
Thanks Apple! That’s great to know! As we plan this out I’ll definitely keep that in mind.
As for food drops, where should we plan on sending them? Just Twin and Princeton? Or should we plan on others as well?
Nancy from Family on Bikes
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#9
Salida, Gunnison, Crede, Lake City, and Silverton all have good groceries to resupply. I have had some folks who have cached the whole trail very successfully. 2 years ago a hiker could not find his cache in the ravine going under Colorado 114 and had to go into town. I often look down there and wonder where in the world it went. I had a hiker this year (nice guy actually) who buried white Home Depot buckets full of food along the trail which worked well for him. But he told me he had no intention of retrieving them! He thought other folks would be grateful to get them! Please don’t do this. 
Angel Apple
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#10
I would opt for mailing resupply packages General Delivery to Post Offices along the trail. In 2010 as I was resuming my CT hike along CO Hwy 114, I ran into a thru-hiker who had to get off the CT at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. He just returned from retrieving his food cache, which he hung in a tree near the trailhead in a bear vault, only to find that someone removed his food, socks, etc. We were both hoping that this was NOT the work of a fellow hiker.
Bernard Wolf
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#11
The easiest mail drops are Twin and Princeton because they are pretty much right on the trail. You go into town, collect your parcel, buy a coke (or in you case, buy four cokes!), and load the food into your pack. Neither Twin nor Princeton have much in the way of groceries…basically just cokes, potato chips and chocolate bars. For the other towns, you’ll need a ride from somebody like Apple for Gunnison, or the owner of the Prosepector Motel for Silverton. Both can accommodate 4 people and get your family into and out of town so you can hit the grocery store.
Other than Twin and Princeton, you might want one other maildrop before Breck if you are unable to walk 105 miles on a single haul. But, none of the towns before Breck are immediately on the trail, so it would be a hitch to get your parcel. Personally, I found it simpler to use longer hauls rather than horsing around with numerous re-supplies. However, as an average individual hiker, I can comfortably walk 100 miles in 7 days which might be a bit of a stretch for a family of four…
Loup
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#12
Jefferson is a short hitch from Kenosha Pass (72 miles from Denver) and has been used by a lot of hikers. It has a post office and store. There is a really good Texas BBQ and ice cream place. The store doesn’t have a lot, but you can find enough to get by since you will be in the Breckenridge - Frisco area in 32 miles.
bearcreek
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#13
Food caches are fine, but most people after a week look forward to going into town for those everyday items you can’t get on the trail. You don’t have to take a zero in town but, a town stop is nice to resupply in because you will want to shower, poo in a toilet and carbo load on town food.
Pacemaker
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#14
I’ve discovered it’s pretty possible to hike most of the first half of the trail and use outhouses. Unless you are the type that goes at a precise time each day.
Perhaps the brown blaze locations should be in the databook.
Gershon
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#15
An outhouse is hardly a luxury in the woods unless maybe it’s raining or snowing sideways. For one, you’ll probably want to hover over the rancid toilet seat rather than actually getting to sit down and relax. Two, gotta be vigilant about that dreaded splashback! Three, the more sheltering from the weather the privy happens to be, the more it becomes a gas chamber, a greenhouse on warm days, and a Venus fly trap all rolled into one. Irresistible fly bait: your bung. Four, ah… free toilet paper, but curses, it won’t unroll because it’s on a rectangular spindle!
And of course, five: Having to endure the US Forest Service’s universally poor grammar, yet again:
PLEASE DO NOT THROW TRASH IN TOILET, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE
Comma my butt. Try a semi-colon next time, Smokey.
incognito tirade
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#16
There could be moon ratings on the outhouses. The one at the end of segment 1 is definately a 1 moon. There is one a mile into segment 15 which is 5 moon. Same with the one at the end of segment 2. I forget the exact location, but there is a camping area on the southern 5 miles of segment 14 which has a five star outhouse. The ones in the Angel of Shavano campground are 4 moons.
Your moons may vary.
Warning: If there is no ventilator, keep your butts out of the hole. Methane buildup in some cases results in an explosion.
Gershon
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#17
This is a great discussion. When I give trail beta to a friend of mine, the thing he asks first is, “Where are the outhouses?” Next come water sources, resupplies, etc. Talk about priorities! I’ll have to start carrying an explosive gas meter, though.
Garlic
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#20
Apparently there is a supply of white Home Depot buckets out there at convenient intervals…:lol
Wandering Bob