I was just on the CT website and they urge me to not start a CT hike after early September…if I did start by the second week, how long until I finish? November?
Also, more importantly, would I avoid the snow if I went southbound? Or do I want to go norhtbound?
Kineo Kid
September can provide wonderful hiking conditions in Colorado. You must be prepared, however, for the possible snowstorm. (Mid-September last year I got hit by a near white-out near the CT/CDT intersection east of Silverton.) October just brings more of everything - more cold temps and more storms. I’ll defer to anyone who has actually hiked the CT in October, but I suspect you’ll end up spending a lot of time in towns waiting out bad weather. Given that fact, I don’t know if you would complete a thru-hike before the trail become altogether impassable (unless you can bang out steady 20+mile days).
I hope someone with more late-fall experience on the CT has better news for you as I hate to rain on a good adventure! Happy Trails.
Matt
I just completed the Waterton to Leadville section and want to report that the snow conditions on Georgia and Searle Pass are fine. But it has rained virtually every day. And the mosquitos are AWFUL, everywhere, all day. You may want to consider anti-itch cream. But the wildflowers are amazing! Obviously the water supply is abundant.
Beverly
Could be dicey. I’ve been backpacking in late September-first week of October and got dumped on by 2 feet of snow in the Holly Cross Wilderness area. I was prepared, but still it was a lot of work getting out. If you were to get 2 snows back to back like the one I experienced, you could be in for little survival time. It would be chancey though.
misqua