Colorado, the second state of the Continental Divide Trail (for northbound hikers), presents a set of new challenges for hikers leaving New Mexico. Hikers face elevation, snow, thunderstorms, cold, moose, recreational cannabis, and increased prices once they cross the border into Colorado from New
Continental Divide Trail Week 12: Wyoming!
Week 12 on the Continental Divide Trail takes us into the CDT's third state, Wyoming. I've never been to Wyoming before and our first trail town, Encampment. We then head into Rawlins, Wyoming before entering one of the state's landmark features, the Great Divide Basin. Day 78: The Last Great
Continental Divide Trail In Photos: San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado are the first real challenge of the Continental Divide Trail (that is, if you're hiking northbound and you don't consider the nearly 800 mi / 1,300 km of New Mexico to be much of a big deal). New Mexico has some climbing, but it does nothing to prepare
Continental Divide Trail Week 11: Farewell Moisture
Week 11 on the Continental Divide Trail takes me well ahead of Moist and Appa as I make it to Grand Lake, Colorado before hitchhiking to Denver for a chest x-ray. I make it back to Grand Lake, reunite with Appa, and find that Moist has abandoned the CDT in search of greener pastures. Appa and I then
Continental Divide Trail Week 10: Shortcuts to Town
Week 10 on the Continental Divide Trail takes us out of Twin Lakes, up the highest peak in Colorado (a slight detour), and then into the town of Leadville, Colorado. We then depart and make it to the next trail town, Breckenridge, just in time for the Fourth of July. Unfortunately, this also means
Continental Divide Trail Week 9: Moist Is Dead?
Week 9 on the Continental Divide Trail starts with me on my own, without Appa or Moist, before making it to one of the most-loved Colorado resupply stops, Salida. It's so great I take a double zero here before hiking out, meeting back up with Appa and Moist, and making it to Twin Lakes, Colorado
Continental Divide Trail Week 8: Three Is Company
Week 8 on the Continental Divide Trail begins with my shoes freezing solid and then continues into the towns of Silverton, Colorado, and Lake City, Colorado. Then, we're fairly certain Moist has died, but there's still some hope. Day 50: Frozen Shoes I wake up today to a first on the Continental
Continental Divide Trail Week 7: Big Decisions
Week 7 on the Continental Divide Trail begins with a triple zero - the longest of the entire trail - in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Moist and I eventually meet back up with Appa before continuing north from the town and into the San Juan Mountains where we are forced with some dangerous snow hiking.