CDT mile 883.6 miles hiked 21.6
Artistic river foam
The collegiates are named for various peaks named after colleges, however, I believe they are called that because while you are in them you earn a degree in suffering. Today was a long hard day the 21.6 miles we’re hard earned ones going up and down from as low as 10,500′ and three times going as high as 12,800′.
The trail along the famous alpine tunnel
The day started with below freezing temps from our high camp last night. After we got packed and rolling we strolled downhill to a valley and then immediately started a mellow climb up the old railroad grade. We stopped along the way and read about the south park train and the old alpine tunnel. We eventually had to leave the nice grade and due to snow, we walked cross country up to the first pass.
Cheezy crossing one of the many blowdowns
When I reached the first pass Buttercup and Zippy were plotting their own alternates along the actual divide. Cheezy and I decided to stick to the trail and we had a predetermined spot to meet. They left us and the two of us walked down an open valley easily avoiding snow but once in the trees, we had a heck of a time following the trail due to all the snow and blowdowns. We finally sorted out our way and then started the long climb back up.
A couple hours later and we made treeline and decided to eat since we had been walking for 3 1/2 hours. We ate a quick snack and then right as we started to get ready to go the boys arrived, the said the next ridge was too risky so they decided to come back to the trail. We all climbed the final 900′ to the top. Before us lied numerous mountains and valleys that we would cross for the remainder of the day.
Sometimes you have to stop and enjoy the view
The Collegiates remind me of the Sierras where I love to go hiking.The steep Rocky Mountains, lakes, and various drainages. We worked our way through each drainage and then up to a pass. At 6pm we started up the final one, an hour later after post holing, crossing steep snow packed slopes and walking through numerous flows of water we reached the top of our final pass for the day.
Grinding out the final downhill while trying to find a decent camp
The wind was howling and the 4 of us started our descent hoping to find water and a suitable camp. We eventually found some silty water that would have to do and 1/2 mile later we found a decent spot to camp with a great view of mountains and a lake below. A dinner of tortellini and sauce along with a slab of the fresh rye bread from Salida rounded out a very long hard day.
Colorado is an amazing state with great mountain beauty, but man it is kicking my butt.
Zippy takes in the view and thinks about life
