Colorado Trip Plans

(Written by Meggan)


I'm writing this post in response to so many people trying to understand our Colorado Trip plans coming up... and it's a complicated story of many logistics...

As many of you know, I've been trying to complete all of the Colorado Trail in sections. I've hiked quite a bit of it here and there. I've run some parts. I've skied a little bit and mountain biked a little bit. Some parts I've gone East to West and less often I've gone West to East. My goal is to eventually complete all the sections, one way or another.  Of course this is not the same thing whatsoever as through-hiking it, which would be a super cool experience. But since I can't see that happening in my life any time soon, doing little bits at a time is what I'm doing.

I turned 40 in April. And the thing I wanted the very most to celebrate my 40th birthday was support for my CO trail project. When we moved from Colorado to Canada in 2018, things happened very quickly and somewhat unexpectedly. The Colorado Trail project was left in a state of disorganization, with some annoying sections of uncompleted trail here and there.

So our upcoming vacation has turned into a crazy logistical scramble that is sure to allow for some amazing adventures. Parts of it are still coming together, and I'm hoping that snow will continue to melt and all things will get organized. I'm hoping to try and get over 125 miles (200km) done in the two weeks that I'm there, and take a physical therapy course so that I can call it a business trip ;)

Of course we hope to see as many people as possible when we visit, but the real focus of this trip is the trail project. At least it is for me. The focus of the trip for my kids is to see friends in Crested Butte. But we would love to see you if we can. If you see a day that you think you could come and join in for a part of the hike, please do!!! We would love the company.

My mom, my brother Jeff, my kids and my husband Jason have all come on board to assist with this summer's adventure. Many of the remaining sections are annoying logistically... so my mom offered to be my driver and shuttle me from one trailhead to another. The girls will have to come along and hang out with my mom while I hike/run. Jason can only get one week off, so my brother will join me on the hiking/running parts of the trail for week one, and then Jason will join me for week two.  

It turns out it's not easy to find a campervan with 5 seat belts. There were three options, and it's not too much additional cost to go with a real 25' RV that has an on-board bathroom and shower!  So we are renting this really awesome souped up fancy RV that my mom and I are quite excited about.
https://www.cruiseamerica.com/rv-rentals/our-vehicles/standard-rv
We hope to succeed in driving it in/out Denver and from place to place!

So below is the plan. I've marked difficult logistics with * that are still coming together.

Another interesting question is how fit we are and how our bodies will cope. I feel like I'm in pretty good shape. I can run 20km poorly and easily run 12km of hard trails with climbs and descents. I haven't put in as much mileage in July as I had hoped. Jeff is a good runner, and is putting in a good July. Jason is ... well, super human even despite his badly broken leg 2 years ago. But we all live at sea level with very little opportunity to get to any altitude to practice...


Part 1: The Meggan/Jeff stage race, Front Range to Gunnison (approx 85 miles)

Day 1
Meggan, Jeff, Rachel, Ava, and Nana all fly into Denver and land late at night.
Stay with friends.


Day 2
Morning zoo, nature museum or rec center visit. Anyone want to join us for this?
After lunch get campervan, drive to Twin Lakes, CO via Summit County for supplies.

Day 3
Meet with friend and hike 11.6 miles of Collegiate West 1 section, up an over Hope Pass.
Nana and campervan offer shuttle.
Drive to St. Elmo area for the night.

Day 4
Hike from St Elmo to Hancock (CW 4) approx 14 miles
*No idea what the road is like to run from St. Elmo to the CO trail start on Tincup Pass road.

Day 5

Hancock trailhead to Monarch Pass (CW 4/5) 18.3 miles

Nana and girls shuttle around possibly via Mt. Princeton Hot Springs and then via Salida to stock up on groceries and meet us at Monarch Pass. Sleep near Sargeants somewhere.

Day 6

28 miles of trail to be covered from the Tank 7 trailhead near Sargeants to CO-114 intersection

*A huge day. Hopefully Jeff and I are fit enough and can get used to the altitude to do this day. Plan B is that we do part of the 28 miles today and the next part on Aug 7, staying in campervan in between parts.

Day 7

Hopefully tag off an extra 13 miles in the agricultural no-mans land near CO-114/Saguache Park Road, unless Plan B is needed from Aug 6.

If Plan B, then Jason and I will do it as we come back this way going East.

Drive to Gunnison for the night.

Part Two: Crested Butte down time

Day 8

Uncle Jeff takes the bus from Gunnison, flies out of Denver, and goes home to recover.

Meggan, Nana and girls head to Crested Butte. 
*Stay somewhere with campervan??

Day 9

Girls have an art camp for the day in Crested Butte
Laundry day.

Jason arrives in Gunnison at 5pm.

Whole campervan and Jason drive through Lake City to Spring Creek Pass. 

Part 3: Meggan and Jason backpack Spring Creek Pass to CO-114 area (approx 44 trail miles) going East

Day 10

Jason and Meggan leave campervan early and start their hike (20 miles to San Luis saddle)

Nana and girls back to Crested Butte - stay at hotel.

*Nana has to entertain girls alone all day long. Anyone want to hang with the kids that afternoon?

Day 11

Meggan and Jason hike San Luis Peak + to mile 7.0 segment 19 (peak+ 14.3 miles)

Nana stays in Crested Butte with girls at Elevation hotel.

*Nana has to entertain girls alone all day long. Anyone want to help my mom out with the kids that day?

Day 12

Meggan and Jason hike (possibly as short as 7 miles or 20.8 miles if Plan B ahead).

Ava has plans to play with friends. Hoping Rachel will also be able to play with friends.
Nana to drive girls and campervan out of CB this day.

Nana and girls come pick up Meggan and Jason near CO-114 area.
Possibly drive toward Breckenridge... plans for the evening to be confirmed.

Part 4: Denver / Front Range area and Meggan takes a PT course

Day 13

Campervan group drives from CO-114 to Front Range.
This whole day and where we will be, where we will stay to be confirmed.
Anyone in Front Range willing to have us park our camper at their house for the night?

Day 14

To Denver area. Return camper van.
Hope to see friends in the Front Range but not sure who/how/when.

Stay with friends in Denver and take over their house for the night.

Day 15

Nana, girls, Jason fly out of Denver airport after lunch.

Meggan has a PT course in Centennial.

Day 16

Jason returns to work, kids go to camp in Victoria, Nana sleeps in her own bed :)

Meggan has a PT course in Centennial.

Day 17

Meggan has a PT course in Centennial.

Day 18

Meggan has a PT course in Centennial, then flies home in the evening, arriving home really late.

So... after all of this is said and done, will I be done the trail?

No.

I will have two bigger chunks left to complete:

1) Kenosha Pass to Leadville Fish Hatchery (Section 6-10) with plans to do this in 2020 early summer with friends who are through-hiking

2) The last 74 miles of trail when heading West (Sections 24-28). This will be my last section and I plan to fly into Durango, catch the train toward Silverton, and then start from the train stop near Molas Pass and hike back to Durango.  

Who's with me ?!?!