As I prepare to start my first section hike of the Colorado Trail later this year, transportation is one of the puzzles I need to solve. Since I’ll be flying into Denver from Tennessee I need to figure out how I’m going to get to the trail, and after hiking for a few days, get…
When I first started planning my Colorado Trail section hikes, I didn’t realize just how quickly pre-packaged backpacking food could become a big expense. And it seemed that every gear list I looked at included a stack of freeze-dried meals. Mountain House, Peak Refuel, Backpacker’s Pantry…the kind of meals where you just add hot water…
When I first started researching the Colorado Trail, I spent hours comparing backpacks, tents, sleeping pads, shoes, and water filters. But the deeper I got into the planning process, the more I realized that things like timing, transportation, altitude, weather, and mileage planning can have a much bigger impact on your trip than whether you…
As you start planning your Colorado Trail backpacking trip, one of the questions you will eventually run up on is: “When is the best time of year to backpack the Colorado Trail?” At first, I assumed the answer would be simple. Summer equals hiking season, right? But the more I researched the Colorado Trail, the…
For years, I’ve wanted to hike the Colorado Trail. I’ve studied the trail, researched gear, mapped out sections, and spent countless hours planning trips. To say it is on my “bucket list” would be an understatement. But like many people, I haven’t actually made it to the trail yet. Not because I don’t want to,…