Anybody thru'd the Colorado Trail with a Hammock

[Cannibal]

I think I just had a nervous breakdown!

There has been lots of talk lately of the Trail and life upon it. Made me miss it.
Then Red Hat makes a post about a thread over on WhiteBlaze which forced me to go look.
Then I see a thread Mags started about the Colorado Trail and his little resupply guide for a thru hike.
Then I looked out my window at the sun covered mountains.
Then I got onto the Colorado Trail website.
Then I thought about ordering a map. Then, then, then.

Above tree line you say? Not all the time and I think I can be pretty creative. I know Food has a bunch of time on the Colorado Trail and would love some advise from him. Anybody else got any boot time on the CT. I'm going to start lobbying at work (and home...Genuine Draft is gonna throw things at me.) for 4 or 5 weeks this summer and thru the darn thing! Sick and tired of living under a roof!!!

Anybody have any good info?

[GOLFER]

I think I just had a nervous breakdown!

There has been lots of talk lately of the Trail and life upon it. Made me miss it.
Then Red Hat makes a post about a thread over on WhiteBlaze which forced me to go look.
Then I see a thread Mags started about the Colorado Trail and his little resupply guide for a thru hike.
Then I looked out my window at the sun covered mountains.
Then I got onto the Colorado Trail website.
Then I thought about ordering a map. Then, then, then.

Above tree line you say? Not all the time and I think I can be pretty creative. I know Food has a bunch of time on the Colorado Trail and would love some advise. Anybody else got any boot time on the CT. I'm going to start lobbying at work (and home...Genuine Draft is gonna throw things at me.) for 4 or 5 weeks this summer and thru the darn thing! Sick and tired of living under a roof!!!

Anybody have any good info?

HERE, HERE!!

[Walking Bear]

I have hiked some short sections of it. We always camped below tree line. The trail does go above tree line. However, I think that on most of the trail you would find plenty of places to hang from. Just don't plan on an over night above the trees.

[Cannibal]

Just don't plan on an over night above the trees.

I've got a few ideas about that; more testing is required.

Well, the hard part is over...Genuine Draft has given her blessing. Whew. I had to make a trade; she gets to hike for a month on the AT after Trail Days. Seems fair enough to me!

Now, I just need to talk work into the idea. I think I can pull it off since the trail is only 485 miles and I've actually got access to the mountains for training, I should be in good form at the start. Assuming, I get off my lazy butt and start really pounding miles again. Anyway, I should be able to do it in a month with relative ease. I can be 'semi-supported' for two day sections every weekend which will help bust out some miles. I might even be able to do it in 3 or 3.5 weeks; don't know yet.

So, back to my gram counting ways just as I was starting to enjoy carrying all the extra "fun" stuff. Ya'll need to back off those Blackbird orders so that I can get a single layer made before July. Just kidding, don't be hating. I'm actually considering taking my trusty ElDorado. Nothing wrong with it and it is still lighter than the 1.7 single BB. Although that's a hard thing to ask a man to do, leave behind an uber comfy hammock. The jury is still out.

Genuine Draft will cover my Meetup Group "thing" for the month that I'm out. Heck, we might even schedule a hang that I can walk into; that would be cool. The important things is that it will be covered.

That only leaves work to get out of for a month. That may require a little more thought.

Thanks for the PM food. I know you know the CT pretty well.

[Coffee]

I would love to take a month off this year. Not really in the cards. Shooting for a week hike this summer. Other trips to see friends or wedding taking up the rest of vacation.

I would be up for joining you if you want some company for a week. The only thing is I live below sea level and will not be too happy the first day on the trail. Think I am going to save OR for another time. Which would just leave the LT section as the other choice.


Next year something is going to happen. Thinking about buying a motorcycle and taking off for a month or so. Or do the hiking thing again.

[Cannibal]

I would be up for joining you if you want some company for a week. The only thing is I live below sea level and will not be too happy the first day on the trail.

I'll start training carrying an oxygen bottle.
You know you're welcome to join me.

[Coffee]

I will add it's killing me to be in Virgina now and not take off for the Mountains. I think thru hiking should of came with a warning label about this.

[Cannibal]

I will know the feeling soon enough. I was planning a week or so hike after Trail Days, but with wanting to do this CT thru I don't think I can push for much time off. Now, it will just be Trail Days-no AT hike.
I just keep telling myself it will be worth it to stroll thru the San Juan Mtns.

[Coffee]

It comes down to the little things. Giving up some trips now, for more later.

[Terraplane]

Cannibal,

I "attempted" to thru the CT last summer. Leg problem stopped me at Breckenridge, about 105 miles into it. I hope to finish it this summer. There will be challenges later on finding a place to hang. Early on you go through a burn area with no good hanging but it wasn't too far to trees. They moved a section just befoe Molas Pass that is all on the Continental Divide Trail that looks to be 17 miles or so above tree line. This was my first time to backpack and hang and I loved it.

Be ready to carry a lot of water at times. I had 6.5 liter capacity and used it through the burn areas. Mostly just had 2-3 liters. It depends on spring snows and last year was a good one!

I used a pad with SPE with mixed success and could have gone to ground with that. This year I have a thin pad from JRB that velcros with my Winter Nest to make a ground bag if needed.

Terraplane