MAD Hippies Life
Colorado Trail Segment 26 of 28
Our pace was quick, our focus acute, we were only 53 miles away from the southern terminus of the Colorado Trail.
Colorado Trail Segment 26 of 28
Start: Bolam Pass Road
End: Hotel Draw Road
Distance: 10.9 miles
Where segment 26 might be short on mileage, it makes up with big views. Perhaps better put, segment 26 is a where all the unique features of the Colorado Trail come together in one segment. If you only had time for a short hike and wanted to experience everything the CT has to offer, this would be a great choice. Full of twists and turns, there is a surprise view around every corner. At this stage of writing all the blog posts and putting together all the videos for each segment, we almost feel as if we are just repeating ourselves, and perhaps we are, but the fact remains, there are amazing larger than life views along this nearly 500 mile long trail from Denver to Durango! From deep down in the fertile valleys, through dense enchanted forests, across high exposed ridgelines and over majestic mountain peaks, there is good reason why the CT exists. Beyond the hard work and planning that went into the creation of it or the continued yearly maintenance from amazing volunteers, the trail exists because there is no denying the beauty of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. There is an adventure here and it was captured for all to enjoy. But not every thru-hike on the CT will be the same, each one is unique and new.
Our favorite portion of this segment was hiking up and over Blackhawk Pass (11,985′). We enjoyed commanding views in all directions and then descended on a twisting trail complete with switchbacks (yay!) down into a lush forested valley. We were heading for Straight Creek to camel up on water and begin a 22 mile stretch to Taylor Lake at the end of segment 27, the next "reliable" water source. Water is two pounds a liter, something we were not fond of carrying a lot of. Part of our logistics for food and water was to plan knowing when we would have plenty and when we would not. Because of the potential lack of water on this portion of trail, food choices changed dramatically as most of our typical meals need to be re-hydrated. Good thing our breakfasts had become simple, snickers and cold coffee. Lunch, on this stretch, about the same! We kept it easy for the next 24 hours until we got to Taylor Lake. Luckily, in between, we would find a few seasonal water sources that would ease having to carry a lot of water for long periods. Thru-hiking success has many factors, one of the most important, pack weight. We counted ounces and did what we could to find a happy balance between gear choices for creature comfort, and weight of gear, food and water for overall comfort to make the miles necessary to stay on track and meet our daily goals.
At just under 11 miles, we were witness to amazing views all around. Waterfalls, lakes, creeks, wildflowers, wildlife, ridgelines, mountains, valleys and much much more. Take your camera, point and click and you will come away with a beautiful photo. Our pace was quick, our focus acute, we were only 53 miles away from the southern terminus of the Colorado Trail. We couldn't help but smile and sense the end nearing as we hiked on into segment 26. It was happening, we were almost done, we would finish and embrace the reality of a grand lifetime achievement. We were beginning to see our tramily daily now, we all seemed to have the same silly grin on our faces, our conversations were energetic and our timeline was all merging on the finish. We would camp together, walk together and finish the same day, if not minutes apart, together. We were in a good place and enjoyed the minutes, hours and days as we made our way towards the nearing finish line.
Peace,
MAD
