hiking the Colorado trail in June

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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plark42
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Joined: 11/7/2004
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hiking the Colorado trail in June

Post by plark42 »

When's the best time of year to do the colorado trail?
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hotrod
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Re: hiking the Colorado trail in June

Post by hotrod »

I backpacked on it for ten days one July. All was well except the flies were a real nuisance the latter half of segment 8 and during section 9. Might just have been a bad year, because since then I have backpacked or hiked around 120 miles more (going south) and haven't had a problem. Most of that 120 was in an August. A few backpacking days in June were hot at the lower elevations. Definitely the everyday rain in August got me a little down, though. Crossing Snow Mesa in thick fog was map and compass time, because the carsonite posts couldn't be seen! And breaking a glacier out of my water bucket many mornings was interesting also. Hiding my food cache above timberline was a challenge as well. You will probably experience a little of everything, especially if you want to go end to end in one effort. So I don't know if there is a "best" time to hike it.
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Pivvay
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Re: hiking the Colorado trail in June

Post by Pivvay »

plark42 wrote:When's the best time of year to do the colorado trail?
Depends on your pace. It's likely still got snow on the high parts even in late June. Not impassible persay but not nearly as easy as when melted out.

By late July the trail is more or less usually snow free. By late August new snowfall at the upper elevations is a definite possibility.

Starting from Denver gives you more time to gradually work to the first real upper elevations of seg 6&7.
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