FKT - 10 Canyon Traverse

Colorado Trail Days 10 and 11

Colorado Trail Day 9

Colorado Trail Day 8

Colorado Trail Day 7

Unsupported FKT. Northbound via Collegiate West. 

Day 1 (8/26):
I arrived at the Junction Creek Trailhead, dark and early, at 4:30AM. It was earlier than I would have liked, but the only time I could arrange a ride. With the impending early morning departure looming, I had gotten absolutely zero sleep. It was not the well-rested start I had hoped for. 

After taking the time to down some food, discover that someone was sleeping in the pit toilet, and prep before starting the clock, I set out at 4:55:03AM. 

I moved rapidly through the darkness for 1.5 miles until I reached for my water bottle and felt…. Nothing. The bottle had fallen out in the car. I came to a screeching halt, quickly evaluated my options, and decided that missing the majority of my water carrying capacity was cause to turn around or even abandon my FKT attempt. As an “unsupported” hiker, I would not be permitted to obtain a replacement bottle along the way. And, regardless, today was the day I would reach the longest dry stretch of the Colorado Trail.

It was demoralizing, to say the least. I hoped to find a bottle in the trash bin I had spotted by the trailhead. I figured I had until 6AM, at the latest, to restart my attempt or I would need to return to Durango and figure out some way to restart the following day. 

Upon reaching the trailhead, I was ecstatic to discover another 1.5L bottle in the bin. Such fortune! Days later, I would think back to this moment when standing atop the Sawatch and Googling “strep throat symptoms.” Despite chemically treating the bottle, my dumpster diving would come back to haunt me.

While I was digging around in the trash, I could see headlights moving around on the far side of the trailhead. A lightly laden runner soon appeared and I learned that he was going for a self-supported FKT. He had no headlamp and was planning to make it a massive 73 miles to Molas Pass before nightfall where he would pick up the rest of his gear. I relayed the story of my inauspicious start. He set off. 

A few minutes later at 6:03:28AM, I started down the trail for a second time. Darkness soon faded and I began climbing through trees, up to altitude. By starting in Durango, I had committed myself to a punishing 8k ft of climbing in the first 24 miles. I passed many southbound CT hikers clearly excited to conclude their thru hike.

Shortly after I cleared treeline, the forecast remnants of Hurricane Jova materialized and the rain began. The scenery improved markedly as I crested over Kennebec Pass. The thunder storms loomed ominously, but maintained distance as I continued onto the ridgeline that represented one of the most exposed sections of the entire trail. With the cool wet weather, the lack of available water was a minimal concern. I continued along the ridgeline into the night. 

My lack of sleep the night before was punishing. Fortunately, I had made excellent time. At an early 1:53AM, I decided to stop short for the night having (according to my watch) covered 53 miles and nearly 12k feet of elevation gain. I initially struggled to find a spot free of tall wet grass. Eventually I found a clearing under a tree, tossed out my bivy, and immediately passed out.

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Nathaniel G

Colorado Trail Day 1

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FKT - 10 Canyon Traverse

Colorado Trail Days 10 and 11

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Colorado Trail Day 7

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