Thru-Hiking Journal

Day 83 Forward progress: 10.4 miles Total distance on trail: 1,032.1 miles Waking up inside is always a weird mix of comfortable and jarring. Comfortable because... duh. Jarring because my tent comes to feel like home, and it's always strange to wake up not in your home. Sarah agreed to drive me and Shadow back to the trail in the early afternoon, so we just had a bunch of time to kill. Vibes was going to come too, but his abdominal muscles have been spasming for the last day

Day 71 Forward progress: 11.6 miles Total distance on trail: 843.2 miles I didn't get out of bed until 7:30. I could have slept another hour at least, but I heard Gearhead making breakfast for all of us and I didn't want to be lazy while he was busying himself for us. He made German pancakes, which Goosebump and I are convinced are just slightly thicker crepes and the Germans insist are a totally different thing. Either way, they were a delicious way to begin the day. After c

Day 62 Forward progress: 8.8 miles Total distance on trail: 724.0 miles Packing up this morning was weird. I've been away from trail now for 2 full weeks. My legs are probably going to have to readjust and I'm no longer acclimated to the altitude. My pack has never been heavier; I'm carrying my winter gear (ice axe, microspikes, hiking pants, snow gaiters, waterproof socks), and since we're unsure of the conditions moving forward, we have 8 days of food for the upcoming 80 mi

Segment 22: 357.8 - 375.1 (17.3 miles) Segment 23: 375.1 - 391.2 (16.1 miles) Segment 24: 391.2 - 412.1 (21.0 miles) Segment 25: 412.1 - 432.8 (20.7 miles) Segment 26: 432.8 - 443.9 (11.1 miles) Segment 27: 443.9 - 464.7 (20.8 miles) Segment 28: 464.7 - 486.4 (21.7 miles) Day 23 - July 21st Daily miles: 19.1 Official distance covered on trail: 376.9 Segments witnessed: 22, 23 The beginning of today and the end of today may as well have been different days. The morning was com

Almost a full year from my unexpected departure from the Colorado Trail, I am coming back to finish what I started. I want to be able to say that I'm exclusively excited to finish it, especially because this section is supposed to be the most beautiful part of the whole trail and I get to spend the next week doing something I love to do, but I can't say that and be telling the whole truth. Honestly, I'm angry that I have to do this right now. I should have finished this last

Yesterday, July 22nd, was not intended to be my last day. I don't want to get super into it, but last night after dinner, I started feeling incredibly unwell. I knew it wasn't normal, so I called my mom, and she advised me to go to the emergency room. I called another medical professional for a second opinion, and she recommended the same. I'm so glad that I was in a town. I'm so glad that I was staying at a hostel. I'm so glad that the owner -- whose name, coincidentally, is

CW 5: 67.6 - 92.0 (24.4 miles) Segment 15: 253.2 - 267.6 (14.4 miles) Segment 16: 267.6 - 282.3 (14.7 miles) Segment 17: 282.3 - 302.9 (20.6 miles) Segment 18: 302.9 - 316.8 (13.9 miles) Segment 19: 316.8 - 330.4 (13.6 miles) Segment 20: 330.4 - 343.1 (12.7 miles) Segment 21: 343.1 - 357.8 (14.7 miles) Day 17 - July 17th Daily miles: 15.6 Official distance covered on trail: 272.4 Segments witnessed: CW 5, 15, 16 I knew today was going to be hard, but I had no idea it was goin

Segment 10: 156.4 - 169.7 (13.3 miles) Segment 11*: 169.7 - 183.5 (13.8 miles) CW 1: 0.0 - 9.7 (9.7 miles) CW 2: 9.7 - 35.2 (25.5 miles) CW 3: 35.2 - 50.9 (15.7 miles) CW 4: 50.9 - 67.6 (16.7 miles) CW 5: 67.6 - 92.0 (24.4 miles) Day 10 - July 10th Daily miles: 17.0 Official distance covered on trail: 175.2 Segments witnessed: 10, 11 Took me a long time to agree to get out of bed. A warm, dry, elevated, non-deflatable bed. I was awake at 5:30, but waited until about 7:00 to g

The Colorado Trail is divided into 28 distinct segments. Each segment is characterized by its own features and mileage. Each post for the Colorado Trail is going to begin with a list of each segment covered in those days. Segment 1: 0.0 - 16.6 (16.6 miles) Segment 2: 16.6 - 28.2 (11.6 miles) Segment 3: 28.2 - 40.7 (12.5 miles) Segment 4: 40.7 - 57.1 (16.4 miles) Segment 5: 57.1 - 71.7 (14.6 miles) Segment 6: 71.7 - 104.0 (32.3 miles) Segment 7: 104.0 - 117.8 (13.8 miles) Segm

Not to the AT, though. Not yet. In a few days, I will be starting the Colorado Trail, a 486-mile hike from Denver to Durango. People say to allocate 4-6 weeks, so I'm giving myself just over 4, but anticipating around 4. It's wild to me to have a mental framework for what 486 miles feels like. That's not even 1/4 of the Appalachian Trail. That was basically Springer Mountain to Damascus, VA. I wonder if that means the hike will be fun the whole time without being mentally bog