June 4 Start: somewhere 5 miles from trailhead Stop: rocky ledge over 12000 ft. 14 Miles Total miles: 657 The alarm goes off at 4 am for a 5 am start. We’ve got to make as many early morning miles as possible before the snow softens. The sky is light enough that we don’t need … More Day 41: Mountains Of Snow

June 3 Start: Pagosa Springs, CO Stop: somewhere 5 miles from trailhead 5 Miles Total miles: 643 For the first time in 5 days we are in go mode. Packs are loaded and heaved out the door. Luckily Serena Williams is able to leave her truck at the motel. We go and lurk at the … More Day 40: Baby Steps – A Day Of Firsts

June 2 Start/Stop: Pagosa Springs 0 miles The way to get snow experience is to go out in the snow. PCT snow was easy, compacted. Stuff that was doable without microspikes or ice axe even on an average year. But this CO stuff is fresh and fluffy and just waiting to gobble you whole. Run … More Day 39: THE Resupply

June 1 Start/Stop: Pagosa Springs 0 miles I haven’t really talked about it much but the snow is out of control here. Remember all the rain we got in New Mexico? The Colorado snow pack increased more in the month of May than the whole winter combined. The San Juan Mountains (southern CO) are suddenly … More Day 38: The Snow Re-Gear

May 31 Start/Stop: Pagosa Springs 0 miles Pagosa Baking Company for hours. The first real coffee of this trip. Hefty breakfast burrito with local chorizo. Coffee, coffee and more coffee. It just feels so good to sit and hang. Second breakfast back at the hotel. And then we stare at or phones for a while … More Day 37: Pitch Perfect

May 30 Start: Chama, NM Stop: Pagosa Springs, CO 0 miles Total miles: 638 We slowly come to life and wrangle our pack explosions. I attempt to upload my blogs and pics but the Wi-Fi is slow. I sort through my box of gear and begin to fill the box with stuff to send home. … More Day 36: Rainbow Table

May 29 Start: near east fork rio brazos Stop: Chama, NM 10 miles Total miles: 638 It’s one last loving fuck you from New Mexico. Frozen shoes. Socks and gators stiff as a board. Even the condensation on my tent and sleeping bag chips off in my face. There is no way I can put … More Day 35: To Colorado And Back

May 28 Start: past canyon manga Stop: near east fork rio brazos 25 Miles Total miles: 628 I wake up to elk in the meadow. After a few miles, it takes me three tries to find the CDT. CDT trail markers and cairns lead the wrong way. Dang. We have an early lunch at Lagunitas … More Day 34: When I Wear My Down Jacket Because My Rain Jacket Blows Away

May 27 Start: near canada jarosito Stop: past canyon manga 24 miles Total miles: 603 Good thing we were only joking about cowboy camping because it starts to rain in the middle of the night. I get enough drops coming inside that I crawl out and close the tent beak. We’re on trail by 6:30 … More Day 33: The Howl Echo

May 26 Start: near Mogolito Stop: near Canada Jarosito 23 miles Total miles: 579 The tent is dewy and wet. The temp hovers around freezing. All that translates into a cold start. But let’s look on the bright side, my shoes are not frozen! Flat, muddy road turns into a torturous uphill climb through blowdowns. … More Day 32: Blowdown Hurdles