at 38.6765, -106.4240
Best day yet. Maybe my best day of hiking ever. The trail today was a new section through the heart of the Collegiate Range. It is almost entirely above tree line and affords spectacular views of 14ers its entire length – Missouri, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Antero and Shavano. The trail is beautifully engineered, allowing hikers to lift their eyes up from the tread and enjoy the ever-changing spectacle. And because it is up and out of the marshy valleys, I got to hike with dry feet for a change.
mile 214 – early morning
The morning was cold and cloudy, but somehow the raw roaring wind seemed to make the hike more enjoyable. Covered 20 miles for the first time, crossing 6 passes between 12,100 and 12,900 feet. A truly great hiking experience.
mile 216 – Above Cottonwood Pass
mile 220 -Ridgeline ptarmigan
mile 223 – Mt Princeton
mile 223
mile 228 – Rolling along the Divide
mile 232 camp