Colorado Trail Day 31: Snow, Mist and Rainfall, We Got It All

Got up after a very wet night. We had a torrential downpour that went on for at least 7 hours. So we pack everything wet hoping we have a chance to dry things out later. We will be hiking at 12,000 feet to 13,000 all day and need to hike around 19 miles to get off the high ridge and down below treeline in Elk Creek drainage.

There is so much rain the trail is like a creek

We have been seeing the mountain bikers that are biking the Colorado Trail, a race that started July 23rd with the faster finishers completing it in 3 days. Because they are racing, they are traveling light but conditions are wet, muddy and cold at high elevation.

A mountain biker walking his bike in the mud on the Colorado Trail

We are getting comments from them like I would rather be hiking or at least I’m still alive. One guy had to stop because of hypothermia. I am not surprised because the rain we have had in the past day is much more than the typical afternoon showers. In the last 2 days we have seen about 25 riders. We see one female climbing around Canby Mountain. I cheer her on and tell her I am glad to see a woman in the race. Doing it for the girls.