Colorado Springs Backpackers

Colorado Trail: Segments 12 & 13

Fri, Aug 21 · 8:00 AM MDT

Location not specified yet

Colorado Trail Segments 12 & 13
*Rescheduled*
Total Miles: 41.1
Group Size: 5 (Including Host)
Meet Time: 8 AM
Meet at:
Colorado Trail, Segment 14: (Chalk Creek Trailhead), Nathrop, CO 81236
Start at:
Colorado Trail, Buena Vista, CO 81211
Plan:
Day 1: 12 Miles to Frenchmen Creek
Day 2: 13.4 Miles to Cottonwood Pass Rd
Day 3: 15.7 Chalk Creek Trailhead
Maps:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/colorado-trail-segment-12?u=i&sh=xyetkj
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/colorado-trail-segment-13?u=i&sh=xyetkj
Description:
Join us for a scenic and rewarding 3-day backpacking adventure along Colorado Trail Segments 12 and 13. This stretch offers a perfect mix of alpine terrain, forested sections, and stunning views.

Requirements:

1. Fill out waiver: https://forms.gle/VkERmkk7ChV3f4c27.
2. Complete a qualifying hike - we do this to ensure everyone's safety and to make sure everyone is able to respect others. See calendar for upcoming hikes.

Resources:
The 10 Essentials: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html
What to Bring Backpacking: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html

Exploring the South San Juan Wilderness

Thu, Aug 27 · 4:00 PM MDT

Location not specified yet

PLEASE READ EVERYTHING BEFORE RESPONDING!
Group size 8 people. Well-behaved, leashed trail dogs are welcome as long as they have completed a qualifying hike.

Required actions before trip:
1 - *Fill out waiver: https://forms.gle/71SPiqc4iyqDmD8Y7
2 - *Complete a qualifying hike. Please note, we are unlikely to hold a qualifying hike before the start of this trip. Qualifying hikes are held once a month in April, May, June, October, and November and sometimes in other months when leaders have availability and weather is not treacherous.
3- Attend a pre-planning Google meeting on August 19 at 7:30 pm (will send invite via Google closer to).
*including any 1+.

Trip difficulty: Difficult

Expect to hike a mix of lightly traveled and worn trails, along with sections of possible off-trail travel that require route-finding and comfort navigating uneven terrain. We'll cross rivers and streams, camp beside beautiful alpine lakes, and—if snowmelt and recent rains have been kind—visit a few waterfalls along the way.

This is a physically demanding backpacking trip. Daily mileage will range from approximately 6 to 11 miles, often with significant elevation gain, rough trail conditions, and slower travel due to terrain. One section may require carrying a larger-than-normal amount of water, so be prepared for a heavier pack on that day.

***Tentative Itinerary ***
Thursday - Drive 4.5 hours to trailhead - depart Colorado Springs no later than 4 pm
Hike in and set up camp within 1 mile of trailhead

Friday - Hike approx 9.73mi
range: 9020' to 11571'
gross: +3107'-562'

Saturday - Hike approx 5.53mi
range: 11475' to 11920'
gross: +527'-619't

Sunday - Hike approx 9.2mi
range: 11265' to 12018'
gross: +1564'-1260'

Monday - Hike approx 6.63mi
range: 8948' to 11831'
gross: +285'-2922'
Optional Side Hike to Bear Lake: 4.71mi range: 10655' to 11573' gross: +996'-996'

Equipment/Resources/Etc:

• Caltopo route:https://caltopo.com/m/KNJJ41A
• Bear safety: Certified Bear Storage Containers are REQUIRED in the Rio Grande National Forest and South San Juan Wilderness.
• LNT principles are enforced by this group.
• What to Bring Backpacking
• 10 Essentials

Colorado Trail: Collegiate West Traverse

Thu, Sep 3 · 8:00 AM MDT

Location not specified yet

Total Miles: 70
Group Size: 8 (including myself)
Meet Time: 8 AM

Meeting / Ending Point:
Monarch Pass – Monarch at the Crest Visitor Center
24500 US-50, Salida, CO 81201
Starting Point:
Sheep Gulch Trailhead, San Isabel National Forest, Buena Vista, CO 81211

## Description:

Join us for a 5-day traverse of the Colorado Trail through the stunning Collegiate Peaks West. This stretch is high, rugged, and wildly scenic — alpine basins, sweeping ridgelines, crystalline lakes, and long views across the Sawatch Range.
This is not a beginner-friendly trip. Expect sustained elevation and long days. Some sections involve long stretches between road access points. Most of this route remains above 10,000 feet, with several extended stretches above treeline.
The reward? Some of the most dramatic terrain on the entire Colorado Trail.

## Plan:

• Target mileage: ~15 miles per day
• We will start early and hike steadily.
• Expect to carry 8–10+ lbs of food.

We will coordinate a shuttle either:

1. Internally within the group (preferred), or
2. Through the Colorado Trail volunteer shuttle network.

Planning sessions will be scheduled over Google Meet to review:

• Detailed water breakdown
• Daily mileage
• Transportation logistics
• Gear checks

Requirements:

1. Fill out waiver: https://forms.gle/VkERmkk7ChV3f4c27.
2. Complete a qualifying hike - we do this to ensure everyone's safety and to make sure everyone is able to respect others. See calendar for upcoming hikes.
3. Additionally, to join this trip, you must have been on at least one previous Colorado Springs Backpackers outing.

Resources:
The 10 Essentials: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html
What to Bring Backpacking: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html

## Background:

Members of the Colorado Springs Backpackers continue our long-term goal of hiking the entire Colorado Trail. We began this project in 2024 and will continue tackling segments over extended weekends and holidays.
The CT is a 28-segment, 500-mile trail stretching from Denver to Durango. Most segments are point-to-point, requiring thoughtful logistics and car coordination.
Planning is based on AllTrails, The Colorado Trail Databook, and community reports from experienced section hikers.