Awesome video! Excellent tips. There's also a mini Collegiate Loop option for those with an even shorter time frame. If you drive on 365 past the Silver Creek Trailhead to the North Cottonwood Trailhead (Also the trailhead for Harvard and Columbia) you can take the North Cottonwood Trail and follow that up to Kroenke Lake Trail, which dumps into Brown's Pass. Take Browns Pass Trail north, Brown's trail hits Texas Creek Trail. Head west on Texas Creek Trail. Texas Creek will eventually turn into Collegiate West , then the Texas Creek trailhead and then you can head up over Lake Ann Pass on to Twin Lakes and back Silver Creek and North Cottonwood Trailheads. Sounds complicated, but once you look at some maps it's pretty clear. Full disclosure! I have not done this but had planned to last year. Spent quite a bit of time planning it, but ended up having a lot of fun on and around some of the 14ers in that area.
I like the idea of a mini loop, Kirk! I think this is a really good option for folks with a limited timeframe to hike, and I am really glad you commented about it here. Thank you!
Collegiate East in July!? Oof! I would recommend doing the West again or maybe the Uinta Highline Trail. But definitely hit 14ers if you go through with the East!
@@OutsideComfortZone hmm too hot? Too wet? When is generally the best month -could head out in June if that’s a better month…? Only have availability in June or July and possibly heading with a friend who hasn’t done many multi day trips (and she may skip the 14rs!)
Thanks for this helpful video Snackbox! Planning to meet some friends to enjoy the West section later this Summer. Do you have tips / suggestions regarding food storage? Thanks again!
These are really helpful tips. I like that you gave information about resupply areas, emphasized the timing at the base of the mountains and the difference between east / west start. Thanks for sharing this informative video. Hope we could do this backpacking trip soon.
The West is incredible, and if you only can hit about 80 miles of the trail I would definitely put it on the list of places to hit. When are you planning your adventure? We might cross paths, literally!
Watching! We chose the traditional east route on our CT thru hike and are ready to return to do the CW. Fact: the east, as you stated, is really tough. Big, long climbs with little payoff compared to the west. We're glad we did it, but would definitely recommend west if you will only do this once. Thankfully, living in Colorado, we have access. Great tips on resupplying often to keep pack weight down and starting at Avalanche for logistics and getting acclimated. Thanks for another great video!
Thank you, MAD! I took the East in 2020 thinking it would offer me faster times and bigger miles, and then the climbs out of Clear Creek and over to Avalanche were just brutal. The irony is that I had already done this stretch but the gift of forgetting caught me, haha! Hope you two are headed out somewhere great this weekend!
@@OutsideComfortZone our excuse, we're purists, we wanted traditional CT. Those climbs were long, exhausting and hot. Still, so happy we did it, love the CT!!! CW will happen, either on its own or, perhaps the CDT through Colorado...hmmm, so many choices.
Thanks for the tips! I'll be out there in early August after I do Four Pass Loop, so this video is very informative and helpful in trying to plan my excursion onto the Loop! Thanks!
@@OutsideComfortZone We were wanting to, but we'll be passing through mid-June and are thinking it might be too early....Any ideas on typical snow levels during that time?
It’s been a pretty low snow year this year, so you might be okay in mid-June especially if you start at Interlaken (Twin Lakes). The Facebook group gives updates on the snowpack every Tuesday, so keep an eye out there. Here’s hoping you get to have a great trip out there!
Thanks for all the excellent information! I'm planning on a thru hike of the CT this summer. If things go well, I'm toying with the idea of doing the entire Collegiate Loop instead of picking east or west. I thought I'd hike the west side, go up around the east, and then I'll have to repeat the west to continue on to finish in Durango. Am I absolutely insane? I just don't want to miss anything. I don't have time constraints and I doubt I'll ever thru hike the CT again (although, who knows, LoL?). Would appreciate your insights. Thanks.🍊
You are definitely not insane. I've seen folks do this before, and they all said they loved it. I think it'd be really cool to do the ENTIRE trail, both Collegiate routes included, in one season. Let me know what you decide!
Excellent video with great tips. Subscribed. One thing I would say is that there is no way we're completing the loop in eight days. LOL. However, trails are different out west than they are here in the northeast and so we might be pleasantly surprised. We're planning on a fourteen day trek. Thanks for posting this!
Thank you for the comment, VPal! I hope you have a great trip, and I think 14 days is a GREAT itinerary for the hike. I wish I had slowed up a good bit when I was out there. Hope you have a great trip, and let me know if I can help in any way as you prep for your trip!
Thank you, B&BP! I did the loop in 8 days but left with pretty big blisters. If I did it again, I would shoot for 12 days on trail. Are you planning to take a stroll around the Collegiates sometime soon?!
@@OutsideComfortZone 8 DAYS!!! You're my kind of backpacker! I was thinking 12 but I"ve got a lot more variables for my trip. So we'll see. I'm planning over a year in advance (shooting for 2024) but hoping to have everyone who's going lined up by January. Our crew of backpackers tends to be big. :) Thanks for putting out good and helpful content!
Snack Box! Thanks for this video. I did the CT in 21 and took the Collegiate West route. I'm going to do the Collegiate Loop in July so I can say I did the entire trail. I'm going to take your advice and probably start at Silver Creek. I have plenty of time to do the trail and I also want to do at least one 14er but ideally two of them since I didn't do any in 21. What 14ers would you hit if you could only do 2 or 3? Which ones do you think make the most sense to do?
Hi Chris and sorry for the delayed reply. I really liked Harvard when I did it, but I also think Massive makes a lot of sense for you on the Loop. No matter which you choose, you are going to have a blast. Have fun and be safe!
Thanks for your videos. I have 2 weeks to backpack starting July 1, 2023 and was hoping to do the Collegiate Loop. But your recent live stream made me concerned about snow. What do you think of a July 1 start from Twin Lakes going clockwise this year? Should I just do the first 150 miles of the Colorado Trail instead?
Thank you, Chris! They might have changed it this year, but last year they didn’t have much hiker-specific food. My hiking buddy and I talked a long time about how they were missing an opportunity there. They might have stuff this year, and you could certainly pick up gas station kind of food to get you by but I’d recommend a stop in Salida at this point not only for food but also because Salida is my favorite town along that trail. I hope this helps!
Hi Wendi, Yep! I think I just replied to you elsewhere a moment ago, so let me know if you don't find it. Also, feel free to send over any other questions you might have as you move forward with your planning. Have a great trip!
@@OutsideComfortZone Thanks for the update! I finally was able to get through to somebody on the phone to confirm they're closed. The woman was very nice and referred me to the lodge you mentioned. The pending buyer had planned on being open this season, unfortunately there was a survey delay. Should be reopened next year? Sounded like it was a while coming, as she mentioned they had been wanting to move closer to their sons for years, and were excited to spend more time with the grandkids. She had lots of positive things to say about her experience serving the hikers & bikers. She was especially impressed by the athleticism and found it inspiring. It's always sad to see people move on from being so closely connected to scenic trail. (I live near the PCT) I always remind myself; don't be sad that it's over, be happy that it happened
@@OutsideComfortZone Re: water carries Is that 8mi section you mentioned, the longest water carry on the loop? I'm mid planning and trying to figure out the capacity I will need. As I mentioned, I live near the PCT, so 20mi carries are pretty common here. 😓
@@trixieontrail Yep. it's the longest water carry. Do you have the Databook yet? I think it would really set your mind at ease, plus it gives you a LOT of information that FarOut can't/won't. Hope this helps!
@@OutsideComfortZone Bill Manning also recommended it, but when pressed as to why, he said he was biased because his name's in it. Not a strong selling point for me. You mentioned it has more info than FarOut. Can you be a little more specific about what makes it indispensable please? I bought the Nat Geo "map", and while it does give more detail, I hate that it's not actually a connected representation of the entire trail so you can unfold it to look at the whole trail. Plus it's constructed in such a way that you can't tear out just the map. Reminds me of the old Thomas Brothers maps. Kinda drives me nuts.
2 года назад
로의 모든 광고를 시청하세요💚💥💛.만나서 반갑습니다. 당신의 비디오는 매우 흥미 롭습니다. 나는 그것을 좋아합니다. 좋은 하루 되세요, 성공하세요, 당신의 비디오를 볼 것입니다. 매 💥.💛.💚//
Absolutely! The Colorado Trail Foundation Databook has all the maps and info you’d ever want for a great hike. It’s only 15-20 bucks and details everything you’d need from the maps to elevation gain for each day and even where there is water or good camping. Hope this helps and hope you have a stellar trip! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
@@OutsideComfortZone thank you, I hiked my first long distance trail last year, the OZARK HIGHLAND'S TRAIL. 164 miles. I was looking for a similar length trail out west, and your video came up. What are the odds 😂
