The Colorado Trail kicked my butt way harder than I expected

I hiked the Collegiate West loop last August, thinking I was pretty fit from doing day hikes all summer. But that 4,000 foot climb up to Cottonwood Pass in one day just humbled me completely. I was averaging barely 1 mile per hour by the afternoon, and my legs felt like lead. Turns out all those 5 mile day hikes didn't prepare me for carrying 35 pounds over 12,000 foot passes. Has anyone else found that altitude + a heavy pack is a completely different beast than regular hiking?

2 comments

2 Comments

nelson.gavin11d ago

That line about "managing energy over a week, not just a few hours" really got me. What specific pacing tricks have you found that actually work when your legs are already cooked on day three and you still have four more days to go? I tried forcing myself to take a full 10 minute break every hour, but I ended up just getting stiff and cold at altitude.

abbyl4911d ago

Respectfully, that's kinda the whole point of backpacking though. Day hiking and carrying a heavy pack for multiple days at altitude are two totally different sports, almost. Everyone I know who thought they were "fit" from day hikes got humbled the first time they did a real 10+ mile day with a full load at elevation. It's not about being out of shape, it's about learning to pace yourself and manage your energy over a week, not just a few hours.