Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service

We had no idea that less than two weeks after hiking Segment 10 of the Colorado Trail, the landscape would be forever changed by wildfire.

Monday, June 15, Karen and I hiked the 13.3 miles of Segment 10 through the thick forests on the eastern flanks of Mount Massive. Thirteen days later, on June 28, a wildfire began in that same area. It has now grown to more than 3,000 acres, dramatically changing that section of the Colorado Trail for many years to come. Segments 9–11, which we hiked just three weeks ago, are now closed and will likely remain so for the rest of the 2026 season. We are grateful that we had the chance to experience those segments before this happened.

This past Wednesday, we had planned to pick up where we left off three weeks ago and hike another ~36-mile section of the trail. Everything was ready—our backpacks were packed, time off work had been scheduled, and we were excited to continue Project 491. The night before leaving, two caring family members texted us with concerns about the fires currently burning across Colorado and neighboring states to the southwest. Particularly regarding the poor air quality from wildfire smoke. After doing some more research and downloading the “Watch Duty” app to track wildfire activity and air quality, we decided to postpone for now. Even here in Colorado Springs, the air quality has been so poor that on some days we can’t even see Pikes Peak.

We had no idea that less than two weeks after hiking Segment 10 of the Colorado Trail, the landscape would be forever changed by wildfire.

It was a big disappointment to put Project 491 on hold. We so enjoy and look forward to every opportunity we have to get back out on the trail. It feels like food for our souls. There’s something deeply satisfying about stepping out of the “matrix” of life for 3-4 days and simply walking through wild places together.

I know that wildfires have been happening for eons and are a natural part of forest ecosystem succession, but it’s still sad to see beautiful places in our mountains go up in flames. At the same time we are mindful of the people who have been evacuated from their homes or who have lost their homes and livelihood in the fires. It’s still early summer, and we pray for rain to come, for these fires to be suppressed, and for the skies to be cleared of smoke.

So, we’re keeping busy with work, doing local hikes to maintain our conditioning, and hoping the smoke clears so we can get back out on the trail soon. For now, patience is simply another part of the journey.

~Ptarmiglen