Closing the Gap

Rain, massive elevation gains, and epic scenery. That’s how I would summarize our last outing on the CT.

You may remember that earlier in the summer, evacuations and closures from the Willow Fire west of Leadville caused us to skip Segments 1 and 2 of Collegiate West, leaving a gap in our summer goal. This past weekend, we set out to close that gap—and complete more than half of the Colorado Trail in 2026.

Saturday morning, we parked our car at Cottonwood Pass west of Buena Vista and once again stuck our thumbs out for a ride. Within five minutes, the first vehicle pulled over. So many nice folks are out there willing to help CT hikers. Gary from Gunnison was headed to Leadville to explore a new trail and gave us a ride all the way to Twin Lakes, where we planned to start our hike. Thanks, Gary!

By around 9 a.m., we were on the trail, picking up where we had left off in July. Skirting the south shore of Twin Lakes, we quickly changed into shorts and enjoyed sunshine and warm temps for the first seven or eight miles. By early afternoon, we were well on our way up the north side of Hope Pass when the rain started. We had planned to cross the pass the following morning anyway, so we set up camp near the remains of an old log cabin adjacent to the trail.

As Karen and I hiked up and over Hope Pass, we marveled at the endurance of the athletes who complete that race. We, however, were all alone as we crested the top. The views to the south were amazing. Several of Colorado’s 14ers were in view, and the aspen groves below were just beginning to turn gold.

We reached the pass just before 8 a.m., and it had already begun to rain. As we descended the south side and continued up the next valley toward another 12,500-foot pass, the weather settled into a repeating cycle. Rain gear on…rain gear off. Rinse and repeat.

By early afternoon, we were both getting a bit frustrated with the constant stops to change in and out of rain gear. Thankfully, the sky eventually grew increasingly blue, letting us climb up and over Lake Ann Pass before the day ended. Two major passes in one day! That had to be a personal record for us on this hike so far.

As the sun set, we found a nice, flat spot to pitch our tent and rest our tired bodies. We had covered 18 miles and climbed 5,000 feet in one day. An elk bugled in the forest below as we laid out our pads and sleeping bags in the tent.

Dawn of Day 3 found us lingering in the tent until sunrise under partly cloudy skies. We still had 11 miles to the car, including a big descent into the valley followed by a final climb to Cottonwood Pass at 12,000 ft.

Temps were pleasantly cool, and the overcast sky made the landscape appear so green and beautiful. As with so many miles before, the trail surprised us with Colorado’s hidden places that we would likely never visit if it weren’t for hiking the Colorado Trail.

By early afternoon, we were within half a mile of the car when the rain finally cut loose. Once again, we dropped our packs and put on our rain jackets and pants for the final stretch—which was literally within view!

As we approached the parking area, we met a couple sheltered in the trees, waiting out the rain. We talked briefly, then walked to the car and loaded our packs. Shortly afterward, we noticed the same couple emerge from the trees, looking as if they needed a ride.

They had decided to head down to Buena Vista to dry out their tent and perhaps get a room for the night. So, after starting our trip with our thumbs out, we found ourselves on the other side of hitchhiking and offered THEM a ride.

During the 30-minute drive into town, we talked the entire time and discovered many commonalities. They, too, were empty nesters with three daughters, had raised their daughters overseas, and were avid hikers living in Colorado. As we pulled into town, we exchanged phone numbers and agreed we should meet up again sometime.

Karen and I then headed to our new favorite pizza place in Buena Vista to replenish some of the calories we had burned over three days, 39 miles, and thousands of feet of climbing.

As we ate our pizza, the sky toward Cottonwood Pass grew dark, completely obscuring the peaks. It was obviously pouring up there, and we were very glad to be sitting somewhere warm and dry instead of facing another night in the rain.