CT Day 14: Into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

Daily Miles: 18.5, Total Miles: 196.0

Not sure why my alarm didn’t wake me up this morning, but it didn’t set me back too much. Out of the door by 6:30am, I’m guessing temps in the low 30’s with clear skies. I rejoined the CT at the Hwy 82 crossing and traversed around Twin Lakes. Then joined the Collegiate East Route which is also the original CT route. I hiked the Collegiate West Route as part of my CDT hike.

Up and over some forested ridges in the San Isabel NF and dropped down to Clear Creek. The creek was flowing out of a reservoir upstream. I crossed the foot bridge just past the CG, got water and had lunch. I watched a little boy catch his first fish from the bridge. It was a special moment until two adults with the boy proceeded to beat the poor fish repeatedly with a rock. A bit of an overkill.

Next was a lung burning, nearly 3,000 ft climb to the top of Waverly Mountain in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Couldn’t pass up the one campsite just below the top at 11,700 ft elevation offering great mountain views. Going to be chilly but it looks like no rain.