Hiker Nears Colorado Trail Finish, Confronts Storms
A thru-hiker recounts the final days on the Colorado Trail, navigating Blackhawk Pass, encountering llamas and fellow travelers, and finding cozy refuge
A hiker is three days from finishing the Colorado Trail, having covered 20.5-mile days to position themselves for an early ascent of Blackhawk Pass. The account, published on The Trek, details encounters with llamas, trail magic misses, and the persistent threat of afternoon thunderstorms.
The Push Over Blackhawk Pass
The hiker aimed to summit Blackhawk Pass before noon to avoid storms, a strategy that proved successful. The morning ascent was quiet, marked by sightings of deer and numerous marmots, including one sprawled across the trail. While anticipated trail magic at the road crossing on the other side was missed, the hiker found a vital water cache left by trail angels.
Trail Encounters and Social Breaks
Social interactions punctuated the solitary miles. On the climb before Blackhawk Pass, the hiker met three men, two of whom were brothers, accompanied by two llamas. Later, at the water cache, the hiker met a northbound traveler named DogMa, who had previously hiked most of the Continental Divide Trail. The hiker also had a surprise reunion with a bike racer known as Mr. Thor, whom they had last seen during a storm near Breckenridge.
During a break with DogMa, dark clouds rolled in with thunder. DogMa reassured the anxious hiker, stating, "you're in the trees for a loooong while going south." The hiker later endured a brief period of rain and hail but felt secure within the forest.
Cozy Refuge in a Ferocious Storm
The hiker found a secluded campsite with a fire ring and an overlook for dinner. As a storm began, they were on the phone in their tent. This time, instead of terror, they felt safe. The storm produced intense lightning described as a blinding flash and thunder so powerful it "SHOOK MY CHEST," with one clap sounding like four gunshots. The shelter of the trees transformed the experience into one of coziness.
To enhance the mood, the hiker strung up fairy lights received from a stranger the previous day, looping them inside the tent. The comfort was briefly interrupted when a buck charged towards the campsite at dusk, only to be scared away by shouts. The hiker's final note shows the proximity of the journey's end: "SECOND TO LAST SLEEP ON TRAIL I CAN'T WAIT."
