Out/Back: The Colorado Trail, Waterton Canyon to Breckenridge

It is the end of June and the summer of 2020 is warmly announcing its presence. I am on the wrong trail, heading in the wrong direction, and in the wrong state. If COVID-19 never existed, I should have been in northern California right about now. A thousand or more miles of the Pacific Crest Trail should be growing faint in my rearview mirror. I should be a different person. I should be a person shaped by miles hiked, friendships built, relationships deepened, and time spent away from normal life.

COVID-19 did happen. We chose to follow the advice of local health officials and went home. My dream of one day conquering the Pacific Crest Trail was placed on the back burner to simmer for a while. Hungry and in need of something mirroring the adventure I spent two years working toward, The Colorado Trail quickly became a viable option for my small trail family. I ignored the morality of our decision to be here. My mental health needed a win. With this in mind, we took every possible precaution and headed for Colorado.

From the outset, this trail is different. The elevation gain is a beast. It is summer and sweltering. Bears are a reality. As we leave the comfort of a dirt road often used by runners, cyclists, and fishermen, we begin to climb to a spot we believe will be best for our first night under the stars and…