Collegiate Loop Thruhike: Day 7. Colorado Trail & Continental Divide Trail, Off Divide & Northbound

Day 7. Up early at my dry camp a few miles South of Monarch Crest, with some surprise berry picking for breakfast. An 18 mile day led me further along the Continental Divide to a turn North into the Foose Creek drainage. Down down down and Northwards now on the Collegiate East. After crossing back over Hey 50, a long shallow climb and short descent took me to the Angel of Shavano Trailhead by dusk.

Brandon completed a thruhike of the Collegiate Loop route in mid September 2021. Backpacking the Collegiate Loop circumambulates Colorado’s Sawatch Range, covering 160 miles largely between 10,000 and 12,000 feet of elevation. The Loop is a combination of the Colorado Trail east route, and the Continental Divide Trail from Twin Lakes to Monarch Crest.

This series of videos chronicles Brandon’s journey: hiking, camping, tenkara fly fishing, and prospecting new creeks for Colorado Gold Guide. Brandon is a very experienced backpacker, with more than 10,000 miles of thruhiking under his belt. In addition, he’s trained as a mountain guide and EMT.

Choosing equipment for a shoulder season thruhike is challenging. Every extra pound slows you down. Even with the gold prospecting equipment, Tenkara fly fishing gear, and a big battery and video tripod, my base weight is still only 16 lb. Not Bad.

Видео Collegiate Loop Thruhike: Day 7. Colorado Trail & Continental Divide Trail, Off Divide & Northbound канала Colorado Gold, Backpacking, & Mountain Camping