Hiking Freedom: Jim's Backpacking and Camping Blog: Colorado Trail Segment 5

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Colorado Trail Segment 5 - September 3-4

Wild Flowers

On Friday, September 2nd, I got all the way to Woodland Park and realized I had forgotten my trekking poles. I had to go about 30 miles back home so I decided to just go backpacking the next morning.

On Saturday morning, I drove to Kenosha Pass, CO by way of Denver, since I take Highway 24 often into the mountains.

View from Kenosha Pass

I got on trail about 9:30am, starting from the western end of Segment 5. My plan was to hike Segment 5 and the western end of Segment 4 that I hadn't finished on a previous hike. Segment 5 is fairly flat without a lot of elevation gain or loss. The trail isn't very rocky overall but there are some segments that are rocky. It was an enjoyable hike. I hiked 16 miles on Saturday, which was all of Segment 5 and two miles into Segment 4.

Rock Creek crossing

6oz Cuben Fiber Tarp by Zpacks.com

My 14 pound combination of backpack and lumbar pack performed well. Three things that I want to change are: first, switch out my ultralight weight sleeping pad for an air mattress. I'll start working on a light weight solution but it will probably increase my load total to 15 pounds. That thin pad was too hard to sleep on since I sleep on my side. My hips start to hurt. Once I realized that I couldn't sleep, I decided I wasn't going to hike another 12 miles to finish Segment 4. I would just hike straight back.

Second, I use my cook pot to get water out of the rivers to sterilize with my Steripen UV sterilizer. However, I keep my stove, lighter, wind screen, and pack towel in my cook pot. Each time I got water, I had to take out all of those items. I'll start thinking about a solution but it might be a necessary inconvenience to save weight.

Third, I don't want to hike as far next time. 32 miles was the furthest I've ever gone. I was getting really tired when I had 2 hours or about 4 miles to go. I also started having back problems again within days of getting back home.

I think my 14 pounds of gear, food, water and fuel isn't hurting my back. I did fine on my 9 mile hike to Missouri Lakes. I think it is just the 32 mile distance this weekend. I was pretty exhausted and could feel pain in my right hip and lower back when I had a few hours to go.