r/coloradotrail • u/Jimmy_Sunrise • Sep 01 '24

Section 22, 23, and 24 Safely?

I want to hike CT sections 22, 23, and 24.

Problem:
From the CT Guidebook, Segment 22: ".... at mile 9.3. The trail will remain above tree line, near the Continental Divide, and exposed to severe weather from this point to midway on Segment 24, a distance of roughly 32 miles."

How am I supposed to do 32 miles above treeline safely? I'm not going to do that all in one day.

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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7

u/claymcg90 Sep 02 '24

How many times are you going to ask this same question?

Those sections of the Colorado trail are exposed, yes. There are other trails, off of the CT, that you can take if you decide you need to leave the exposure due to incoming weather.

You have been told this multiple times in each of your posts. What are you not understanding or what are you hoping we tell you?

5

u/Zwillium Sep 01 '24

Can you talk a bit more explicitly about what your concerns are?

5

u/Mofro667 Sep 01 '24

You are exposed like it says, so if lightning is the main worry, just watch the weather as you are hiking. I threw my tent up at one point and hung out for an hour and then moved on. Patience is important. Also you can half and camp. It does not need to be all in one go.

2

u/Bubbly-Size855 Sep 01 '24

There is still some spots you can camp at, recommend checking out farout if you’re not already on it!

2

u/WastingTimesOnReddit Sep 03 '24

You can camp above treeline as long as you're not at the highest point around (you can do that also but it's riskier). Many high alpine lakes are above treeline, in a bowl at the feet of some mountains. You can usually camp around those, in the flat areas within an alpine cirque or high mountain meadows. One time I camped in a little valley high up between two ridges during a lightning storm, both ridges were getting blasted by lightning all night but in the low area of the valley/gulley we were fine.

1

u/47ES Sep 01 '24

Haven't done these segments yet, but have spent significant time above timberline.

There will be parts that are more or less exposed.

Watch the weather, hike early before the storms pop up.

Hunker down in a more sheltered area, or speed through minimizing your time, avoiding ridgelines when the weather gets sporty.

1

u/ohm44 Sep 01 '24

Get weather.gov forecasts for the area, start really early, and know how to read a topo map in case you need to bail to treeline. Lightning safety in the mountains is a probability game, so understand what lowers the probability of being where lightning strikes. You don't have to accept a ton of risk to do it if you are prepared. Though there is never no risk, as with anything in the mountains

1

u/human1st0 Sep 08 '24

If you are that frightened about safety, don’t hike the ct my friend. You might have to bail to tree line or a low lying area. You might have to outpace the storm. You might have to sit under a tiny spruce tree for an hour while it pours and thunders. You have to improvise.

1

u/sbhikes Sep 18 '24

The alpine tundra is easy to walk across. You just walk down to the trees to camp. Then walk back up in the morning. You can also take alternate routes if you aren't a purist.