Detour for Mt. Elbert | Colorado Trail #5
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- On July 17, I began an attempted thru-hike of the Colorado Trail. I’m heading southbound from Denver to Durango.
This is Episode 5 in the series in which I hike from Leadville to Twin Lakes. Not shown is the zero day in Leadville (the only zero day on this trip; it's counted when I note the current "day" of the hike). It also includes the Mt. Massive Wilderness, the trails up and down Mt. Elbert, and resupply options at Twin Lakes.
Total trip days in this video: Day 13 to Day 15. (Day 12 was a zero day that I didn't film.)
The Segments included are Segment 9 (Tennessee Pass Trailhead to Timberline Lake Trailhead), Segment 10 (Timberline Lake Trailhead to Mount Massive Trailhead), part of Segment 11 (Mount Massive Trailhead to Clear Creek Road).
The video ends with resupply at Twin Lakes. The next video picks up on the Collegiate West.
Other points of interest in this video are Mt. Massive, Mt. Elbert, Sugarloaf Mountain saddle, Twin Mounds Saddle, and the view of Mt. Elbert Forebay.
Liz is making videos too. At TH-cam: “Liz Kidder”
***WHAT I DO WHEN I'M NOT BACKPACKING***
www.evanschaeff...
***CAMERA EQUIPMENT AND EDITING SOFTWARE****
Filmed with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and edited on my phone with Luma Fusion.
All the music in the video was written/produced by me.
*** SEND ME EMAIL ***
email: Evan.Schaeffer@gmail.com
Hahaha glad you filmed all the false summits- I was too pissed every time I got up to one to think to film it lol
You're looking sun-kissed, Liz!
I'm glad you and Evan got settled into your trail mentality. I was concerned for you both in the early days.
Thanks for taking us along!
Thanks Evan. Loving this series. Peace and happy trails.
Love your vids! Thanks for letting us join them with you x
Glad to see you getting back into the groove again. That’s was a lot of water weight to carry.
Really love the descriptiveness of your videos Evan.. thank you that! Interesting details, history, great location information. Great series. Thank you again 🙂🗻🏕👣🙏
Love getting a notification that you’ve posted a new video. Happy trails Evan.
I enjoy watching looking at the beauty and the documentary. It’s been great like all the other videos
I'm enjoying your videos. I live in CO and have climbed Mount Elbert six times for COPS ON TOP. Each year on the last Saturday in June COT strives to have someone on the highest point in each state to honor fallen law enforcement officers. Glad you had a bluebird day and, yes, those false summits suck! If you do it again, start at the 4WD trailhead.
Awesome photo at the top of Mt. Elbert, very inspiring. Glad you worked through the mental and physical challenges. Happy to hear from an experienced hiker that it's ok to take breaks on the way up a steep climb as it can feel a little deflating to have to stop sometimes. Rock on!
Thanks for sharing, these videos are a great help in planning for the CT.
Glad your feet are healing and you seem like you are feeling better!!
Evan, thanks for taking us along! Beautiful woods you're walking through.
The Summit of Elbert is my favorite place in Colorado. You are starting to get back into thruhiking mode. Enjoying nature! Twin Lakes general store brings back good memories for me! Great day on the Colorado. Please be careful over Hope Pass. It's extremely steep on the decent.
Happy your feet are getting better. You and Liz are such a great pair with complimentary attitudes and perspectives. Watching you both on the regular!
Congratulations 🍾 on summiting Mt Elbert 🥳
Ugh, those false summits can be so discouraging. What beautiful scenery. Thanks for sharing Evan and happy belated birthday!
I chuckled a bit when you mentioned the false summits on Elbert. I've climbed up here a few times. The first time, the false summits were quite discouraging, as you've experienced. Congrats on your hike so far!
Very cool motion pitcher sir! Oatmeal and I do Mt Massive in two days. Stay good.
Loving this series great to see you killing a thru hike again
Amazing summit! Happy Birthday!
Glad you are feeling better and congratulations on the Mt Elbert summit!
You were smart about it and camped below tree line on the way up and Summitted in the morning.
I hiked 4 miles to the side trail, then Summitted. Luckily the weather was good because I didn’t get down below tree line until four in the afternoon.
Was so exhausted I had to take a shuttle into Leadville for zero day from twin Lakes.
Hope the rest of your hike goes well!
Glad to see this! Thanks for the weather info
False summit! Lol. Glad your MOJO is working. Love your music too.
Good to see you feeling better Evan! I'm relieved to hear that your blisters are healing.
Drove to summit of Pike's Peak some years ago with my family. I couldn't enjoy it; developed a horrible headache and nausea. Fortunately, my wife and kids were fine.
I realize you've had time to acclimate, but that air at 14,000 is thin nonetheless.
Enjoying the contrasting vlog styles of you and Liz. Looking forward to Liz's take on Mt Elbert.
Enjoy the experience Evan! It will all be over soon. Thanks for sharing!!
So for me it's kind of hard to put things into perspective. In the northeast I start a hike at sea level or perhaps a little higher and hike up to 4 or 5K. You guys start at 9 or 10K and make your approach from there. Kind of mind boggling.
I can't imagine the effort it takes to summit when the air is thin.
GL
Nice job and great weather too. False summits are Nature’s way of testing your mettle. You passed. Glad to hear the feet are improving. How is the Pa’lante V2 working for you?
OH BOY. Now I can hear! Thank you Evan!! What you are seeing in Colorado always reminds me of what Edward Abbey wrote about the beauty of it all.
"An impossible beauty , like a boy's first sight of an undressed girl." _The Journey Home_ p.2. It was about the Front Range but I am sure applies where you are also. I am really enjoying all y'all are going through and seeing.
Hey Evan, watching you speak to the anxiety of the elevation, I was thinking about your mental state while climbing the presidential range a few years ago. I was curious if the memory of then and being with Liz now, if it had any influence on your thoughts while climbing?... Love your content as always, good luck!
Sort of apples and oranges? The presidential range was anxiety-producing because I was alone hiking through the night but at much lower elevation (so breathing wasn’t an issue). Thanks for commenting!
Yeah had two knarley blisters across balls of feet going through 100mi wilderness. Rained 8 out of 10 days, nasty, feet paid the price for my ego lol!
Yes several false summits on Elbert. Long brutal day for anyone not use to the altitude.
Tying ready to start CO Trail this July 17, 2024. What I’m wondering is whether to take Collegiate East or West? What’s the difference? Is one easier than the other? Shorter? If you can reply I’d sure appreciate it!
Congratulations on the climb and the great views of Twin lakes from the summit. BTW, is the fake cop sitting in the police car still parked on the side of the road near the general store?
Yes, the fake cop is still there!
I'm planning on doing the same thing when I through hike the Colorado Trail next year. What map should I use to find your campsite just below treeline?
I don’t know if the campsite is on a map, but follow the trail up the mountain and you’ll see it.
I see a lot of hikers,campers and others using smart water bottles. Is there any reason? Or just coincidence?
X
The sawyer water filter fits/screws onto the smart water bottle.
@@marge57 ahh! Thanks for letting me know! X
Also they are very light for the amount of water they carry and fairly durable. Typically you can get two in side by side in a backpack water bottle sleeve; in the case of a larger water bottle you might only be able to fit one in per pocket. So you have more options about how you load your pack.
Much enjoying the trip. One of my favorite areas. 🏕🏔