27    Grand Lake - Silverthorne / Breckenridge    143 Kilometer

Grand Lake

Silverthorne / Breckenridge                     143 km

The CDT out of Grand Lake is near the east shore of the lakes. However there is a three to four mile long stretch of downed trees that has not been cleared since 2010. The alternative is road walking along the west shore. This is what I did. At the ranger station at Monarch Lake I took cover during a heavy down pour. Moving on I left all other hikers behind and was on my own again. The CDT was mostly well marked. When arriving at Berthould Pass I could see the difference since passing by by car in June. Instead of 1.5 meters of snow I could see only green. All snow had melted away. And of course I met many tourists. Leaving the pass it became quiet again. At Jones Pass in August I got a surprise. It was still closed by snow. I had to climb across before heading down to Bobcat mine for the night. Before getting up to Ptarmigan Pass I was stopped by another thunder storm. So I set up camp in the final trees before continuing in the morning. Crossing Ptarmigan pass I could see clouds above and below me in the morning. What a view. The trail down to Silverthorne is often missing and the little cairns are invisible in the clouds. Work on a new electrical switch yard meant a detour ending at a different spot in Silverthorne.

View of Rollins Pass

View of CDT on the way up to Jones Peak

Last winters snow still blocks Jones Pass towards end of August

CDT follows the ridge short of Ptarmigan Pass

First view of Silverthorne and Dillon Reservoir from near Ptarmigan Pass

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Last updated on 04.12.2022