06    Twin Lakes - Breckenridge    173 km

Following a drink at the store which had not changed from two years ago we moved on. The climb up to the CDT is quite a steep climb. The trail is mostly in good hiking condition. Again the day started sunny and later we had thunder and lightning with some light rain. Once we decided to stop for the night and had set up our camp it started to rain heavily mixed with some hail. Again things were wet in the morning. At Rock Creek we decided to go via the fish hatchery at the Evergreen Lakes to Leadville, the highest incorporated town in the US. Steady wanted to buy a jacket at a local manufacturer. We decided to stay for the night. I visited the interesting mining museum. And of course we had to have a pizza at the famous High Mountains Pies pizza place. Next morning after breakfast at the Golden Burro Café we got a ride back to the trail. The heavy rain seemed to be gone away. It was sunny and partly cloudy and only a few raindrops fell.

Past Tennessee Pass we met the hiker Minus whom I knew from my 2014 CDT thruhike. Nice! We had to cross the railroad tracks. Later a bow hunter we ran across showed us that the hunting season has started. So far only bow hunting is allowed. On one of the mountain sides we heard and saw a big herd of sheep. Short of Copper Mountain we stopped for the night. Next day we came down into this skiing resort. At the gaz station we had pizza and then took the free bus via Frisco to Breckenridge. It seemed to be easier to hike from Breckenridge to Copper Mountain than the other way around. Back on the trail we started climbing Gold Hill in the open with sunshine. Soon the clouds moved in and we had to stop under the tarp weathering a short but strong down poor. Once it stopped we moved on higher up to the edge of the tree line. Next day we climbed up to Ten Mile Range. Here we had a great view of Breckenridge and some of the ski lifts. It was cold and windy while we had to follow the ridge line before descending to Copper Mountain. Here we got the bus to Breckenridge via Frisco again. Then we took a local bus to get to the Hostel. This was a fancy place with a big lobby and fireplace. In the morning we were served breakfast; pancakes until we were full.

Details from the hike of this section in 2014 can be found here: CDT Section 28 Breckenridge - Twin Lakes

View from CT / CDT in San Isabel Forest

Remains of former cole cairns at Tennessee Pass

CT / CDT are running concurrent through Mitchell Creek Valley near Tennessee Pass

Beaver dam East Fork Eagle River with freshly cut greens

Summer skiing at Copper Mountain

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