07    Breckenridge - Bailey    99 km

After a couple of days of sightseeing in Breckenridge and thereby feeling like a tourist and not as hiker it was time to get back to the trail. After a long breakfast at the hostel we took the busses back to the Colorado Trail. It started with a longer climb out of the valley and it was mostly in the open. Again we met many day hikers and one who was trying to make it all the way to Durango this late in the season. He had hiked in 8 days from Denver without re-supplying. He had to carry too much food for my liking. Next morning it was raining so we started out only once it stopped. Again it was an easy trail and it became partly sunny for the rest of the day. We dried up our tarps over lunch by a creek. In late afternoon we got across Georgia Pass which is well above tree line. The CT branches off from the CDT at this point. We stopped for the night once we got back into the woods.

Early in the morning we saw a mother moose with her calf very near to the trail. They looked at us but soon continued grazing thereby totally disregarding us. Upon getting past Deadman Gulch the trail afforded a good view of the plains around Jefferson. At Baker Lake we could see a large ranch. This was Labour Weekend which meant there far too many people out on the trail. At Kenosha Pass the trail passes the former railroad line. A few feet of tracks is all that remains. In the evening it was not easy to find a decent place for the night. We settled on a spot near Miller Ranch.

Once we came into the North Fork Lost Creek Valley it was partly open country again. The trail was downhill. Long ways down we were hit by a thunderstorm with a short but heavy downpour of hail forcing us to take cover. Once it stopped we moved on and found the hail was very local only. Soon there was no more hail on the ground. Soon we stopped early not to get too close to Wellington Lake Road to get a ride into Bailey. Next morning it was sunny, the trail was easy going and not as many people as yesterday. Then we arrived at the road. We soon got a ride into town. There we had a look around and then called the hostel. We got bunks and walked there, which is just out of town. Next morning I found out that my re-supply which was supposed to be on forwarded by USPS was still stuck at Yellowstone. I called REI and agreed with them to get the supplies returned to them and later to be refunded. I bought supplies at the gaz station as well as at the hostel.

Communal room of hostel in Breckenridge

View towards Whale Peak with snow remains from last winter at CT in early September

Moose cow with young at CT near Jefferson Creek

First fall leaves near CT mile 75

Hail in North Fork Lost Creek Valley

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