Start

6am Indian Creek Trailhead. ~75 riders.

Wrong turn at Green Mountain

Followed Jeremy Noble down the wrong trail for about an hour before realizing we were nolonger on the Colorado Trail... whoops!

Kenosha Pass

Kenosha Pass

Georgia Pass

Tim Halbakken at Georgia Pass

Gold Hill Trailhead

Camped just past Breckenridge/Hwy 9. There was a section of trail that was closed and all racers had to detour around, but I might have almost made up for the lost miles with my little excursion up Green Mountain...

Tenmile Breakfast

Breakfast on Tenmile

Tenmile

Ptarmigan Grouse on Tenmile

Kokomo Pass

Kokomo Pass, Steve Heading and John Fettis

Leadville

Leadville: Hanging out before the race

Stopped at a grocery store and got some fried chicken, which I took with me down the road to the next trailhead. I stopped to eat it under some trees by a stream as it started to rain. As I moved on I couldn't stop worrying about what I was going to do with the leftover chicken bones so the smell wouldn't attrack animals while I slept. Luckily There was a campground with a dumpster near the trailhead. I've never been so relieved to throw something away in my life!

Twin Lakes Roadhouse Lodge

Rain. Met hikers who had run out of water, gave them some of mine as I realized I had extra. More rain. John and Steve caught up with me and we ride together until Twin Lakes where we decide to ride to town and find somewhere dry to sleep.

Twin Lakes

JF CTR 2011 029

Buena Vista Detour

John Fettis and Steve Wilkinson on the Detour to Buena Vista

Buena Vista

Mt. Princeton

Mt. Princeton

Mt. Princeton Hotsprings

5 miles short of Hishway 50

Highway 50

Highway 50

Fooses Creek

James Lindenblatt climbing out of Fooses Creek

Sargent's Mesa

Sargent's Mesa

Cochetopa Hills

Cochetopa Hills

Top of descent to Highway 114

Apple the Trail Angel

photo via Brett Ebben

Los Pinos Pass

Cebolla Creek

Cebolla Creek

Spring Creek Pass

Jeffrey Rank and Tim Halbakken at Spring Creek Pass

Jarosa Mesa

Jarosa Mesa

Start of final ascent to Coney

Coney Summit ascent

Headed for Coney Summit

Coney Summit

Coney Summit: 13,271 ft

Carson Saddle, Lost Trail Creek

Carson Saddle, Lost Trail Creek

Cataract Lake

Toward Cataract Lake

Cataract Ridge

Cataract Ridge

Stoney Pass

Cataract Ridge Almost to Silverton finally. Flock grazing on the Colorado trail, seen from the trail above before it drops down to Stoney Pass. That creek is actually the headwaters of the Rio Grande.

Silverton

Molas Pass

Molas Pass

Bolam Pass

As I cross a tributary of Cascade Creek a bit after 9pm I start hearing voices mixed in with the water fall sound. Approaching 11pm I almost crash off the trail. I've been up for 19 hours at this point. I finally make it to the top of the last hill I can stand to climb and meet Jeremy Noble who is camped next to the lake at Bolam Pass. It seems relatively cold down by the lake, and I've had enough of being cold after last night, so I decide to move on in search of the first warmer air pocket I can find. I decide on a spot in the trees about 1/4 mile further on.

Breakfast at the base of Hermosa Peak

Breakfast at the base of Hermosa Peak

Blackhawk Pass

Blackhawk Pass

Indian Trail Ridge

Indian Trail Ridge

Final Climb

$#%@*&!

Durango