This is going to be a series of posts as a trip report of my CT Hike. I wrote way too much and took way too many pictures so I thought I'd break it up into multiple posts and put them up as I get through editing them. Here is part one.

The Foothills (Segments 1-5):

Photos: https://imgur.com/a/bzzqlgl

After spending 2 days in Denver catching up with old friends and acclimating, I shipped out my airplane bag and remaining clothes back home and got a ride with a very friendly shuttle driver the morning of the fifth. It was beginning! The stroll down sunny Waterton Canyon was hot but not unbearable in the early morning especially without any incline. After reaching the woods, I climbed up, grabbed water at Bear Creek and set up a dry camp a few miles later at 11.7 shortly before afternoon storms rolled in. The views from the site already excited me for the coming adventure.

The next day would involve the decline back down to South Platte River where I’d take a quick dip to cool off before the coming hike through the hot, dry shadeless burn scar. A long, strenuous water carry before reaching the firehouse and camping around 26.4 where I’d meet a trail runner from Denver I’d hike with for the next few days (big mistake).

Day 3 began the morning with a fog rolling through the meadow and me craving a moose sighting while I brushed my teeth. Alas my wish would not be granted now or for the rest of the trip. After a nice morning stroll around wacky looking boulders, we began ascending into Lost Creek Wilderness following a steep road up into my first serious taste of altitude, making camp at 43.4

The next morning started with a sharp steep climb up to be rewarded with nothing but mosquitos galore in the trees at the top. After filling water, we scrambled out and continued up the next longer, slower grade climb up to a saddle, enjoying gorgeous views of a meadow along the way, making camp at 60. I started to feel the fever come on here, realizing I needed to break away from my definitely faster than me hiking partner at this point. We enjoyed another buggy camp at mile 60.

Broke camp a little slow this morning in an effort to relax. The trail began to meander out of several different kinds of forests as gorgeous aspens towered above me in between clearings of expansive views across the foothills. This was my favorite segment thus far. On my climb to Kenosha Pass, I quickly realized I didn’t have enough water and should have filled up at the last creek. I became pretty dangerously dehydrated but luckily got some water from a few dayhikers making their way down. I met my buddies waiting for me at Kenosha Pass and we hiked a few more miles away and made camp at 74.7. Felt extremely exhausted and sick.