The Collegiates (CW01-CW05):

Photos: https://imgur.com/a/6IuclEK

Hope Pass. Everyone going the west route was dreading this climb. 3500 feet of gain in 3.5 miles. I threw the bandana on and got moving early. After summiting Massive, I had a little more confidence but I knew it was going to be a tough day. But man what a view at the top and the excitement starts to build as you realize whats ahead for the next few days. The descent was incredibly steep and slippery and I pushed ahead to set up camp as close to Lake Ann Pass as I could (196.6).

The next day I pushed over Lake Ann Pass. Looking up at it, there were a few clouds moving in but as I got closer it cleared out. At the top of the pass, I turned airplane mode off to call mom and as luck would have it, received a call in that same 30 minute pocket about a job opportunity. On the way off the pass, I felt something in my knee slip and immediately knew something was terribly wrong but I was still 3 miles away from water/camping. I nursed my knee and slowly walked the last three miles over almost two hours trying to fight off relentless mosquitos that would swarm me everytime I tried to break (210.5).

Storms would hit all night and I would find out later my buddies would get pushed off the pass before making it over and have to set up at Lake Ann. I made it up to Cottonwood the next day just barely beating gray clouds again and hitched into Buena Vista. I resupplied here and grabbed my leggings from a maildrop that my friend had accidentally taken. Motel was expensive and I didn't really want to zero here though I should have for my knee (219.3). I also charted out my miles and scheduled an interview for the job in Salida.

I hitched out early the next morning. CW03 was some of the most stunning trail I have ever walked. You are still above treeline for about 16 miles, pushing over three saddles through some absolutely gorgeous country. By the time I was coming off the last saddle, I was again racing storms back to treeline watching lightning strike the mountains across the valley from me. Felt like the only hiker on the segment the whole day but met one guy who thankfully waited for me to make sure I made it down safely as well (235.7).

The next morning, clouds loomed around all day for the first and only gray morning of my hike. A few drizzles here and there as I made my way over the gentle beautiful first incline. On my way to the other one, it started storming really hard, I got tired and my knee started to feel 'loose' again and at some point I stopped having fun. I pushed over Lake Hancock and the accompanying pass and met a trail crew at the bottom near Boss Lake Trailhead (252.3).

CW05 gives you one final tough incline back up to the divide. I got great sun in the morning and enjoyed the hell out of the following ridgewalk to Monarch Pass. I got low on water again and realized I wasn't gonna have enough for lunch so just kept pushing, knowing town was going to happen today. At some point as I got close to the pass I took a wrong turn and realized I was walking past the Monarch Crest Store so kinda just slid off the cliff on the side of the highway and walked across like an idiot. I'd get a ride into Salida where I would zero out the next three days icing my knee and debating whether I was gonna continue walking (263).