14ers.com

greenonion wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:43 am

Jon Frohlich wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 11:52 am

WanderingJim wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 11:36 am The East-West loop looks promising.

So are there bear boxes or some other places to stash resupplies along the way?

Bear boxes aren't a thing in Colorado. You'd have to figure out your own method of resupply.

They are at Capitol Lake. At least they have been recently. (But I realize he isn't including Cap in these plans.)

They installed bear boxes there? Like the brown ones you find in campgrounds? Or are you meaning bear cannisters are required to be brought by the hiker? Two very difference things in my mind at least.

WanderingJim wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 11:36 am The East-West loop looks promising.

So are there bear boxes or some other places to stash resupplies along the way?

I think some of the towns have places that will hold boxes for you for a fee

dwoodward13 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:56 pm

greenonion wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:43 am

Jon Frohlich wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 11:52 am

Bear boxes aren't a thing in Colorado. You'd have to figure out your own method of resupply.

They are at Capitol Lake. At least they have been recently. (But I realize he isn't including Cap in these plans.)

They installed bear boxes there? Like the brown ones you find in campgrounds? Or are you meaning bear cannisters are required to be brought by the hiker? Two very difference things in my mind at least.

Don't recall seeing any bear boxes at Capitol Lake last September. Bear canisters were required, though we were up there midweek, which might explain why no one was checking to make sure we had one.

there was mention above of the late, great monsoon--there was none the past 2 summers and, if memory serves, only minimal monsoon 2018. this may be the new normal, only time will tell.

HikesInGeologicTime wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 5:20 pm

dwoodward13 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:56 pm

greenonion wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:43 am

They are at Capitol Lake. At least they have been recently. (But I realize he isn't including Cap in these plans.)

They installed bear boxes there? Like the brown ones you find in campgrounds? Or are you meaning bear cannisters are required to be brought by the hiker? Two very difference things in my mind at least.

Don't recall seeing any bear boxes at Capitol Lake last September. Bear canisters were required, though we were up there midweek, which might explain why no one was checking to make sure we had one.

My bad. Not bear boxes at Cap lake. They require bear canisters.

So, I've been putting together some options for doing the Collegiate Loop.

Resupply at Monarch Pass and Mt Princeton Hot Springs seem to be pretty straight forward with sending them resupply packages. I think I can do 7 days between those two points.

The problem seems to be in the northwest side of the loop. Tyler Park is way too far off the trail to be worth using it for a resupply.

If I start at Twin Lakes, that makes the first segments 8-9 days regardless of which direction I go. That’s stretching my load carrying capacity. I had hip problems carrying 7 days of food last year on the JMT, so doing 8-9 days may be a problem.

I was thinking of leaving a resupply cache (in some kind of animal proof container) between the Huron Peak TH and Sheep Gultch/Hope Pass TH. Is that kosher?

The other option is to not go all the way to Twin Lakes. Instead, I start from the Sheep Gultch/Hope Pass TH area and leave my Jeep there. Then if I go counter-clockwise, I need 7 days or so to get to Monarch Pass, 7 days to get to Mt Princeton Hot Springs, but it could be 8-9 to get back (assuming going down Pine Creek to do Missouri/Oxford/Bedford on the way back).

The clockwise direction is similarly long for the first segment. The east side of the loop will be longer due to my attempts to nail the 14ers along that side.

I have thought that I might be able to hitch along the dirt road going down to Huron Peak TH to cut time out of that part, but that is hard to count on.

Thoughts? Any resupply options I’m missing?

How was the snowpack this year? Any issues with water supplies along the trail?