I am a Colorado Trail completer now

[Nodust]

I started in 2017. Waterton Park to Twin Lakes. 170 something miles. 2021 went back did Twin Lakes to Molas Pass. 240 miles.

Back last month and hiked north from Durango to Molas Pass final 75 miles. What a great trail. Beautiful scenery everywhere.

Second to last day from completing I slipped and broke my foot. Hiked last 16 miles on it. I was going to finish if I had to crawl. Lisfranc fracture had surgery today.

I hammocked every night but one. There is a 38 mile stretch above 12k feet. Absolutely no trees in sight. Slept under tarp on ground. Wasn't that bad.

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[FLTurtle]

Sweet vistas...bummer about the foot. Heal up!

[StitchHikes]

Congrats on your CT completion, Nodust. Very sorry about the broken foot, but impressive determination to walk 16 miles on it. I figured there would be a few times one would have to go to ground on the CT. I’m surprised you only had one ground night. Thanks for that feedback.

[Hang Williams]

Congrats on finishing a 6 year epic, sorry it came at the expense of a foot. Sounds like you've got a long road to recovery since you needed surgery. Something to tell the grandkids one day: "I walked 16 miles on a broken foot..."

[Nodust]

I had an easier time finding trees to hang from than many had finding flats spots for tents.

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[Adroa]

Congratulations, huge accomplishment! Didn't even realize there was a Colorado Trail. Looks great though, have to add it to the someday list.

[Rhody Seth]

Fantastic accomplishment, especially completing it on a busted foot. Extra credit achieved for that!

[Shug]

I am more impressed with those last 16 miles that all the other miles! You're one tough feller. Congratulations are in order~
That is going to be a story you can tell until your dying day.
How and what kind of slip caused the break?
Whoooooo Buddy))))))
Shug

[Nodust]

I am more impressed with those last 16 miles that all the other miles! You're one tough feller. Congratulations are in order~
That is going to be a story you can tell until your dying day.
How and what kind of slip caused the break?
Whoooooo Buddy))))))
Shug

Sort of an unusual way to fall and hurt my foot the way I did. I'll see if I can explain it.

Walking down a nice trail 18" wide and in good condition. Uphill to left downhill to right. Came to a wet spot where water was seeping out of mountain. Stepped a little too far t the right and right foot went off trail downhill.

As I'm fallin, almost flipping to right left left is bucklin, and left foot gets twisted. I felt it pop but was more worried about cartwheeling down a few hundred feet. Somehow only slip(tumbled) down about 10 feet.

I was worried about my left leg because I had broken it badly last year. But only foot was hurting and all joints felt OK. Figured I better keep moving in case I had to hit the inreach. The area wouldn't be good place to get airlifted from.

I stopped in every creek and let foot soak in the cold water until numb. Camped that night after 8 miles and over 1700 climb over a pass. Next morning foot was about the same. Told myself time to see how tough you are. Thankfully it was a smooth 8 miles downhill but very gentle.

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[ippon]

Congrats on officially completing the trail!

I remember after going on my first solo backpacking trip into remote wilderness,I said to myself something like; this hobby is so serene and peaceful, but ****, my life depends, in a very real sense, with no exaggeration, literally on every step I take. One false step can quickly change things for the worse, as you experienced.

Glad you made it out alive. I love a good successful hike out story when the Injury isn't too bad.

The 240 mile section from twin lakes to molas was probably my favorite stretch when I thru hiked it in 2014.. When you hiked that in 21 did you take the collegiate west or east route? And what was your resupply strategy like?

I really enjoyed spending time in Salida and Frisco , Silverton was neat.. really just being out there in that high country anywhere is an amazing feeling. Having completed it, where do think your next big adventure /long trail will be ?

This past July we had plans to hike from molas pass to spring Creek pass , got as far as Stony pass road and the snow fields got to be so steep and icy that we were unprepared for them and had to backtrack all the way back down the elk creek valley to catch the DSNGRR back into Durango. It was an easy decision to be safe rather than risk injury.

Was there much snow when you hiked the tundra portions? And did you have crampons and ice axe? That's what we failed to bring, otherwise we could've probably continued.