by Melanie McManus | Aug 18, 2025 | Colorado, Continental Divide 2022 - ?, Trail Journals
Yes, I’m back on the CDT, despite a right knee that needs replacing. I had high hopes as I headed out from Monarch Pass once again, this time heading NOBO. The weather was perfect – blue skies and cool temps. I knew I had about 8 miles (12.9 km) of climbing today,...
by Melanie McManus | Aug 19, 2025 | Colorado, Continental Divide 2022 - ?, Trail Journals
I could tell from yesterday’s hike – the difficult terrain coupled with my bum knee – that even my scaled-down hiking plan would be too much. So I got up early to give myself more time to reach my target of about 16.5 miles (26.6 km). The day began great. The trail...
by Melanie McManus | Aug 20, 2025 | Colorado, Continental Divide 2022 - ?, Trail Journals
Wow, what a crazy day’s hike to Cottonwood Pass. As I noted yesterday, I didn’t hit my goal mileage, which made today’s even longer (17.3 mi / 27.8 km). I woke up at 5 a.m. and got on the trail by 6:20 a.m., hoping for the best. Disclosure: This post contains...
by Melanie McManus | Aug 21, 2025 | Colorado, Continental Divide 2022 - ?, Trail Journals
And the craziness continues! Kim said she could shuttle me after all, getting me on the trail by noon. However, that would mean I wouldn’t reach Twin Lakes until Saturday, and I had some nonrefundable inn reservations. More importantly, the lodge cleaning staff told...
by Melanie McManus | Aug 22, 2025 | Colorado, Continental Divide 2022 - ?, Trail Journals
Since I was shuttled last night from the CDT trailhead on the southern shores of Twin Lakes to the Twin Lakes Inn, I’d missed several miles of trail that run along the lakes’ northern side. So today, after a great breakfast at the inn, I first stopped next door at the...
by Melanie McManus | Aug 23, 2025 | Colorado, Continental Divide 2022 - ?, Trail Journals
Before I left home, I had contacted a trail angel, Mike, who was supposed to pick me up from the east end of Twin Lakes yesterday. But, of course, Pieter and Liz dropped me off in town on Thursday night because of the water filter issue, and yesterday I did an...
