On the trailhead for Segment 6 at 8a. Segment 6 is significant for several reasons; it is the longest segment of the entire Colorado Trail, it is the first segment to venture into the Alpine, it is the first segment to cross the Continental Divide, and it is the first segment to climb above the treeline.
By 11:15a we were 6 miles in, and decided to have lunch along Jefferson Creek. This is an exquisite mountain creek, and it was at full-flow with the spring snow melt. The creek also gave us an opportunity to replenish our water supply, as we had a steep gain ahead of us after lunch.
Our goal before we started this day was to make the 11.1 mile mark. This would put us just below the Georgia Pass and the Continental Divide. Having 6 miles completed by lunch gave us a realistic shot at reaching our goal. However, the hiking would be quite different in the afternoon going from 10,000 elev. to 11, 670.
On the way up we observed a couple of Whiskey Jacks, an abandoned log cabin, and Jefferson Lake as it is cradled among the massive mountains characteristic of this area.
We encountered another hiker who was quite a character. He had been on the trail for two (2) weeks. He was travelling from Denver to the back door of his house in Keystone. This meant he would be leaving the CT at the Continental Divide, and following a topo map to hopefully make it to his home.
The final hour of our day introduced us to measurable snow covering the trail. Snow was a concern for this segment, but we were still encouraged, as this side of the pass seemed fairly navigable. We would soon learn that one side of the Divide does not necessarily translate to the other side.
By 4:00p we had reached an elevation of 11, 670. This is where we made camp. The next morning we would have only 1 mile and 210 feet of elevation to reach the Georgia Pass.
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