Words and Photos by Chloe Hammond
I moved to Durango, CO, in August 2021 to attend Fort Lewis College (FLC), and I’d venture to say it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Surrounded by desert mesas and rugged peaks, I quickly immersed myself in the Four Corners landscape. Now, as a senior at FLC, I’ve explored much of this southwest region, but most of the state of Colorado remains new to me.
By May 2025, life felt unsteady. I was coming down from a hectic semester, struggling with mental health within my job at the time, and watching my roommates graduate while I still had a semester left. In the midst of sadness and uncertainty, I decided to hike the Colorado Trail (CT) southbound, ending at Junction Creek—just five miles from my doorstep in Durango. The idea had been in my head for the past few years, and I knew I wanted to hike the trail while Durango was still home.
PLANNING AND GEAR
I expected to hike solo for the majority of the CT, with my only other solo trip being a 48-hour trek two summers ago. At the time, I hadn’t felt too lonely in the backcountry before. I practically always had a mix of friends, family, co-leaders, or a whole group of students to accompany me and keep me busy. The idea of weeks alone was daunting—until I thought of taking Amber, our family’s six-year-old red heeler mix. Resilient, high-energy, and a beloved companion since 2019, Amber had already joined us on countless Montana backpacking trips. With some convincing, my parents let me take her along.
Logistics quickly became complicated: transporting Amber to Denver, building out her kit, and coordinating resupplies with folks who would join me for certain parts of the hike. Unlike shorter trips, this would be my first thru hike with resupply boxes. On top of that, having my pup changed the way I operated, making decisions not just for me but for both of us. I had a goal to finish in about 35 days, taking a few yet-to-be-planned zeros as needed along the way. I also wanted to be able to stop and smell the roses to pursue side quests that might come up.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear supported me with a Windrider 70L pack. At first, I considered a smaller size, but carrying Amber’s food made the larger volume essential. I used my Big Agnes two-person tent, which felt large when it was just Amber and I, but was perfect for when my parents joined at separate times. I carried a small fleece vest for Amber to sleep in at night and wear when it was cold. People find this funny, but it is actually quite necessary for a dog with a thin coat. I used the clothes I wasn’t wearing in conjunction with a foam pad for Amber to sleep on at night. I carried a med kit for her, which included tweezers, two rolls of vet wrap, eye drops, Blistex chapstick, and some meds for swelling and pain.
The dog food was the main piece that made my pack quite large. While her dry food was not super heavy, it took up a lot of space. And with a dog who is not very food-motivated, I had to pack variety so she would look forward to eating. During each leg, I had a different topping for her breakfast and dinners. Sometimes it was deli meat, and other times hot dogs. Jerky became her favorite trail treat, and she always knew a burger patty awaited in town stops.
ON THE TRAIL
Denver to Breckenridge (96 miles):
On July 16, I took a one-way flight from Durango to Denver and my mom and I set out from Indian Creek Trailhead. Those first hot, smoky days were tough—long water carries, heavy packs, and blisters—but also filled with beauty. We saw plenty of moose, a cinnamon black bear, and met another thru-hiker dog, which gave me comfort. This was a great tone-setter for the rest of the trip: prioritizing self-care, being observant of Amber and her needs, and having my mom as a hiking buddy. Being with her made the first 100 miles special, and by the time we reached Breckenridge, she felt ready to send Amber and me out alone.
Coming into town for the first time was rewarding after finishing the first 100 miles. Amazingly, our friends who live in Breckenridge have the CT travel right behind their house. We were warmly welcomed, so much so that it was hard to leave the next day knowing the bulk of the venture was still ahead.
Breckenridge to Twin Lakes (72 miles):
The day I left Breckenridge after my first resupply was one of the most challenging days of the whole trip. I felt lonely, isolated, and guilty for having Amber with me. I knew I wanted to be out here, but she had no say in the matter. No idea what the next hour of her life held, let alone the next week. I could tell she was nervous and somewhat questioning my every move. She likes her routine, and we were still trying to establish one at this point, as it was only day one out of Breckenridge. But as the miles passed, our rhythm solidified. Amber adjusted, and I began to trust myself.
The terrain was not yet very demanding, and we had great weather. As we walked through Copper Mountain, Tennessee Pass, and the Holy Cross Wilderness, I was able to connect the dots as I saw road systems I had driven and their relation to where we were. A huge part of this experience was gaining a better understanding and connection to the state of Colorado. I enjoyed the opportunities to be up high with big views of where I was headed and where we had come from. While I passed by 14ers like Mt. Massive and Elbert, I skipped side quests to save Amber’s energy. By Twin Lakes, I had learned I likely wouldn’t be pursuing much else off the trail.
Twin Lakes to Monarch Pass (81 miles):
I took the advice that almost everyone on trail gave me and stayed west on the Collegiate Loop. Traveling over Hope Pass and Lake Ann Pass was gorgeous, and I was able to see the Elk Mountains, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and even the San Juan Mountains, far to the south. While this was daunting to see how far away the San Juans still were, I felt comfort in the fact that I could see them at all.
Upon reaching Cottonwood Pass, Amber wasn’t eating her dog treats. I coordinated with the Pierson Family in Gunnison to bring me a few different options. Treats were essential for Amber’s daytime calorie intake since she wasn’t eating lunch like I was. They ended up offering us a night in their home—an offer I couldn’t refuse, and it ended up being the best surprise.
I got rained on pretty hard multiple times during this leg, landing at camp way earlier in the day a few times. Even with all her layers, Amber still got cold when we camped up high, so I prioritized finding sheltered camps below treeline when I could. Given that this was the wettest part of the trip, this section of trail was one of my favorite parts of the whole thing. I loved seeing familiar places and people. The views became more vast and I finally felt some of my hard work paying off. I was now in my routine and had found a trail bubble who I was hiking and/or camping with. At Monarch Pass, I celebrated hitting the halfway point with a zero in Salida, feeling grateful for all the love I’ve received from those around me.
Monarch Pass to Lake City (101 miles):
Leaving Monarch Pass was beautiful and I enjoyed the gentle descent into Cow Flats. It was easy on the body and we were able to cruise. The challenge of this section was having a number of water carries in dry heat with my heaviest pack of the whole trip. The mental battle also existed here as I was in terrain that felt less stimulating. I felt sluggish and tired at times, and I know Amber did too.
Across Highway 114 and at the base of the San Juans, I stumbled upon the most wonderful trail magic. Kind people, a surplus of fresh breakfast, coffee, and a treat for Amber. It was rejuvenating to eat a warm breakfast and to talk to other thru-hikers that morning. Getting into the mountains once again was refreshing after being in the hot and dry Cochotopa Hills for a few days. I was stoked to have plentiful mountain water once again. At this point, I began to taste Durango a bit, knowing how much closer I was. Entering the San Juans was epic—the same flair I know these mountains to have was there as I began my incline to San Luis Peak, although we did not summit.
Amber and I got a shuttle to the Lake City Trail Hiker Center where we were surprised with coffee, snacks, charging stations, and more. It was at this point that my dad was going to arrive in Lake City and begin his hike to Molas Pass with us. After some down time here, Amber developed a limp in her front right leg. She became very lethargic and was unexcited about going outside. Upon my dad arriving, we had an anxious couple of hours as we tried to figure out the best thing to do for Amber. Luckily, we had our third and final zero in Lake City, so there was time for Amber to rest and for us to make the right call. On Sunday, August 10, we were welcomed by the Lake City Trail Hiker Center, where we enjoyed a feast with Lake City community members and tons of other thru-hikers. We were blown away by the number of people invested in thru-hikers and their journeys. There is such genuine support across the community. I am lucky to have been there to see it and be part of it.
Upon waking up to begin our hike to Molas, Amber was more chipper. Although she started out slow, her limp seemed to dissipate with the help of some pain meds. I am happy that this was the only time we had to use them during the whole trip. She was able to finish happy and healthy, with no limp.
Lake City to Molas Pass (53 miles):
Joined by my dad, I slowed my pace to savor this spectacular stretch. The terrain became more demanding, as it felt like we were constantly either on a steep ascent or descent. On our second day out from Lake City, we hit the CT highpoint at 13,271 feet. Now I was coming into areas I had been before near Stoney Pass, on the large plateau where the CT and CDT separate, and along Elk Creek. My dad let me bend his ear and show him all the places I had been before. It was really nice to have him there to talk to and be with, even if it was in silence.
I began to notice that my trail bubble was now a day or two ahead of me at this point due to our slower pace, but I knew this would happen. The excitement really kicked in as I saw Molas Pass, knowing that home was so close. Amber did excellent on this section, and I think she really enjoyed the shorter mileage days. This was a great end to the 20-plus-mile days that we had previously been walking regularly.
This section of trail is absolutely stunning. Hikers very casually travel through pristine and gorgeous alpine basins that would be a destination hike if they weren’t as remote. With this section being as spectacular as it was, I was happy to be spending more time taking it all in.
Molas Pass to Durango (73 miles):
For the final leg, two of my best friends, Brooke and Lily, joined me. We said goodbye to my dad and began our last leg, hiking about 73 miles in six days. Similar to my dad, Lily and Brooke had a lot to adjust to. I am glad they had each other because, once again, our paces were very different. Our camps were dictated by whether or not we had water, as there were some drier sections of trail. It was refreshing to have my best friends join me for the last leg. They were able to see what this experience had been for me and get a taste of the culture of thru hiking.
At this point on the trail, we certainly lost the ultralight concept. We made fresh bread on our shortest mileage day, packing in a few cups of flour, instant dry yeast, oil, and some seasoning. This actually turned out surprisingly well, and I would do this again with a few tweaks. We ate quesadillas and fresh veggies for dinner on nights one and two out of Molas Pass. I swapped my two-person tent for my family’s four-person tent so we could all sleep together. Most importantly, we laughed and giggled almost as much as we walked. And we fulfilled our annual August backpacking trip that has happened each year since being in college together.
We arrived at the end of the CT, at Junction Creek, on August 21. It felt bizarre that I had really just been walking home the whole time and that my doorstep was under five miles from the trailhead. We let our feet breathe, and Amber finished the rest of the dog treats I had left. My dad pulled into the trailhead with a bottle of champagne and the best snacks we could have asked for.
REFLECTION
We ended up taking 37 days to get from Denver to Durango, including three zero days. Throughout that time, we averaged about 17 miles per day. This was the perfect blend of challenge and reward, making it incredibly rejuvenating. It was the best way I could have connected with the state I’ve been living in for the past four years. I feel bonded to Amber more than ever before, and I have full confidence that she learned to trust me. We watched each other struggle and helped each other when we needed it. I know I will have a number of other adventures similar to this one, but for Amber, this was the trip of her lifetime. She exceeded every expectation, teaching me about trust, resilience, and joy. It showed me the core values of caring for your animal and partner in all the right ways. Hiking with her wasn’t easy—managing logistics, slower mileage, and constant care—but it made the journey infinitely more meaningful.
The Colorado Trail reminded me of the beauty of simplicity: walk, eat, rest, repeat. Strip life down to water, food, and shelter, and you find gratitude in every sip, bite, and night of sleep you get.
I made some sacrifices to have other folks join me and for taking Amber in the first place. Had I not done those things, the trip would have been much simpler and logistically less challenging. I would likely have finished faster, and perhaps with the crew I started with. While I have few to no regrets about my trip, I wonder when I would have finished, who else I would have hiked or camped with, and how the timeline would have unfolded had I been solo for longer. Regardless, this has shown me the love I have for the friends and family in my life who continue to support me and the things I choose to do. They’ve continued to embrace adventure with me and remain curious about taking it on together. I couldn’t ask for better.
If you’re considering a thru hike, know this: there is no perfect way to do it. Your journey will look different than mine, but you will get the opportunity to watch your body, and your mind adapt to the environment you put yourself in. You do not need endless experience under your belt. You do not need all the finest gear. Be open to the experience, and the trail really does provide.
Thank you to everyone who supported me—family, friends, trail angels, and Hyperlite Mountain Gear. This was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and I couldn’t have done it without you.
