Backpacking Lost Creek Wilderness

We have now officially lived in Colorado for a year. To celebrate this milestone, we decided to add another hobby to our adventure repertoire: Backpacking. This has appealed to me for a very long time, but the cost of gear always seemed too high as a grad student, who had other expensive hobbies (triathlon). Now that I have my first 'real' job, I rewarded myself with a trip to REI and the GoLite store. Gear list here!

I planned our first foray into the backcountry for Memorial Day weekend. Colorado has had a very snowy winter, and the most recent snowstorm was only 2 weeks ago, so most of the high country is still blanketed in snow. I researched some closer trails and found an area called the Lost Creek Wilderness that sits at a lower elevation and is closer to the Denver area, so it tends to have an earlier snowmelt than anywhere else.

As the weekend approached, the weather in the Denver area has been some of the most volatile I have seen. Nearly everyday brought with it an epic hail storm, tornado warnings and/or flash flooding. The weekend forecast showed the storm system moving out, but still potential for rain/hail/thunder. My stubbornness would not relent, and I forged ahead with our backpacking plans.

After work on Friday afternoon, we hopped in the Element Camper and drove to the town of Bailey, CO where we had a delicious burger + rueben dinner before falling asleep in the Element to the distant sounds of thunder. By morning the rain was gone. Since our bags were already packed we hit the trail by 7:30am and our adventure began!

Cody impatiently waits for her slow humans

Day 1: Payne Gulch/Brookside Trail head -- Payne Gulch Trail -- Colorado Trail -- Brookside McCurdy Trail. Distance: 17.7 miles. Time: 6:27

Payne Gulch Brookside Trailhead

The first few miles involved LOTS of adjustments to our newly acquired 18 pound weight difference.  The Payne Gulch trail starts with the Brookside McCurdy trail. We opted to take the Payne Gulch trail because Brookside McCurdy was probably going to still be covered in snow since it goes to an altitude of 11,500 feet. The Payne Gulch trail gradually rose from an altitude of 8,200 feet to 9,880 feet in the first 5 miles. Whenever the trail flattened out or went downhill, we attempted to run with our backpacks on. We looked ridiculous. But it was a blast to see what we could handle! Going downhill and running the flats was actually pretty manageable, but the second we hit an incline, the added weight seemed to quadruple.

Ryan adjusting his balance with new weight on his back. Don't fall in!

The Payne Gulch trail was 9.6 miles with 2,700 feet of elevation gain and 1,446 feet of elevation loss before it connected with the Colorado trail. This was a very runnable trail, and we even saw two other runners out there. Hiking through the Aspens and meadows of Colorado in the spring with perfect weather (for now) was exactly what I envisioned for our trip.

Colorado Meadows- and Ryan with some oven mitts ;) 

Aspens in the spring

Cody always insists on climbing on rocks to enjoy the view!

Connecting to the Colorado Trail was exciting. The prospect of hiking the entire length of this trail seems daunting, so even hiking a small chunk just felt cool.

The Colorado Trail seemed like a wide, open road compared to the narrow single track of Payne Gulch. The segment of the CT from Payne Gulch to the intersection with Brookside McCurdy was 5.6 miles, with an elevation gain of 1,400 feet and a loss of 598 feet.

The Colorado Trail/Road

CT Dog

After hiking the CT for a mile we stopped to use our new water filters. Now we were 'real' backpackers- filtering water from a stream!

Reorganizing the backpack

She just got fed tuna

After climbing to 10,000 feet on the CT we encountered snow, but it there wasn't much. We could still find the trail and it only came up to our ankles.

Our next juncture was with the Brookside McCurdy trail, which took us through a gorgeous meadow. We expected to see frolicking wildlife, but it was just shrubbery.

After hiking a few miles down this trail, the skies were darkening, so we decided that 17.7 miles was enough for the day and began setting up camp before the rain started. I just happened to wander off trail at no particular point, and stumbled upon a perfectly set up campsite, complete with fire pit- how random! Our first camping set up in the backcountry was a success. Our new GoLite Imogen UL3 was a breeze to set up.

We cooked dinner and finished eating by 4:00 pm. Ha! Lucky we did, because the thunder rolled in. Usually storms in CO don't last very long, but after an hour of non-stop thunder, we decided to turn the thunderclaps into a drinking game- 1 shot per thunder:

We ran out of alcohol before it stopped thundering. Cody was not very happy:

Guys, make the thunder stop, please!

We finally managed to fall asleep despite the continuous rain. When we woke up, I thought the tent would be flooded since it just never stopped raining all night. Turns out, the drops I was hearing on the rain-fly weren't rain drops anymore- it snowed!

Day 2: Wigwam Trail -- Rolling Creek Trail -- Colorado Trail -- Payne Gulch. Total distance: 18.6 miles

Turns out it's easier to stay dry when it snows vs. rain

Ryan shakes his oven mitt at the weather!

Packing up a damp campsite isn't very fun, but we managed. In order to dry the rain fly before the next rain rolled in, I needed to get creative:

The next segment of trail was the gorgeously flat Wigwam trail that took us in and out of forests along a gorgeous meadow. The sun made brief appearances along the way.

There is a tiny bit of blue sky in there!

You may be sick of seeing this blue backpack. Sorry- this was my view the entire trip.

Cody swam in every stream/lake/puddle

As the sky darkened, we enjoyed a hot lunch of lentils and instant potatoes

After lunch, the next segment was Rolling Creek. Turns out to be an aptly named trail. Except for the Rolling part. More like, StraightUpHill. The Creek part just meant that the actual trail is just a creek that you're supposed to walk in and navigate through. Fun! As we began this trail, we climbed over 1,000 feet in the first mile. During that mile, it also began thundering. Additionally, as we reached the top, it began snowing. While thundering. Thundersnowing. Awesome. Luckily, our ponchos saved us from getting too wet or too cold.

Our true feelings about the weather. Ryan's oven mitts don't have a middle finger.

Once over the top, we had to navigate a practically non-existent trail that was covered in snow and ice. This was the low point of the trip because we are notoriously terrible at route finding. Somehow (probably because we just followed Cody) we managed to make our way without ever going too far off trail. By the time we reached 8,500 feet again, the storm had let up. It actually never rained on us- just snow! The views from this trail were pretty incredible, once the storm cleared:

At the end of this segment, we hit the Colorado Trail again. We decided to hike another 2 miles to a spot we had already been to on the Payne Gulch trail, because we knew the camping spot would be worth it. Total mileage for the day: 18.6 miles.

It was totally worth it:

Sunday night was perfect. Idyllic campsite on top of a mountain, perfect weather and a wonderful night's sleep. We woke up to the gorgeous mountain sun.

Day 3: Payne Gulch -- Car! Total distance: 8 miles.

Our last day of hiking was 'only' 8 miles back on Payne Gulch trail to the car. Of course the weather was perfect for this short hike!

On our whole trip, this was the only wildlife we encountered:

And here was one of our final views as we left the backcountry and entered back into civilization:

Our first backpacking adventure was a success- despite the weather. Since I obsessively researched our gear list we had all of the right gear for the ever changing Colorado weather, which meant we stayed warm and dry. Our total mileage was 44 miles over 3 days/2 nights. Although Ryan and I both had fun, Cody loved this adventure 10,000 times more than we did. She got to 'work' with her pack for 7 hours a day, then sleep outside, curled up with her humans. Nothing in the world makes her feel more important. She is the ultimate adventure dog.

Happy adventure dog!

I love her pack!

On the lookout!

And at the end, she was finally exhausted:

Adidas Adios Boost Shoe Review

Ryan's Review
I like lightweight shoes. I have toothpicks for ankles and a frame sometimes described as bird-like, so I appreciate shoes that cut the weight at the end of my slim leg pendulum. I also like shoes in the 8-10mm drop range, but unfortunately for me, most lightweight trail shoes gravitate toward the 4mm drop end. These make my calves explode.

So I tried an experiment with road shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios 2.0. These shoes are 8oz, 10mm drop, with a tough Continental rubber outsole. I loved them. I was running rugged mountain trails in the Golden, CO area and not feeling rock poke. My calves were singing praises. My only issue was the upper. I couldn't lock down my heel without tying the laces really tight, hurting my instep.

Adidas Adios 2.0

Enter the Adidas Adios Boost. Same specs (drop, weight, outsole) as the 2.0, but with two major improvements. First, the midsole: Boost technology does not use EVA foam; instead, it is made of thermoplastic beads that are fused together. This midsole is among the bounciest and most durable I have ever run on. It's like Hoka bounce without the stack height or extra give. Second, the upper has a stiffer lacing system that allows for heel lockdown that is so good I don't even run in my Adios 2.0 any more. It can't compare. 

Adidas Adios Boost. White Ranch Park, Colorado

This is a lightweight road shoe that you can use for running mountain trails. My first run in the Adios Boost was a 23 miler at White Ranch, featuring loads of steep, rocky terrain, cambered, snowy trail, and 4,000+ feet of vert gain. This shoe is up for the task. The next weekend I ran a 25 miler at White Ranch, again. I could bomb down the loose rock with confidence that the outsole and midsole would protect me, despite the fact that this road shoe has no rock plate. They're super snappy on the uphills and I've had some of my fastest mountain training runs in them.

Ride and Fit
The ride is firm on the Adios Boost, and it feels like an 8mm drop, but the claim is 10mm. Two drawbacks for trail running is they're not good in loose, dry rock/sand, and they're ice skates in mud. Compared to the Adios 2.0, they run slightly larger than size (maybe try 1/2 size down). The toe box is standard, and the heel is narrow. The low heel collar lets in a lot of debris, so you might want to use gaiters on dirty trail.

Pedigree
Hal Koerner won Hardrock 100 in Adios 2.0. Chris Vargo won Golden Gate Dirty 30 in Adios 2.0. Patrick Makau set a world record marathon 2:03:38 in Berlin in 2011 in Adios 2.0. Now with the Boost midsole technology -- both springy and durable -- if a touch heavier than EVA foam, this is a superb shoe.

Adios Boost sticking to rock on Beaver Brook Trail

Alaina's Review
Ever since I tried on the Adidas Boost shoes while working at Runners Roost, I couldn't wait to own a pair. The original Boost shoes are super comfy, but they are a lot bulkier than the majority of shoes I run in. When Adidas added the Boost technology to their lightweight Adios, I was sold. 

My first run in them was a 12 mile run on the Colorado trail. When I first put them on I was worried that they wouldn't have enough cushion to protect me from feeling every rock on the trail. I was quickly proven wrong. For how little cushioning there is, I was amazed at how much they protected my feet. I could still feel the ground really well, just not the jabbing rocks that I can sometimes feel in my Salomon Sense Ultra and La Sportiva Vertical K. They were very quick and responsive. I just love how the Boost technology feels.

Pros
Soft, yet springy and responsive
Good ground contact feeling, yet protective on all terrain
They just feel fast

Cons The only cons I have for these shoes are based on how they perform on trails, and obviously they were designed as a road shoe.
Very slippery on light, loose dirt/sand
Not great traction on ice/snow

Ultimate Direction Jenny Ultra Vest Review

I am in love with a hydration pack. I didn't think it was possible- but then the UD Jenny pack came into my life and my shoulders, diaphragm and back are all happy again after every long run. I have been running with the Nathan HPL for the last 2 years. The Nathan pack fits well and doesn't bounce or slosh, but I could never get it to feel secure across my chest without pinching my breath or irritating the crap out of my shoulders/trapezius muscles. I dealt with it though, because the only other options with more than one front buckle were Salomon packs that were out of my price range.

This season, both Nathan and Ultimate Direction have stepped up their game and have introduced quite a few nice packs. At first, I really wanted the Nathan Vapor Shape due to it's amazing storage capacity. However, when trying it on at the store, even the smallest women's size cinched down as much as it would go still left way too much space and would not fit snugly. The sizing chart online even says 31-36 compared to UD XS/S which is 26-38.  I then tried on UD's Jenny pack and it instantly felt right- like a nice hug.

Why I'm in love:
1. The most critical reason for needing a new pack was that I needed to have 2 buckles in front. I realized that the main issue I had with the Nathan pack was that it only had 1 buckle up front and in order for me to make it feel snug and not bounce around, it ended up putting too much pressure on my chest/diaphragm and made it hard to breath. The Jenny pack solves this with 2 buckles, and they are both moveable so I can get them in the optimal position to not restrict my breathing.

2. It comes in 2 sizes, so the XS/S actually fist a small/skinny runner without it having to be cinched as tight as it can go, so I have options to make it tighter or bigger. Measuring my chest around my diaphragm/rib cage is 26.5" and around my "boobs" (ha) is 30". The XS/S fits very well and would fit someone even smaller if need be.

3. The bottle holders on the front counter balance the weight so that the entire pack is evenly distributed across my shoulders, and I never feel like my trapezius muscles are going to explode. With a hydration pack that only has a bladder in back, it seems to put too much pressure on my shoulders/traps and I am always sore by the end of a run. This also adversely affects my breathing. I was nervous at first about water bottles on my chest but I haven't even noticed them. Well- that's not true- I do see them, which reminds me to drink and I've been better hydrated this past month then I have been in a while!

The two bottles up front don't hurt and they remind me to drink!

4. It's pretty :) I don't like overly girl things, so the purple strikes a nice balance of feminine yet non-girly.

5. The flexibility of storage is amazing. There are 4 pockets in front- 2 for water bottles (but they can also hold Gu or a knife if you're scared of mountain lions like I am), a zipper pocket for my phone (fits the iPhone 5s with a case on it), and another velcro pocket that can fit at least 3 Gu's and my chapstick. In the back, there are 2 main pockets. One pocket has bungee cords that can secure a bladder. The other pocket has been perfect for stashing my jacket and gloves, as well as additional food. The amount of stuff I've fit in this pack is amazing, considering how lightweight it is when empty. It also has a key pocket and extra bungees on the outside of the pack in case you want to strap more gear to your back.

6. I love how high up on my back it sits. It almost sits between my shoulder blades it's so high! This again takes the pressure off of my shoulders and makes it easier to breath overall.

It sits in a perfect location on my back. And it matches my shirt AND shoes!

I have now run with this pack for 3 weeks and have no complaints. I even used it while riding my bike! (Well, we rode 12 miles to then go run 12 miles of the Colorado trail)

I have used a bladder in the additional storage pocket on multiple occasions and have been very happy with how it felt. On each of those runs I also counter balanced the bladder by having an additional bottle up front and that seems to help a lot. The only thing to know about using a bladder is that it loads from the side, so there is no easy access to the top of the bladder. The only time I think this would be an issue would be during a race, but it is something to consider.

Right now this is my favorite piece of gear!