Continental Divide Trek
Explore Colorado’s mountainous heart on this 5-day trekking adventure. On this trip you will traverse 55 miles of the Colorado Continental Divide Trail and explore sprawling mountain meadows, dense pine forests and endless high alpine ridges. Through the course of this route you will summit 11 named peaks including Grays Peak and Torreys Peak – two of Colorado’s mighty 14ers and the tallest points on the entire Continental Divide. As you hike, our knowledgeable guides will share the rich human and natural history of the Rocky Mountains. Each night you will camp underneath the starry mountain skies and feel the quiet wonder of the wilderness. This is a true Colorado adventure. This trip can also be arranged as an inn-based or backpacking adventure.
Difficulty Level
Hard - Extreme
Participants should be in excellent physical shape and will need to train specifically for this objective. Hiking distances will range from 8-14 miles and include up to 4,600 ft in elevation gain.
Exposure Rating
Moderate - High
Hiking up mountain valleys you are shielded from the worst of the elements. Wind and weather are possible on alpine ridges and peaks. Travel on steep slopes or near cliffs is rare. Final day of trek involves crossing an exposed and narrow ridge.
Trail Type
Rough & Rocky Trail
Alpine Scree Fields
Trails are all well maintained but still rough and rocky by most standards. Expect loose rocks and regular high step ups above knee height. There are long sections of travel on unimproved alpine terrain including loose scree slopes.
Itinerary
5 days of Hiking - 2 nights of lodging - 4 nights in Camp - 2 days of travel
DAY 0: Travel & Pre-Trip Meeting
We will pick you up at Denver International Airport and then head straight into the mountains. After settling in at the hotel we will have a short pre-trip meeting and orientation, where we will review each day’s itinerary and answer any questions. We will also do a gear check to make sure everyone has their essential gear.
DAY 1: Climb James Peak (13,271 Ft)
Hiking Distance: 9 miles | Hiking Elevation Gain: 3200 feet
We begin our business without delay. It is only the first day of hiking, but we have the 13,271’ James Peak to climb on our fist segment of the CDT. The James Peak wilderness area is known for its perennial snow fields and beautiful wildflowers. The hiking is not extreme, but we have plenty of high elevation ground to cover before we reach our first camp at Fall River.
DAY 2: Hike From Fall River to Vasquez Pass
Hiking Distance: 14 miles | Hiking Elevation Gain: 4,600 feet
This will be our longest single day of hiking. Experience mountain movement at its finest as we weave southward; ridge to ridge and peak to peak. Over the course of the day, we will traverse 5 named peaks and the majority of our time will be spent above 11,000’ of elevation. This evening’s camp will be one or our highest at around 11,600’ and if the weather is clear the stars will be spectacular.
DAY 3: Hike from Vasquez Pass to Herman Gulch
Hiking Distance: 12.5 miles | Hiking Elevation Gain: 3,200 feet
Only sightly shorter but with less climbing, we have another full day of high alpine ridge walking and peak bagging. This day will see us tagging an additional two named summits and hiking a full 8 miles above 12,000’! We have another high camp tonight and the option to go check out the stunning Herman Lake – if we have the energy for the extra mile.
DAY 4: Hike from Herman Gulch to Stevens Gulch
Hiking Distance: 9 miles | Hiking Elevation Gain: 1,300 feet
After 3 full days of hard effort, todays hike will be a welcome respite. We are descending more than we climb and hiking our overall shortest distance. We will return to the Sub-Alpine and Montane zones to cross the broad Clear Creek River Valley before climbing back to the border of tree line at the head of Stevens Gulch. From here we are in perfect position for the grand finale climb of the trip: Grays and Torreys Peaks.
DAY 5: Climb Grays Peak (14,278 ft), Torreys Peak (14,267 ft) and Mount Edwards (13,849 ft)
Hiking Distance: 10.63 miles | Hiking Elevation Gain: 4,443 feet
On our final day of hiking we tackle the two tallest peaks on the Continental Divide, the twin summits of Gray and Torreys Peaks. These two mountains are beautiful climbs but in truth the most thrilling part of the day may be the long catwalk ridge between Grays Peak and Mount Edwards that guards the final section of our route. After navigating this final challenge, we will have a leisurely descent down the Argentine Pass to where our ride back into civilization, a comfy bed and a shower awaits.
DAY 6: Travel on
We will shuttle you back to Denver International Airport and bid you farewell as you head on to your next adventure.
