The CDT is characterized in Colorado by high-alpine conditions, with much of the trail above 10,000 feet. If coming from lower elevations, be prepared to hike slower and feel more winded than you usually do. Know the signs and symptoms of altitude sickness, and be prepared to descend to lower elevations if a member of your group starts to exhibit them.

The CDT winds through some of the best backcountry experiences in Colorado: the spectacular alpine tundra of the South San Juan, Weminuche, and La Garita Wildernesses, where the CDT remains at or above 11,000 feet for nearly 70 miles; remnants of the late 1800’s ghost town of Hancock that served the Alpine Tunnel; the awe-inspiring Collegiate Peaks near Leadville, the highest city in America; geologic oddities like The Window, Knife Edge, and Devil’s Thumb; the towering 14,270 foot Grays Peak – the highest point on the CDT; Rocky Mountain National Park with its rugged snowcapped skyline; the remote Never Summer Wilderness; and the broad valleys,glacial lakes, and cirques of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness.