A chat with the man who hiked a 2,021-mile loop around Colorado in 141 days

Um, so on this route, you were in some pretty remote spots.

So, like, what would be, like, the longest stretch where you wouldn't see other hikers?

Ooh, you know, I would say that it was pretty rare for me to go more than, uh, two full sunrises and sunsets without seeing somebody.

Mm-hmm.

So 48 or 50-plus hours, it was pretty rare.

Mm-hmm.

Um, I think some of the most, like, truly remote sections might've been, like, the Flat Tops Wilderness.

Mm-hmm.

Um, the West Elks as well.

[chuckles]

Yeah.

Uh, but I mean, there were several sections where it's, like, 100 miles between towns.

Mm-hmm.

But there's plenty of day hikers, weekend backpackers.

Uh, I'm using a lot of multi-use trails, so I came across plenty of OHVers and folks like that.

Then you get into town, and there's people there, of course.

Yeah.

And so people understand too, as they're listening, uh, you spent a lot of the time camping.

You also kind of, if you were near a town or in a town, would pop off to maybe get, like, a couch or a bed to sleep on or something, correct?

Yeah, yeah.

So, uh, I would camp most nights, but then, uh, it's nice to get some R&R in town.

Mm-hmm.

And so, um, the basic approach for me for thru-hiking is just get to the next town, reset, get to the next town, and reset.

So it's just this long series of section hikes just-

Mm-hmm

Um, so on this route, you were in some pretty remote spots.

So, like, what would be, like, the longest stretch where you wouldn't see other hikers?

Ooh, you know, I would say that it was pretty rare for me to go more than, uh, two full sunrises and sunsets without seeing somebody.

Mm-hmm.

So 48 or 50-plus hours, it was pretty rare.

Mm-hmm.

Um, I think some of the most, like, truly remote sections might've been, like, the Flat Tops Wilderness.

Mm-hmm.

Um, the West Elks as well.

[chuckles]

Yeah.

Uh, but I mean, there were several sections where it's, like, 100 miles between towns.

Mm-hmm.

But there's plenty of day hikers, weekend backpackers.

Uh, I'm using a lot of multi-use trails, so I came across plenty of OHVers and folks like that.

Then you get into town, and there's people there, of course.

Yeah.

And so people understand too, as they're listening, uh, you spent a lot of the time camping.

You also kind of, if you were near a town or in a town, would pop off to maybe get, like, a couch or a bed to sleep on or something, correct?

Yeah, yeah.

So, uh, I would camp most nights, but then, uh, it's nice to get some R&R in town.

Mm-hmm.

And so, um, the basic approach for me for thru-hiking is just get to the next town, reset, get to the next town, and reset.

So it's just this long series of section hikes just-

Mm-hmm