Colorado Trail Thru-Hike 2022: Episode 2, Frisco to Twin Lakes (Days 6-9)

I recently completed a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail. In these videos, I wanted to capture the deeper essence of the experience. Admittedly, this will become harder as these videos progress. This is a very strenuous trail. The more tired I became, the less B-roll footage I took during the days on trail. I wanted to avoid these becoming just another normal "ER vlog" because, honestly, those hold little value to me anymore. As I evolve, I want what I produce to evolve a bit as well.
Regardless, I will put every ounce of energy into making these videos reflect my experience on this trail. There were good days, bad days, and tons of heavy breathing and gasping for oxygen. There were hellacious climbs, miles of ankle-rolling, chewed-up trail, and vistas that left tears streaming down my face. I was not the same person in Durango (the end) as I was leaving Waterton Canyon in Denver (the start).
That's why I do what I do. To evolve. To push to my limits. To reset my baseline. To reaffirm my beliefs, my love for my family, and my desire to live a righteous life while on this earth. This trail was a PERFECT arena to give me all of this. For that, I am forever grateful.
If you are ever looking for something to read, please check out my two books on Amazon:
Pushing North: Tame the Mind, Savor the Journey
www.amazon.com/dp/B0997DNRXF/...
Time to Choose... Your Ego or You?: Unraveling Humanity's Biggest Secret
www.amazon.com/dp/B08GRZG712/...
#coloradotrail #thruhike2022 #hike

[@ABrown-iz6cc]

Just found your youtube channel. Awesome content!! Love the interaction you give us with your commentary, interesting info and amazing filming the majestic mountains of Colorado!! Thanks

[@billpowell5207]

As a 62 year old hoping do this trail in next 24 months, I thank you for the videos. Most of the CT videos make little mention of the difficulties of the trail. Your videos are "real world" and much appreciated. They help the mental preparation for sure. BTW, I'm very jealous!

[@Glazehikes]

Great CT videos. Love that you said - if you show up in shape, you’ll enjoy yourself more. Love it. Peace and happy trails

[@bluebird443]

Loved watching your journey.

[@RR-ow8ud]

We headed out there too

[@ChicaandSunsets]

Great video. The CT is hard, and so gorgeous and beautiful! I’m re-living this every step of the way with you!! - Chica

[@robertbarnes4]

Views are the best. The long Mountain View’s. ❤

[@RR-ow8ud]

Wow your good shape

[@Vince6816]

Pretty cool 😎 hiking out west

[@warrenlewis7540]

Looking good. I have hiked this trail several times and always at the end of June. The trail looks so different without snow. I was able to hand out trail medallions to CT hikers this year for a week near Silverton and the end of the trail. I enjoy your videos. Hike On. from Bling

[@stevebednarchik9390]

Enjoying the videos. The Ten Mile Range is no joke. Last summer I carried 5 days of grub over that and couldn’t really enjoy it to the extent I wished to.

[@BarnCatGary]

Another great video ER! Thanks for taking us along. Truly inspiring. Happy Trails!

[@kampersadventures958]

So, so true about “Eating Altitude”….I would try to explain to people back home that I’m hiking in these mountains, breathing through my mouth like 80% and my nose 20%….so I’m “eating air” and just not very hungry during the day. Throughly enjoying your journey!

[@EarlyRiser71]

Like breathing through a straw. 🤘🕓

[@cottontalesfromthetrail5474]

Absolutely loving this series ER! God Bless America and all that keep her free! Love ya brother

[@sherrihilton4804]

Love it…

[@stephenhiker9807]

Love your vlogs ER, as always you a beast

[@appalachianadventures1982]

Really enjoying this hike, ER. Thanks for taking us along!

[@RR-ow8ud]

Love your vlogs

[@ssgtdavidcamp]

Glad yer back. Thanks for vlogging your hikes.

[@johnphelps8820]

Noticed you switched from lone peaks to Olympus. That’s what I wear, love them! Looking forward to the next video

[@EarlyRiser71]

I should have bought some inserts for them. They lasted well. Still have miles left on them.

[@Mike_Eaton]

Awesome content!!! Thanks so much for sharing. Can’t wait to do this trail in the near future.

[@Oceanwheel40]

Our journeys could not be more juxtaposed than they are at this very moment. You are week 2 of your awesome journey hiking the Colorado Trail, I am in week 2 recovering from major hip replacement surgery. You are trusting and using your body to hike and to move through some very rugged beautiful terrain and I am literally just putting one foot in front of the other using a walker and cane. Your journey unfolds so beautifully like a story should. Your videos inspire me so much, they give me hope, strength, and the motivation to continue to push through the pain and to push forward, to have positive momentum. I think of your journey often and at times have a little ER on my shoulder motivating me and not allowing as you say, a pity party to set in. I am up on my feet walking propelling my body forward. Reminding myself never to take walking, hiking, for granted. You are doing the same just under very different terms and conditions. Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I love watching your videos and learn alot from them. Love the true and honest narration, love the background music, it is fuel for my recovery. Thank you ER for doing these videos in such a thoughtful meaningful manner. 🙋‍♂️👻⛰🏕🌄

[@donrobinson5540]

Beautiful scenery

[@KrizAkoni]

“Secured” a burrito…love it 😊 Beautiful footage and trail. I enjoy experiencing this through your eyes.

[@richarddecker555]

Glad to see you still hiking.I followed your whole journey on the AT.Enjoy your commentary.

[@JoyfulRambler]

Love seeing your videos. I was on the CT this summer, too. Got sick the first week and hiked with a stubborn respiratory infection for a while. Makes me feel a little better to hear you say “these climbs are tough” and you’re in great shape! They about killed me. It’s an amazing trail and I hope to do the 2nd half next summer since I couldn’t make it a Thru this year.

[@adventuresofbink]

Fancy meeting you out there! Reliving those rocky climbs while watching this, such a beautiful capture of places that are so hard to describe. I feel better knowing I wasn’t the only one struggling up some of those! -Postcard

[@EarlyRiser71]

I got my ass kicked the whole trail! I was dying the day we met as well. 🤣🤘🕓

[@underdogontheappalachiantr9646]

ER , a little late. Is Postcard a little short gal. If so I did some time with her on one of my AT thru's. Great gal. I'm in the works of binging your thru.. Hope all is well. Underdog

[@EarlyRiser71]

Not the same one. She was named the day the video came out. Hope you are well! 🕓

[@annajo1963]

Awesome! Frosty and Kemper had trouble with the elevation gain. They pushed through just like you are doing. Great video digging the music.

[@vicmiera3277]

I'm glad to see other people express the difficulty of the CT - at first, I thought maybe I was a little bit of a wimp - but more and more people express the same feelings. I'm thinking I need to go back and do it again, you know...misery loves company. Great videos, you capture the true essence of the trail.

[@EarlyRiser71]

People's egos hate to sound weak, so they avoid mentioning the difficulty. I just want people to prepare so they finish. So many people I met quit their hike. 🤘🕓

[@vicmiera3277]

@@EarlyRiser71 - I was happy to finish the adventure, so much...I'm wanting to do it again, especially now, knowing what's over that saddle and around the bend. Enjoy the trail!

[@robertmray]

Wow! Beautiful area! O2 gets kinda important at 11K feet..You're killing it ER..stay strong.

[@JayFAdventures]

Another awesome video, brother! That stretch before Twin Lakes beat up my feet, too. Enjoyed that cool little town, though and I’m glad I stopped to rest up before hitting that big ole climb up Hope Pass!

[@EarlyRiser71]

My feet stayed beat up pretty much the whole trail. Didn't rob from the experience, just had to manage the hot spots and blisters...🤘🕓

[@BearTrekAdventures]

Love how you pointed out where you came from - this trail looks tough! I honestly didn't know how dry it could be or how tough it was - the daily elevation gain must be a lot! Another nice video bro 👍

[@EarlyRiser71]

I think at the end of these videos, I will look back and say I didn't portray the trail's difficulty as much as I should have either. Human nature I think. Coming from the East, the altitude is brutal. I have 1000+ skydives at 10k'-12k', but it's a huge difference living and exerting effort at these altitudes. I also like to hike big miles and am my own worst enemy most days. 🤣 How's home life?

[@BearTrekAdventures]

@@EarlyRiser71 It's hard to portray the difficulty when you're focused on hiking the miles. That's a lot of skydives!!! Tough climbs combined with altitude - it comes through...when you said you won't hear the "pitty party"...yeah that's all I needed to get it 🤣 Home life is good - good to be home! Still going through adjustments but even adjustments are going better than I expected. Instead of one step at a time...I opted for one day at a time and it's helped 😁

[@grahames9228]

Great countryside.

[@SoutheastBackpacker]

I forgot about the police car / mannequin in Twin Lakes - ha. That day before Twin Lakes had some tough climbs - I remember FarOut showing some near vertical climbs :) Enjoying the vids.

[@sheliasipes8321]

Those views... my goodness they are so beautiful! By the way , love the shorter hair cut .

[@TheGypsyNurse_]

Oh my that gradient 😳, what segment was the cow issue? I am planning my hike for this July. Love your videos!

[@EarlyRiser71]

I honestly have no clue. I wasn't really tracking the segments as I hiked, for the most part, anyway. Sorry I can't be more help. Enjoy your hike. I'm trying to decide what trail to do this year. The CT has been pulling me back!!🕓

[@TheGypsyNurse_]

@@EarlyRiser71 it’s definitely worth it twice I’m sure! Thanks!

[@BravestoneHikes]

Another great video ER! Digging the new video vibe with the cinematography and great music! Keep It up. Would you recommend slack packing Brek to Copper or Copper back to Brek? Trying to decide for my thru hike next year. You’re doing a great job! Keep it up!

[@EarlyRiser71]

Definitely slack pack. Hardest climb on trail. 🤘🕓

[@jamesbonner5989]

Great views. The mountains are awesome. Hope the animals don't keep you up at night, have you seen many.

[@eddiesedventures...3106]

Good stuff as always. So, this was shot with a GoPro 8?

[@EarlyRiser71]

Everything past Frisco was all Gopro Hero 8

[@phronsiekeys]

That was a good one! I continue to be amazed by the incredible variety of the trail out there. I'm really glad you get to do this and grateful that you take the time to share the experience. High altitude and high prices, what are you gonna do? (all in all it looked like a cozy cabin though)

[@EarlyRiser71]

I was definitely grateful for the cabin. It's nice to not have to worry so much about finances on these hikes. I think I am almost a platinum blazer at times!! 🤣🤘🕓

[@phronsiekeys]

@@EarlyRiser71 There are definitely far worse things to spend money on!

[@jackstoves149]

I thru hiked the CT this year also! August 15th-September 18th, Denver to Durango. When were you out there? Wish we had crossed paths!

[@EarlyRiser71]

Aug 24-Sep 16. Congrats on finishing!🤘🕓

[@Dante07cid]

Beautiful place. What pack are you toting on this trek?

[@EarlyRiser71]

Gossamer Gear G4-20. Handles weight really well for long water carries. There's a 20+ mile carry on the CT so I went with the GG over the Arc Haul . 🕓

[@markford2606]

ER, what were your dates for weather, hotel rates and such? Thanks man.

[@EarlyRiser71]

Aug 24-Sep 16.

[@bear5275]

What camera equipment are ya using ER? I’ve been taking video on my iPhone for years, but it has its limits. Your inspiring man!

[@EarlyRiser71]

Started with both a mirrorless and a GoPro 8. Sent the mirrorless camera home in Frisco. The altitude made me want to reduce weight very early in the hike. I don't use my phone anymore due to lack of hard drive size and the GoPro's stability setting are unbeatable. It's just limited in doing low-light and depth of field shots. 🕓

[@keithstewart2639]

The Colorado mountains are beautiful, I was out there only a week But I looked it up in Colorado has 58 mountains over 14000',,, And 583 I think over 13000', I know you are getting some killer views But it's hard to show them on video a person just has to see them for their self,,,have you seen much wildlife,,,,,is there a lot of other people hiking? Take care. And thanks for the time you put into your videos. They are awesome

[@EarlyRiser71]

Tons of people out in those mountains. Never had a stretch where there wasn't a hunter or an ATV of some type riding around.

[@rotormedicvance]

Love the shirt? Where did you get it

[@EarlyRiser71]

Google Jolly Gear. 🕓

[@jeremiah1528]

Jesus made that ridge ❤.... John 1:3 NKJV...