This year’s Colorado Trail Days is off the hook!

Complete schedule below

In its fourth year, Colorado Trail Days presented by Backcountry Experience is a way to celebrate not only the amazing Colorado Trail itself,  but all trail opportunities in Colorado.  It’s a time to see what’s new in our outdoor community,  learn new skills and meet new friends.

Join us for a 3-day celebration of the outdoors,  starting Friday night, June 28 with the 5PointFilm Festival at the Powerhouse Science Center.

Click here for tickets! 

STEVE HOUSE IS IN THE HOUSE

And you’ll want to catch this: 5 PM Saturday, world renowned alpinist, climbing guide and mountain athlete Steve House will be presenting his latest book Training for the Uphill Athlete. 

FIVE POUND PETE

On Saturday morning kick things off with  presentations on ultra-light backpacking with the notorious Five Pound Pete,  followed by more clinics all weekend long on backpacking, thru- hiking, trail running, bike-packing, how to find the right gear for you, water filtration, navigation and more.

Don’t forget to bring your pack –  any pack– to the Osprey Packs Repair Station.   You won’t believe this set up. Thanks Osprey! 

And it keeps getting better.

EXPED will bring their dunk tank. Bring down your leaky sleeping pads and get them repaired with EXPED, and get a look at how they are revolutionizing sleeping and comfort on the go, from the tent to you car,  van, truck, or just under the stars. 

The Running Bum, Morgan Sjogren will be presenting her new book Outlandish: Fuel Your Epic. Be sure to check out her brand of mountain and desert adventures, writing and wandering the trails that span the west.

Artist  and Adventurer Hannah Green will be talking about adventure and how it alters the way see the world.  Green spends more time on trails than off of them. This will be good.

Adventure siker, bikepacker and kayaker Brett Davis will be giving a slideshow on his travels and leading a clinic on bikepacking.

Colorado Guidebook author Gerry Roach will be presenting his new book on Colorado’s Thirteeners Saturday!

On Sunday join us for a run/hike on the Colorado Trail and enjoy gear demos from Salomon.

All weekend long see what’s new from Outdoor Research,  visit the Outdoor Research Tiny House and learn how it will be used to help educate hikers in South Mineral Creek’s Ice Lakes Basin with the San Juan Mountain Association.

Jed Botsford, Recreation Program Lead for the Columbine Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest, will speak at 9.30 am on June 29th, at the OR Tiny House addressing recreation and resource issues at Ice Lakes Basin.  This will be an important and insightful discussion for the public. 

 

PLUS!

Get a good look at Black Diamond‘s new Distance Trail and Mountain Running gear.

And of course our popular Tent City will be a huge pitch fest with tents set up in Iris Park on the Animas River, with new designs from MSR, Big Agnes, Nemo, Mountain Hardwear, and Black Diamond . 

PLUS – we’ll be giving away cool swag from Osprey Packs, Outdoor Research, MSR and Black Diamond to name a few of our partners. Whether you’re a day-hiker, ultra runner, thru-hiker, climber, peak-bagger or just an all-around adventure-loving lover of the outdoors, CT Days is a community based and inviting opportunity to celebrate the Colorado Trail, and other outdoor experiences. So come Check out some cool new gear, build some outdoor skills and meet new friends.

Proceeds benefit Trails2000.

Check back for more updates. This year it’s about every trail.

Colorado Trail Days is brought to you by Backcountry Experience, located at 1205 Camino Del Rio in Durango, CO.

Colorado Trail Days event schedule:

Friday

What: The 5 Point Film Festival

When: Friday June 28, 6:30 PM

Where: Powerhouse Science Center

Why: to be moved and inspired by a special selection of outdoor and adventure films that will raise the spirit and dazzle the eyes, each containing a message consistent with purpose, respect, community, humility, and balance.

All Weekend

Osprey Backpack Repair Station

Bring down any pack with any problem and Osprey Packs will evaluate and perform a repair if possible. Free, and absolutely awesome.

Exped Dunk Tank Mattress Repair Station 

Exped will be accessing leaky air mattresses pads and repairing them on the spot is possible. Free and super unbelievably rad.

Saturday

What: Coffee talks with the San Juan Mountain Association 

when:   Saturday June 29, 9:30 AM

where: Outdoor Research Tiny House, Backcountry Experience

why: to learn about the importance of education, stewardship and recreational use in sensitive places such as Ice Lakes Basin and how the OR tiny house along with San Juan Mountain Association will play a role in administering information to the public for the remainder of the summer in South Mineral Creek.

What: Ultra light Luxury with Five Pound Pete 

when: Saturday June 29, 10 AM

Where: Backcountry Experience

Why: to learn how traveling ultra-light doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort. Vogt has designed and refined his own thru-hiking gear for years and has learned through experience, trail and error how and where to reduce weight, minimize complications and where to find room for improvement. Remember, his base weight is five pounds, thats why they call him Five Pond Pete.

what: Bikepacking the Colorado Trail with Brett Davis

when: Saturday June 29, 12 PM

where: Backcountry Experience

why: as self supported adventure like bikepacking is exploding, learn from a guide with years of experience about how to plan, what to bring, what you’ll need and what you wont on an excursion like the Colorado trail.

What: Outlandish: Fuel your Epic with Morgan “The Running Bum” Sjogren

When : Saturday June 29, 2 PM

Where: Backcountry Experience

Why: Sjogren has become the voice of a certain kind of adventure, one mixed with feasts heated o=n the engine block of a Jeep Wrangler. One laced with guidebook-writing adventures across the  southwest (Sjogren is the author of the Best Hikes in Bears Ears). One built on endless days on the trails and rowdy campfire nights. Her new book, Outlandish: Fuel for you Epic, captures it all.

what: how to use a map and compass with Graham Coffey

when: Saturday June 29, 3:30

where: Backcountry Experience

why: Maps can be fun to look at and easy to read inside, but when your turned around in the woods or high mountains it’s good to know exactly what you’re looking at. Seasoned backpacking guide and store manager Graham Coffey teaches us how to use a map and compass for real world outdoor applications.

What: Steve House presents Training for The Uphill Athlete  

When: Saturday June 29

Where: Backcountry Experience

Why: Steve House is perhaps on of the most accomplished and progressive alpinists of our time. In his new book he co-authored with other world class like Kilian Jornet and Scott Johnston,  House bring an unparalleled knowledge of conditioning for mountain environments.  He’ll share stories, answer questions and list training principles.

Sunday

What: Salomon Group Run and Hike Shoe Demo

when: Sunday June 30, 10 AM

where: Meet at Backcountry Experience, car pool to Junction Creek, hike out and back on CT to first bridge or Run out and back to Gudy’s and back.

why: Salomon is a leader in footwear, and this is a terrific opportunity to try out a pair of Salomon’s brand of trail shoes, plus see the southern most tip of this famous trail as the Junction Creek drainage is flowing and lush.  Also, adventurer/artist Hannah Green will be joining us on the trail.

What: Society through adventure’s lens with Hannah Green

when: Sunday June 30, 1 PM

Where: Backcountry Experience

Why: Hannah Green is an adventurer on the go,  an insatiable and  accomplished trail runner, thru-hiker, bikepacker and artist.  To her, adventure provides a unique lens in which to see the world around her. She’ll share her stories and perspective as well as showcase artwork.

What: Water filtration with MSR

When Sunday at 2 PM

Where: Backcountry Experience

Why: not all water filtration is the same. We’ll learn the ins and outs of this crucial technology and how some systems are better than others in filtering water in the backcountry.

Check back for updates and more clinic info! See you there!

LIVE YOUR PASSION

Trails2000 is a local Durango non-profit, trails organization connecting you to the outdoors. Maintaining the largest adopted section of The Colorado Trail (Section 28.2 and 28.3 from Champion Venture to Junction Creek), Trails2000 is essential to our enjoyment of this quintessential trail.

They also plan, build and maintain trails, educate trail users, and encourage connectivity on road, path and trail. Trails2000 cares for all types of trails: hike, bike or horse, and we encourage everyone to join in. Their group is very involved in the community and in trail planning from singletrack to bike paths.

We’ll be celebrating their trail crew volunteers and all their hard work throughout the event. If you’re interested in working on the CT with Trails2000, click here for more info.