Colorado man hopes to create thru-hike highlighting the state's beauty
A Colorado man is spending his summer hiking around the state in the hopes of creating the next great thru-hike. Donovan Rice says he's had an idea for about two years but is now trying to make "The Great Colorado Route" a reality.
"So, there's three design philosophies behind the route, and it would be beauty, breadth, and epicness. The goal is to see the sites, as many of them as possible, but then experience as much variety that Colorado has to offer. And then do so in a way that's really iconic and really fun," Rice said while on a rest day in Westcliff.
He's more than 70 days into a hike that he's hoping to complete in late September or early October. It's a 1,700-mile trek that he's starting and ending in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
"The big limitation would be the desert section, so all in Grand Junction area. You don't want to hit that in the summer. You either want to do that early, or you want to do that late.", Rice said. "You're either starting or finishing there. And then the next thing is winter snow. And so, is it better to hit the Elk Range over by Aspen and Crested Butte in fall, or is it better to hit the San Juans during fall? I'm hoping end of September, and so I'm really hoping I hit fall colors while I'm going by Aspen, Crested Butte, and then finishing up in the West Elks before doing the 10-mile walk back to Black Canyon of the Gunnison."
Rice is no stranger to long hikes. He completed the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Eastern Continental Trail before. But the Golden native wanted his next adventure to be focused on his home state.
"There's been a lot of things that have been on my bucket list for a long time, and so it's been really cool to just be able to throw them into the route. So, I wanted to do Wheeler Geologic Area; I wanted to check out the Ruby Range Traverse, which will be over by Crested Butte. I want to do the Tenmile Range Traverse, which is over by Frisco," he said.
Rice has started to grow a following online with daily vlogs. He's amassed nearly 6,000 followers on Instagram.
"There are a lot of people enjoying the hike vicariously, who are just so excited to experience the outdoors in a way that they aren't able to themselves, and so that's been a huge honor to be able to showcase some of these places that some folks can't get to," he said. "I've had a lot of navigational difficulties, especially when I'm off trail, and it's like, I don't even know if this goes. I couldn't find any information online, and so now I'm out here problem-solving in the field. And that's especially a challenge with water, especially because it's the low snow winter."
Followers started urging him to accept donations. His first focus of the donations was to host the website, greatcoloradoroute.com, but more money has allowed slight luxuries on the trail, like occasionally staying the night in a hotel with a shower.
"I almost want to cry about it. It was something that people really, really had to push me to do. Sometimes it's $5, sometimes it's $100, and you're just like, either way, 'How? Why? This is so nice, thank you!;" Rice said.
With about half the hike done, he's hoping others will see and make the adventure for themselves.
"Most of the interest has been from people outside of the thru-hiking world. It's been a lot of people from Colorado, a lot of the peak-baggers," Rice said.
