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Always thought the Colorado Trail's Collegiate West was the 'hard' side until a ranger in Buena Vista set me straight
I was planning my trip for months, convinced the East route was the easier, boring option. The ranger at the visitor center asked about my gear and said, 'You've got a 40-pound pack and you're avoiding 3,000 extra feet of climbing? That's the smart choice, not the easy one.' It clicked that I was chasing a badge instead of a good hike. Anyone else have a moment where local advice completely flipped your route plan?
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tara74524d ago
Take @derek_ramirez's point about earning a badge further and think about what that badge actually means. A great hike gives you the REAL badge of finishing without wrecking your body or hating every step. Sometimes the "easier" route IS the badge worth earning because you can actually enjoy the view instead of just surviving the climb.
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