by Katie Hughes
In 2018, Big Agnes adopted 75 miles of the Continental Divide Trail near our headquarters in Steamboat Springs, CO. To celebrate the adoption as well as the 40th anniversary of the CDT and the 50th Anniversary of the National Scenic Trails Act, we organized an ambitious plan for our staff to complete the entire Colorado section of the Trail.
“Mobilizing 70 plus staff members for a 740 mile trek from one end of the state to the other over three months was a spider web of logistics. What made it easy was everyone’s excitement to participate. We had hiccups with a forest closure and a statewide fire ban, flat tires, keys locked in a car, lots of blisters and wildlife sightings but no major medical or mechanical issues. We picked up trash that we found and marked the trail as needed along the way, handed out Honey Stinger snacks to fellow trail users, and logged notes into the GutHook app so that future travelers could benefit from our trail beta. It was a very unique opportunity for everyone here and has added a new level of grit to the legacy and culture of the brand here at HQ,” said Katie Hughes, project manager for the Border to Backyard Rally.
The CDT Trail Guide is an accumulation of all the planning and experiences of last summer’s thru-hike. This resource provides each section’s distances, total ascents and descents, highest points, starting and finishing points and water sources, along with links to find more information. The guide also shares first-hand accounts of the terrain, personal stories, photos and other insider data that will help anyone looking to spend one or multiple nights on the trail.
“Living in Steamboat, we are incredibly fortunate to have the CDT directly in our backyard,” said Bill Gamber, co-founder and president of Big Agnes. “The trail inspires us in so many ways – from gear we develop to the outdoor activities our staff gets after. Whether for a day hike, an overnight, or a complete thru-hike, we hope this online resource makes the CDT more accessible to more people.”
Big Agnes recently debuted a short film, “Border to Backyard,” which documents the brand’s 740-mile hike from day one when fires sent them home to the final step over the Wyoming border. Find the film trailer on the online trail guide here.
“Big Agnes’ recent addition to the website not only provides critical information to the public about the CDT- it shares the beauty, joy, fun and excitement that a CDT adventure can provide,” said Teresa Martinez, executive director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. “Big Agnes sets the gold standard of what conservation-stewardship partnerships can look like and that they all start from our love of these places.”
Katie Hughes is a lover of all the outdoor recreation possible in Colorado – growing up in this state will do that to you. She tells stories and hikes trails for Big Agnes as a marketing manager.
Big Agnes is beyond pleased to introduce a comprehensive online trail guide for the Colorado portion of the Continental Divide Trail. The guide is the culmination of our Border to Backyard Rally, a 740-mile staff thru-hike. It will live, and continue to grow, at BigAgnes.com/cdt.
