Named for a peak in the nearby Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, Big Agnes, the award-winning manufacturer of tents, sleeping bags, pads, camp furniture and apparel, has introduced a comprehensive online trail guide for the Colorado section of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). The guide is the culmination of the brand’s Border to Backyard Rally, a 740-mile staff outdoor adventure; you can find it here.
In 2018, Big Agnes adopted 75 miles of the CDT near its headquarters in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. To celebrate the adoption as well as the 40th anniversary of the CDT and the 50th Anniversary of the National Scenic Trails Act, Big Agnes organised an ambitious plan for its staff to complete the entire Colorado section of the trail. Over three months, 70 employees covered 740 miles by foot and bike.
The CDT Guide is an accumulation of all the planning and experiences of last summer’s thru-hike. The online resource provides each section’s distances, total ascents and descents, highest points, starting and finishing points and water sources, along with other trail 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.”
Teresa Martinez, executive director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, added, “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. 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.”
Traynor On The Trail 