Bye 2020, Hello Colorado Trail!!
Donation protected
Chrissy here. No one had a good 2020, we can all agree on that. But one particular week of this hard, strange year really outdid itself for Lindsay, who, count it: wracked up a shattered truck window and a COVID-19 diagnosis inside of one week. It’s a real bad day when your smashed-to-bits car is the least of your worries, because, as it turns out, $2500 worth of outdoor gear, in a nondescript storage tub, was stolen before it could be unpacked from the weekend’s camping trip.
Ultimately, the window got fixed, and the COVID got horribly worse before it finally got better (bye taste buds, I guess???). But gear can’t replace itself, especially when you wind up out of work for five weeks and your income as a self-employed mental health therapist depends on you meeting with folks in a time when it isn’t safe to get together. On top of that, telehealth is nobody’s favorite way to see or be a therapist: supporting the mental health of our community when collective anxiety has never been higher carries a whole different kind of weight when that space is held in a corner of your own home.
Lindsay here. Between being a work-from-home therapist during this pandemic and recovering from the virus myself, the exhaustion I’ve felt this year bested even my longest, steepest days on the John Muir Trail or any session on a tricky climbing project. Still, being outdoors is my sanctuary. While I’m grateful to have found joy in local hikes and some overnights, grander adventures in the great, socially-distanced outdoors are just not possible without proper equipment.
Reflecting on my happiest memories, I’m taken back to the times I’ve spent on the trail, both long and short. In summer 2021, I’m putting everything into another thru-hike: The Colorado Trail! For all that 2020 took, everyone has given so much; so many folks have dug deeper than ever into their pockets and their own character to help others. I recognize the beauty in mutual aid and feel so grateful for Chrissy and our community of amazing, like-minded folks. With your support, I’m hoping to crowdsource the funds to replace the necessities to get me back on the trail for another long haul.
The Colorado Trail is 485 miles from Denver to Durango. I plan on starting mid-July and finishing in early September. This is the longest thru-hike I’ll have completed and having a good-fitting, lightweight backpack and sleep system is essential: when you’re going a long way, your gear needs to as well. How you help is up to you: we’ve posted a gear list in the updates of the most needed items you can donate as well.
From the bottom of our tired, excited hearts, thank you.
Ultimately, the window got fixed, and the COVID got horribly worse before it finally got better (bye taste buds, I guess???). But gear can’t replace itself, especially when you wind up out of work for five weeks and your income as a self-employed mental health therapist depends on you meeting with folks in a time when it isn’t safe to get together. On top of that, telehealth is nobody’s favorite way to see or be a therapist: supporting the mental health of our community when collective anxiety has never been higher carries a whole different kind of weight when that space is held in a corner of your own home.
Lindsay here. Between being a work-from-home therapist during this pandemic and recovering from the virus myself, the exhaustion I’ve felt this year bested even my longest, steepest days on the John Muir Trail or any session on a tricky climbing project. Still, being outdoors is my sanctuary. While I’m grateful to have found joy in local hikes and some overnights, grander adventures in the great, socially-distanced outdoors are just not possible without proper equipment.
Reflecting on my happiest memories, I’m taken back to the times I’ve spent on the trail, both long and short. In summer 2021, I’m putting everything into another thru-hike: The Colorado Trail! For all that 2020 took, everyone has given so much; so many folks have dug deeper than ever into their pockets and their own character to help others. I recognize the beauty in mutual aid and feel so grateful for Chrissy and our community of amazing, like-minded folks. With your support, I’m hoping to crowdsource the funds to replace the necessities to get me back on the trail for another long haul.
The Colorado Trail is 485 miles from Denver to Durango. I plan on starting mid-July and finishing in early September. This is the longest thru-hike I’ll have completed and having a good-fitting, lightweight backpack and sleep system is essential: when you’re going a long way, your gear needs to as well. How you help is up to you: we’ve posted a gear list in the updates of the most needed items you can donate as well.
From the bottom of our tired, excited hearts, thank you.
Fundraising team: Fundraiser Team (2)
Chrissy Corrigan
Organizer
Portland, OR
Lindsay Rosenfeld
Team member
