On the Trail with Pablo Cruise, Part II: Trail Angels!

Pablo Cruise (Left) with friend who drove him to the trailhead of the CT

Imagine hiking on a foot path high in the Rocky Mountains, about 500 miles from start to finish in less than seven weeks!  What training it would take to trek at least twelve miles a day, six days a week! And how to prepare for such strenuous activity in the thin air of the Rockies?

In addition to training, planning for the logistics of the trip such as mapping out the route, getting the necessary supplies for “ultralight” backpacking, and arranging transportation to and from the trailhead would take months in advance.

 This is what our friend experienced last summer as he planned to hike the entire Colorado Trail. Dubbed “Pablo Cruise” by fellow long-distance hikers, he added the CT to his ever-growing list of achievements, including the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Long Trail in Vermont. As Pablo describes it, long-distance hikers or “thru hikers” are an elite group—tough, resourceful, and resilient. “They have to be. The trail demands it!”

About once a week, he went into small towns to resupply and take care of personal needs. Otherwise, he seldom encountered other hikers on the trail, possibly due to the rugged conditions: exposure to full sun above tree line, summer heat, and breathing difficulties caused by the high altitudes, averaging around 10,000 feet. There was also the daily challenge of hiking up and then hiking down thousands of feet.

All of the uphill and downhill walking created a problem in Pablo’s compromised leg, due to a bad hip. He happened to come across another long-distance hiker on the trail, a man from Italy whom he had met while in Lake City getting supplies. When Pablo shared about his painful leg, the man offered to get a tube of medicine from the bottom of his pack. Knowing that this would cost the other man precious time, Pablo refused, saying that he could pick up some at the next town, Silverton.

The man continued on, and soon was far ahead of him. Pablo managed to walk for about twenty more minutes when he spotted something in the middle of the trail—the medicine! His “trail angel” had stopped to go through his pack, found the gel and left it for Pablo to use. That kind act touched Pablo so much that he burst into tears at the thought of a complete stranger helping him.

 “You’re on your own,” he said. “But, your trail community is willing to help! The Trail will provide.”

Other “trail angels” are folks who understand the rigors of long-distance hiking, and help out by providing rides to and from trailheads, leave caches of water in arid places, or open their homes and provide lodging for the weary travelers, for the most part free of charge.

At the town of Lake City, mentioned above, a Presbyterian Church has established a hiking center from June through September. Near the end of the trail, the town is 15 miles away and has become an important place to replenish supplies.

The Lake City Trail Hiker Center was an outreach begun by the pastor of the church, offering free dinners on Sunday evenings, a water refilling station, bathrooms, coffee, tea and snacks, a foot bath and most important of all a shuttle taking hikers to and from the CT once every day, thus eliminating hitch-hiking. Trail angels!

The most famous of these kind people are “Scout” and “Frodo” (Barney and Sandy Mann), a couple in San Diego, who hosted over 8,000 hikers heading out on the PCT. From 2006-2024, the Manns provided free lodging, and organized volunteers to drive hikers to the southern terminus of the PCT near the town of Campo, California.     

Pablo finished the trail with a grateful heart, taking home many fantastic pictures and wonderful memories. The actions of the trail angels reminded me of the story of the “Good Samaritan,” who came upon a man who had been attacked and left beside the road to die:

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.” ( Luke 10:33-34 NIV)

Jesus reminded those who were listening to His story to show mercy to those in need…neighbors all! God help us!

...and place of repose for hikers on the CT