Learn about the Colorado Trail at Vail library event on Wednesday

VAIL — The Vail Public Library will host a program on the Colorado Trail on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Bill Cooke will present information about the Colorado Trail followed by a 25-minute slide show with music showing photos from his 2011 “thru-hike.” He also will answer questions. Copies of Cooke’s book “Shades of Gray, Splashes of Color: A Thru-hike of the Colorado Trail” will be available for purchase at the event.

The 486-mile Colorado Trail winds its way through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Centennial State, traversing a landscape as changing and diverse as the afternoon clouds foretelling the daily summer thunderstorms. In this program, you’ll hear of the challenges such as the struggle of acclimating to high elevations, hiking long and steep ascents and coping with a wide range of climatic conditions, from freezing cold mornings to hot baking afternoons, to near daily thunderstorms and long stretches of limited water. You will see the rewards and triumphs as Cooke and his hiking companion Keith “Northern Harrier” Bance savor the alpine meadows.

No Experience Necessary

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You need not be an experienced hiker to enjoy this program as Cooke explains much of the terminology and peculiar habits of long-distance backpackers, such that even those whose experience is confined to short strolls in the park will sense the challenges and the rewards of a trek in the Rocky Mountains.

Cooke currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky, and has backpacked for over 35 years. His first backpacking trip was on a portion of the Long Trail in Vermont. He has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and many other trails throughout the country.

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This program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 970-479-2187.