Hitchhiking on a Semi-Truck

I didn't expect the Collegiate Loop to go so poorly. I wasn't prepared. I was overpacked and undertrained. Today, my goal was to get back to my car parked at the top of Monarch Pass. This, of course, didn't go as planned either.

It was a beautiful day. I woke up and started hiking at sunrise. By midday, the trail was hot and exposed. I hoped to reach US Highway 50, the end of Segment 14, early and hitchhike to my car parked at Monarch Pass.

When I reached the powerlines, half a mile uphill from the highway, I could hear the construction and see the line of cars. The road was closed in the wrong direction. I could wait for traffic to switch directions or hike 2.5 miles on a side trail above the highway to The Butterfly House Hostel. With little water left, I chose to walk, hoping the trail would be quick.

The miles parallel to the highway were hot, dry, and brutal. I ran out of water fast and suffered in the heat. By the time I reached Garfield, the tiny town between Monarch Pass and Salida, I was overwhelmed and disoriented. I couldn’t find signs for The Butterfly House and struggled following directions on the map.

Eventually, exhausted and defeated, I sat down on the side of the road. Within minutes, a semi-truck pulled over and the driver stepped out to look over his truck. He noticed as another guy zipped around on his Onewheel skateboard, crossing the highway toward me.

The guy on the skateboard was from The Butterfly House. He asked if I needed a place to stay, and I explained that I was hoping for a ride up Monarch Pass. Unfortunately, they weren’t planning on sending a shuttle until later.

Maybe the truck driver overheard our conversation. He stepped in and asked if I needed a ride. I’d never hitchhiked on a semi-truck before — being in one, and barreling up Monarch Pass, was terrifying.

I made it safely back to my car. With a bag of chips, gummy bears, and water from the souvenir store, I drove back toward Salida. At the same intersection I’d stood at hours earlier, a hiker stood with her thumb out. I pulled over and offered her a ride, helped with a few hiker errands, and dropped her off at a hostel.

Feeling calmer, rehydrated, and reflecting on the incredible trail community and experiences, I stopped at McDonald's for french fries and started the long drive home.