Forge 2026
Atomic Athlete
The Forge
Backpacking expedition · Wed Aug 19 – Sun Aug 23, 2026 · 16.6 mi · 13,219 ft high
Aug 19–23
Expedition dates
13
On the roster
Wed midday
Main arrival
3
Rental cars
Day by Day Wed – Sun
WednesdayAug 19Arrival
DaytimeArrival · secure vehicles
ThenMove to staging area in Buena Vista · secure lodging
6:00pmVehicle drop
7:30pmDinner at Crave
ThursdayAug 20Stage & Approach
8:00amBreakfast at Simple Eatery, Buena Vista
9:00amFinal gear grab from Trailhead Gear & Supply
10:00amMove to Pine Creek TH — trip entry
10:30am – 12:30pmHike to Camp 1
12:30pm – 3:30pmEstablish Camp 1
FridayAug 21On the Mountain
6:00am – 8:00amPriorities of work — coffee, poops, packing, reflecting
8:00am – 9:00amClass
9:00am – 12:00pmMovement to Camp 2
12:00pm – 3:00pmEstablish Camp 2 & relax
3:00pm – 4:00pmClass
4:00pm – 7:00pmAfternoon adventure
7:00pm – 10:00pmEvening activities
SaturdayAug 22Mirrors Friday
6:00am – 8:00amPriorities of work — coffee, poops, packing, reflecting
8:00am – 9:00amClass
9:00am – 12:00pmMovement to Camp 3
12:00pm – 3:00pmEstablish Camp 3 & relax
3:00pm – 4:00pmClass
4:00pm – 7:00pmAfternoon adventure
7:00pm – 10:00pmEvening activities
Resources
Roster 13 people
| Name | Phone | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Will Happer | 704-305-2455 | Rental Car 1 |
| Jordan Neely | 832-693-5738 | Rental Car 1 |
| Nate Bradford | 864-556-5246 | Rental Car 1 |
| Raymond Flores | 956-355-2019 | Rental Car 2 |
| Elijah Palacios | 682-252-8364 | Rental Car 2 |
| Ana Leen | 210-889-2079 | Rental Car 3 |
| Sarah Kadish | 512-751-1976 | Rental Car 3 |
| Robyn Sullins | 817-271-5673 | Unassigned |
| Katie Null | 214-460-0996 | Unassigned |
| JK | 737-742-8846 | Unassigned |
| Nathaniel Plemons | 817-718-0380 | Unassigned |
| Rob Slack | 512-426-9233 | Unassigned |
| Seth List | 415-238-6497 | Local (Denver) |
Arrival and departure below are pulled from the travel sheet. Where a flight note gives a specific day (early or late), it's shown next to the day. Everyone not yet in a car is listed under Not yet assigned.
Travel by Vehicle
Rental Car 1
3 riders| Name | Arrival Day | Arrival Time | Departure Day | Departure Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Happer | Wed, Aug 19 midday | 12:30 PM | Sun, Aug 23 evening | 5:15 PM |
| Jordan Neely | Wed, Aug 19 midday | 12:30 PM | Sun, Aug 23 evening | 5:15 PM |
| Nate Bradford | Wed, Aug 19 | 9:02 AM | Sun, Aug 23 | 5:45 PM |
Rental Car 2
2 riders| Name | Arrival Day | Arrival Time | Departure Day | Departure Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond Flores | Wed, Aug 19 midday | 7:30 AM | Mon, Aug 24 midday | 4:00 PM |
| Elijah Palacios | Wed, Aug 19 midday | 12:30 PM | Mon, Aug 24 midday | 11:00 AM |
Rental Car 3 · Sarah & Ana
2 riders| Name | Arrival Day | Arrival Time | Departure Day | Departure Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Kadish | Mon, Aug 17 flying in early | — | Tue, Aug 25 midday | 3:50 PM |
| Ana Leen | Mon, Aug 17 flying in early | — | Tue, Aug 25 midday | 3:50 PM |
Not Yet Assigned
5 riders + local| Name | Arrival Day | Arrival Time | Departure Day | Departure Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robyn Sullins | Wed, Aug 19 midday | 12:30 PM | Sun, Aug 23 evening | 5:15 PM |
| Katie Null | Tue, Aug 18 flying in early | — | Sun, Aug 23 evening | 4:30 PM |
| JK | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Nathaniel Plemons | Wed, Aug 19 | 2:24 PM | Mon, Aug 24 | 10:43 AM |
| Rob Slack | Wed, Aug 19 midday | 12:30 PM | Sun, Aug 23 evening | 5:15 PM |
| Seth List | Local — lives in Denver | n/a | Local | n/a |
Open travel items:
- JK — no flights yet.
- Robyn Sullins, Katie Null, JK, Rob Slack & Nathaniel Plemons — not yet in a car.
- Katie Null, Ana Leen & Sarah Kadish — day set, exact flight time still to confirm.
16.6 mi
Total distance
3,924 ft
Total ascent
3,469 ft
Total descent
13,219 ft
Max elevation
8,888 ft
Min elevation
Route Forge · 2026
The route lives in Gaia GPS. Open it on your phone to see the track, waypoints, and elevation — and download the map area for offline use before you lose signal.
🔑 Gaia GPS Login shared account
UsernameRangerprovisions@gmail.com
PasswordPScolorado5%Ga
Shared team login — keep it within the group.
How to load it:
- Install Gaia GPS from the button above and make an account (free tier works to view a shared route).
- Open the shared route link on your phone — it opens directly in the app.
- Before you lose signal, download the map area for offline use.
Trailheads
Food
🍴
Crave
Wednesday night dinner · Google Maps
🍳
Simple Eatery
Thursday breakfast · Buena Vista · Google Maps
🍽
The Beach
Sunday lunch · Google Maps