7/20/16 – Waterton Canyon to Bear
Creek; 6,177 feet; 8.7 miles
Molly took
my picture and gave me a hug. I started
walking at 10:00 am. I saw bighorn sheep
on Waterton Canyon Road. I fell and
busted my head open about 2:00, 7.5 miles in.
I broke my sunglasses and one pair of readers when I fell. I also badly bent my second pair of readers,
but I can use them. I stopped for the
day at Bear Creek, 8.7 miles in. A large black
squirrel watched me prepare dinner.
Camped next to me is one woman traveling alone. I only said hello, so I don’t know her
story. There is also a couple camped across
the creek, maybe in their 50s, but I didn’t speak with them. My eye has turned black.
7/21/16 – to South Platte River
Trailhead; 6,117 feet; 8.1 miles
My right
eye turned very black overnight, and is badly swollen. I broke camp and started walking about
7:45. I intended to do 13 miles today,
but settled for only 8 after learning there is 10 miles ahead with no
water. I arrived at the South Platte
River Trailhead at 12:30 after a leisurely but painful hike. My pack is hurting me – the shoulder straps
and hip belt. And I have a sensitive
spot on my right foot, exactly where I hurt it on May 7th. After carrying my pack all around this
trailhead, the couple I saw last night at Bear Creek finally offered to share
their tent site with me. They are Larry
and Marcella from Enumclaw, Washington.
They are hoping to do the entire CT.
I also saw a group of 3 young men I had briefly spoken to
yesterday. They are also planning for
the entire trail. I saw 2 snakes and a
chipmunk. I miss MB.
7/22/16 – to “small intermittent
stream;” 7746 feet; 13.6 miles
It was a
hard, long day. More than 10 miles
without water. My 2 liters was not
enough. And hot. I left South Platte River at 7:00 am, and
reached this small creek with campsite at 5:00.
It was first campsite with water since last night’s camp. My pack is hurting me. I put Compeed on my heel this morning and had
no trouble. I am camping again with
Larry and Marcella. I have been unable
to get cell signal since the trip began.
My phone battery now down to 67%, and has accomplished zero. I saw rabbits and mule deer today.
7/23/16 – to “small creek;” 8,127
feet; 9.9 miles
I resolved
to make it a short day today, because yesterday hurt. So I made camp just shy of 10 miles down the
trail. I left at 7:00 am; arrived here
at 1:00 pm. I moved fast the first 2 or
3 hours, and then took frequent rest stops and made slow time. Larry and Marcella were here when I arrived,
but they planned to go another 4.8 miles, so I bid them farewell. I found a great campsite just upstream of the
trail along a very tiny creek. I got a
bath! It was cold, but I feel so
much better. Then a rum cocktail. I wish MB were here.
7/24/16 – to junction with
Brookside-McCurdy Trail; 10,428 feet; 11.6 miles
I wanted to
get in at least ten miles today, and I ended up with almost twelve. But I am dead tired, and I am not using an
established campsite. I walked through
Lost Creek Wilderness, which was very nice.
I gained 2,300 feet of elevation, and am now over 10,000 feet – almost
5000 feet higher than when I started.
There is no water here. One liter
left after supper. The guidebook says
5.2 miles to next water. I hope it’s
wrong. Still no cell phone service,
which is very frustrating. I sure would
like to know what’s going on with Maribeth, Jade, and Molly. Mosquitos here are terrible.I discarded the
repellent to cut weight. I lost my hat
today!! I gave away ½ pound of dried
pineapple and ½ pound of malt balls to hungry north-bounder, “Rawah Ranger.”
7/25/16 – to Johnson Gulch; 9,521
feet; 13.7 miles
I walked
almost 14 miles in 9 hours today. I felt
great this morning, but my pack started bothering me badly, and I could not use
the hip belt the last 5 miles. Still, I
feel fairly good this evening. I finally
got a call through to MB, which put my mind at east.
7/26/16 – to campsite not noted in
guidebook; approximately 11,000 feet; approximately 15 miles
I got an
early start this morning. The walk from
last night’s campsite to the high point above and before Kenosha Pass was
gorgeous -- best of the trip so far. I
had lunch at Guernsey Creek, which I had set as my minimum distance for the
day. But then I kept walking another
five hours, finally camping approximately 1 mile above the CT intersection with
Michigan Creek Trail. About 15 miles
total today in 11 hours. I am two days
away from Breckinridge. I walked the
entire day without using my hip belt, and all but the first two miles in my
sandals. I might replace my pack in
B’ridge. My boots hurt my right ankle.
7/27/16 – to campsite not noted in
guidebook; approximately 10,500 feet; approximately 16 miles
I left camp
at 7:00, and arrived at Georgia Pass just after 8:00. Gorgeous!!
With help from ibuprofen, was able to wear boots much of the day. But this was the second straight day without
fastening my hip belt. I got to my
intended campsite at 1:00 pm, so I kept going.
I found this tiny rarely-used campsite at 6:00. I’ll have dinner, maybe a small cocktail,
then hit the bed. Breckinridge
tomorrow!! I developed a small blister
on my right heel late today.
7/28/16 – to Highway 9 (9,197’,) and
on to The Bivvy Hostel, Breckinridge (9,760’;) approx. 7.9 miles
I skipped
the hot breakfast, instead gobbling nuts, and started walking at 6:20. I saw 2 female moose on the trail down to
Breckinridge. I arrived on Highway 9
before 10:00 am, caught the shuttle into town, and reached The Bivvy Hostel by
11:00. I’ve had a shower, beer, Mexican
food, beer, a trip to the store, beer, pizza, beer, and now bed. Life is good!
7/29/16 – Zero day in Breckinridge;
0.0 miles
I took a
rest day. I ate a lot, drank some beer,
and took care of some family business. Breckenridge
is a decent town: full of tourists, but
friendly, outdoor-oriented, and with good food.
I even got most, not all, of my clothes washed.
7/30/16 – to Tenmile Creek; 9,767
feet; 12.6 miles
After a
hearty breakfast at The Bivvy hostel, I walked and bussed to Gold Hill
Trailhead. I started walking about
9:30. I reached 12,495 feet, crossing
the Tenmile Range between Breckenridge and Copper Mountain. That’s a new high elevation for this trip so
far. It was up about 3,500 feet to the
crest, then almost as much back down. I
am now camped along Tenmile Creek, which is mercifully drowning out most sounds
from the nearby highway. I arrived here
at 6:30.
7/31/16 – to Cataract Creek; 10,085
feet; 16.8 miles
I started
walking at 7:00 am. I felt good and made
good time early. I had lunch below
Searle Pass. I got stuck in a
thunderstorm and cold rain, sometimes sleet, high up on the ridge. I hunkered down in willow in a low spot, and
waited it out. I finally reached Elk
Park, my high spot for the day, at 3:00.
I reached this campsite near Cataract Creek by 5:00. At 16.8 miles, this has been my longest day
so far. Two moose cows visited camp;
then a lone through-hiker much younger than me, who had done 25 miles
today. Sweet & Sour Pork and rum
cocktail for dinner. Very fine! I have 9 miles tomorrow to Tennessee Pass,
where I hope to hitch a ride into Leadville.
I passed the one-quarter-complete mark today! There were lots of marmots and pikas up high
today.
8/1/16 – to Tennessee Pass (10,435’)
and on to Leadville (10,240’;) 9.0 miles
I made good
time, leaving camp just before 7:00 am, and arriving at Tennessee Pass before
11:00. I saw a female moose with two
calves. I maneuvered in front of her, 30
feet away, to get a close-up photo. She
charged me!! I threw up my arms and
growled like a bear, there being no point running and no place to hide. She
turned and ran off, maybe 15 feet from me.
What a shock! I did not expect an
aggressive animal. Lesson learned! I had a little trouble getting a ride into
Leadville from Tennessee Pass, but finally a truck driver picked me up. He told me moose were more dangerous than
bears. Boy, I wish I’d known.
Leadville
Hostel is a cool place. Kind of how I
imagine MB’s American Albergue. I rode
the hostel’s bicycle to the grocery store, ate one huge pizza, and drank one
pint of beer. Then bedtime.
8/2/16 – to Glacier Creek; 10,115
feet; 14.0 miles
I woke at
6:00, packed up, and walked to The Golden Burro (aka as “The Brass Ass”) for a
big breakfast. Then I set out hitch
hiking to Tennessee Pass. I walked at
least two miles before a commercial window-washing truck gave me a ride. I started hiking from Tennessee Pass about
9:15, and arrived at this campsite at 6:15.
So 14 miles in 9 hours. I got off
trail mid-afternoon, following a fisherman’s trail down to Bear Lake. I finally bushwacked back to the CT with help
from the CT app on my phone. My pack was
heavier today because of my Leadville resupply, but I felt good.
8/3/16 – to Herrington Creek; 10,320
feet; 16.0 miles
Not a
particularly scenic or interesting day.
Just a slog. I left camp at 7:00
am, and arrived here at 4:30. So 16
miles in 9 ½ hours. I could have gone
further, but my pack was bothering me, I was starting to get tired, and it was
raining lightly. For the first time in
several nights – since before Georgia Pass – someone else is camped
nearby. It is one man’s 66th
birthday today. The other man, who I
assume to be the son, is younger and deferential.
Perhaps the
most interesting thing all day happened to me as I was preparing to brush my
teeth and go to bed. A young couple
arrived. I told them there was room for
another tent. They told me about a route
variation they had taken today (they’re headed northbound toward Denver) that
affirmed something I had noticed on the map.
I’ll probably take that variation (shortcut?) tomorrow. But most interesting was the couple
themselves. Bongo (him) and Sci-Fi
(her.) I’d guess mid-to-late
twenties. He started in Durango 2 ½
weeks ago. So 300+ miles in maybe 18
days? She had joined him a few days
ago. They were very vibrant, excited,
upbeat people. He had a weird beard and
a weird haircut. Nice people. I’m glad we have people that that in the
world. It’s raining again, and I’m
turning out the headlamp. Nite nite.
8/4/16 – to campsite 0.1 mile short
of “small creek,” CW02; 10,096 feet; approximately 15.1 miles
It rained
most of last night, but had stopped when I awoke. I had a quick breakfast and left before 7:00
am. I took the “faint” path (it is not
so faint) down to Twin Lakes, arriving about 9:00. There was no breakfast to be bought, but I
lingered around Twin Lakes General Store; had an ice cream bar, a banana, a bag
of fritos, and a cup of coffee. It
started raining, and I pondered alternatives.
I finally decided to start walking, taking the shortcut down Rt. 82 to
the Willis Gulch Trailhead, then up to the CT-Collegiate West via Little and
Big Willis Trail (aka Bermuda Triangle Trail.)
I calculate this saved me 5.7 miles, but it may not be quite so
much. It rained all day, so I didn’t
want to linger at my stops. I ended up
going over Hope Pass about 3:15, but it was cold, sleeting, raining,
thundering, and quite unpleasant. I got
down the other side as fast as possible.
It was a steep descent and I took care not to injure myself. I finally found a meager campsite 0.1 miles
from a stream. After returning from a
quick water run, I put the tent up, just as the sprinkle turned into a
downpour. I threw the pack in, then
myself, all very wet. It was a miserable
night. It rained hard, the tent leaked,
and I went to bed without supper.
8/5/16 – to Junction with Apostle
Basin Trail; 10,830 feet; 6.5 miles
Because of
the unpleasant night before, I was hesitant to take off in the rain again this
morning. It drizzled, then stopped. I fixed a hot dinner for breakfast, plus hot
chocolate and tea, and then went back to bed, hoping for better weather. I didn’t leave camp until 11:30, and did so
with a backpack full of very wet clothes, tent, etc. Within an hour, it started raining
again. After yesterday’s experience on
Hope Pass, I was determined not to attempt climbing to Lake Ann Pass in bad
weather. So at 3:00, I set up campt near
the junction of Apostle Basin Trail. It
was only 6.5 miles for the day, short of the Pass by 2.7 miles, and short of
Cottonwood Pass by 18.8 miles. Very late
this afternoon, the sky broke open, blue sky appeared, and sun shone on the
surrounding slopes. I made a big dinner
and a rum cocktail to celebrate. I will
go to bed at sunset. Can I make it to
Cottonwood Pass tomorrow? Certainly the
weather looks promising, and I am motivated.
8/6/16 – to Cottonwood Pass (10,142
feet;) and on to Jack’s house above Buena Vista; 18.8 miles
I got up
shortly after 5:00 am, and was deeply disappointed when it started raining soon
thereafter. I had a quick breakfast,
then packed up a very, very wet tent, and started walking by 7:00. I reached Lake Ann Pass by 9:00 in miserable
weather. But I was soon able to reach
Mollyi by phone, and she agreed to pick me up at Cottonwood Pass late in the
day. I walked hard. By mid-day it cleared, and I staggered to
Cottonwood Pass before 7:00 pm. 19 miles
in 12 hours. Molly arrived within an
hour bearing cold beers. (But I had
already been given two beers by Brian Haas, a jazz pianist I met at the
pass.) I had a wonderful evening at Jack
& Margies’ house. Not only were the
Graces’ there, but also Molly, Thom Garrison, and Lola, Sarge, and
Sapphire. We had hamburgers on the
grill. I slept like a baby.
8/7/16 – Jack’s house, Buena Vista;
0.0 miles
I took a
zero day in Buena Vista. I shopped for a
pack and a hat without luck. We had more
burgers and more beer at the Lariat Saloon, and Margie made a fabulous salmon
dinner. I sadly said goodbye to Molly,
who had to return to Denver for a job interview Monday morning.
8/8/16 – Jack’s house, Buena Vista;
0.0 miles
Today
turned into another zero day. I had
intended a late start on the trail, so we made another visit to the Lariat for
an early lunch. By the time Jack got me
up to Cottonwood Pass, about 12:30, it was raining, thundering, windy, and
cold. I decided to wait another day
before resuming my hike. We drove to
Leadville for a Mexican dinner at “The Grille.”
My treat.
8/9/16 – to North Fork Chalk Creek;
11,113 feet; 16.2 miles
Jack &
Thom got me to Cottonwood Pass about 8:00 am.
The weather looked great. It took
me 10 hours to cover 16 miles today, mostly high above treeline. Absolutely gorgeous scenery. It wore me out, though. At least 4 parties are camped near here,
counting myself. It is quite a change,
as almost all of my camps have been solitary affairs. I would like to cover 15+ miles tomorrow, but
I hear from other hikers there is bad weather due tomorrow. I reached my highest point so far on this
tripo: 12,860 feet on the ridge above
Woodchopper Creek watershed.
8/10/16 – to Boss Lake Trailhead;
10,420 feet; 15.6 miles
Everything
was soaked by heavy dew overnight. I got
walking at 7:00, as usual, but every other party had already left. I saw a bull moose just above treeline. I reconnected with Larry and Marcella, whom I
hadn’t seen in a couple of weeks. I also
met “Mammoth<” who was on day 71 of a southbound Canada to Mexico hike of
the Continental Divide Trail. He had
already done the AT and the PCT, and had walked across the U.S. from NYC to San
Diego. It will be another damp night here;
there is lots of moisture in the air. I
passed the halfway point today!
8/11/16 - to “Dry Campsite;” 11,658 feet; 12.7 miles
Another
damp night. I will avoid camping near
low creeks in the future. I packed up my
thoroughly-soaked tent and started walking at 7:30. Larry and Marcella lingered behind, but
caught up with me on the far side of the high ridge. Together, we reached Monarch Crest Gift Shop
about 2:30. I picked up a package I had
mailed from Buena Vista, adding 11 pounds to my pack. I ate ice cream and frito chili pie. I left about 4:30, and arrived at this camp
before 6:00. It is my highest camp so
far, and the views are beautiful. I set
up my tent, which was still dripping from this morning, but it dried out
quickly in the high, dry air. The sun
is setting. If I can stay up, there is
supposed to be an excellent meteor shower tonight.
8/12/16 – to Tank Seven Creek; 20.3
miles; camped at 10,351’
There was a
heavy frost last night. Two other tents
joined me late, after sunset: Mammoth,
who is walking the CDT, and young Will from Illinois. I packed up and started walking before either
of them got out of their tents. And both
passed me during the day. I’ll probably
never see Mammoth again. But Will is
here tonight at Tank Seven Creek, along with another tent. It was a long day today: more than 20 miles in just over 12
hours. I’m up later than usual, since I
arrived so late. I might sleep late
tomorrow. My feet hurt.
8/13/16 – to Junction with Razor
Creek Trail; 14.4 miles; camped at 10,848’
Everything
seemed hard today. Water was
scarce. My feet hurt. My back hurt.
The scenery was mediocre. It
threatened rain. And I made only 14
miles. I reached Razor Creek about 4:00,
badly in need of a bath, but water was too scarce. Two women, who look to be in their sixties,
are camped by the tiny stream. They are
doing the whole Colorado Trail. They
left Denver on July 13th, one full week before me. Finally, I’ve met people older and slower
than me! I found a campsite ¼ mile
downstream (a mostly dry creekbed) where I enjoyed a leisurely dinner. I just made a cocktail, for medicinal
purposes. Two mountain bikers just
arrived and will be camped nearby. They
are doing the CT also. They left Denver
one week ago. I hope for a good night’s
sleep, and for strength tomorrow. By my
math, I am 60% of the way there.
8/14/16 – to CT mile 311.8; 19.0
miles; camped at ~9,650’
Good day
today. The terrain was relatively flat,
and walking seemed relatively easy. I
covered 19 miles in about 12 hours, so my speed was similar to the day I
reached Cottonwood Pass. The up and down
was much less this time. But today I
stopped and took a bath! What a
treat! I feel so much better! I walked for awhile with Malcolm, a 25-year
old veterinary school student. We saw a
bobcat while stopped for lunch. Malcolm
is trying to do the entire CT in 3 weeks.
I wasn’t long before he went off and left me. I think I’ll try to do only 15 miles
tomorrow.
8/15/16 – to Nutras Creek; 15.3
miles; camped at 10,047’
It was a
difficult night last night. The rum
cocktail put me to sleep, but I soon woke up, unable to get comfortable,
seemingly in pain all over my body.
Before dawn, I finally took a couple aspirin. That seemed to help, and I ended up sleeping
late. My 15 mile day was okay, but I was
tired and hurting when I reached my campsite.
The last couple days have been mostly walking through grazing land. Not much up and down, just wide open sunny
spaces with lots of cows and lots of manure.
Water has been scarce, and of poor quality because of the cows. I will start climbing tomorrow, thank goodness,
and will reach 12,000 feet by afternoon.
Here’s hoping for good weather. I
passed the 2/3 mark today!
8/16/16 – to near treeline, CT mile
345.0; 17.9 miles; camped at 11,917’
I slept
well and long last night, 10 or 11 hours of sleep. I didn’t leave camp until almost 8:00. I felt good and moved fast this morning. I finally left the low, dry cattle country
and up among the high peaks, where the water is good and the scenery is
wonderful. I crossed over 3 passes in
excess of 12,000 feet, including the highest of the trip so far: the 12,887’ saddle north of Peak 13,111. My camp tonight, at 11,917, is also my
highest camp so far this trip. I arrived
in light rain. I threw up the tent
quickly and jumped in with my pack.
Thankfully, the rain didn’t last long, and I was able to emerge from the
tent for dinner. But it certainly is
cold here. I’m guessing it is 40 degrees
F. I wore all the clothes that I had,
and still struggled to stay warm while cooking dinner. I think perhaps the fall weather is starting
already.
I
discovered Mobic today! I’ve carried it
in my first aid kit for a couple years, but only today tried it for the first
time. It really eases the aches and
pains. I believe it helped me move
faster by reducing my need to stop so often to alleviate my aching back or
painful feet.
I walked
about 18 miles in 10 hours today, which
is pretty good for me. Only 12 ½ miles
to the road where I’ll hitch to Lake City.
I’m looking forward to some rest, some fatty food, and some human interaction.
8/17/16 – to Spring Creek Pass
(10,908’) and Raven’s Rest Hostel, Lake City; 12.4 miles
It was cool
and cloudy when I got up, but not raining.
I had a quick breakfast, and was underway by 7:30. I felt good and moved reasonably fast in the morning. It was high, interesting scenery. My camera lens wasn’t wide angle enough to
capture it. I went over some 12,000’
passes, did a high, boulder-strewn traverse, and then had a long, open walk
over Snow Mesa. It was quite
extraordinary in a desolute, solitary, sublime sort of way. It hailed on me about half way across the
mesa, just after I had changed from boots to sandals. Finally, I reached the edge of the Mesa, and
quickly made the two mile descent to Spring Creek Pass. I finished the last of my snack/lunch food as
I rested, then started hitch hiking toward Lake City. It took me 1 ½ hours and 2 miles of walking,
but finally a wonderful couple in a Lexus picked me up and dropped me off in
front of Raven’s Rest Hostel. I
showered, changed into the minimal clean clothes I had remaining (a wool
sweater with nothing underneath but a pair of shorts and sandals) and walked to
Restless Spirits Saloon for pizza and beer.
It was very satisfying. The hostel was nearly full - maybe 10 of the
12 bunks taken – and occupied by friendly, interesting people. It was a very enjoyable exchange, though I
was so tired I had to leave the conversation for bed about 9:00 pm. I slept like a baby.
8/18/16 – Raven’s Rest Hostel, Lake
City. 0.0 miles
A zero day
in Lake City. It was rainy and cold, and
I was so glad to be in town. I
ate and drank most of the day, taking breaks only to do a little laundry, and
to catch up with MB. I had a great
conversation with Lucky, the proprietor of Raven’s Rest, about an AT hostel in
Hot Springs. He sees many
positives. I enjoyed the hostel social
interaction, odd as it may be.
8/19/16 – to Colorado Trail Friends
Yurt; 11,713’; 8.7 miles
After a
leisurely morning, including a shower and two meals, I caught the noon shuttle
to the trailhead at Spring Creek Pass.
Young Will, from Illinois, joined me on the shuttle, and we walked more
or less together to the Yurt at mile 8.7 of this segment. There is a very good group here tonight. Tomorrow I need to put in a long day.
8/20/16 – to CT mile 384.5; 12,538’;
18.4 miles
I left the
yurt at 7:30 am, and arrived at this site, 18 miles away, 12 hours later. It’s been a beautiful day, with outstanding
scenery. I felt good. I passed the high point on the CT late
morning. I spent essentially the entire
day between 12,000 and 13,000 feet elevation.
Young Will from Illinois is camped next to me. We are at my highest camp on this trail, over
12,500 feet. It is only about 26 miles
to Molas Pass and the hitch into Silverton.
It will be cold tonight. It is a
gorgeous, clear, starry sky. The San
Juans are fabulous.
8/21/16 – to CT mile 401.1; 10,171’;
16.6 miles
I got up
early and rolled up my very frosty tent.
It was a good long day, though not quite as spectacular as yesterday. In the afternoon, as I was walking across a
high mesa, it spitted snow, sleet, and rain.
I made quick time in the lousy weather.
The CT separates from the CDT high on the mesa, just before the CT takes
a dramatic turn down the Elk Creek Gulch.
I found a campsite near the creek down lower than I’ve camped in a
while. I was soon joined by Young Will,
who helped me finish the medicinal rum.
8/22/16 – to Molas Pass (10,886’)
and Silverton; 9.6 miles
As usual, I
was up, fed, packed, and walking before Young Will stirred. It was about 4 miles downhill to the Animas
River and the Durango-Silverton train tracks.
It was a pleasant, sunny morning.
From the river, it is 4 ½ mile uphill almost 2,000 feet to Molas
Pass. The first couple of miles were steep,
but came fairly easily. I stopped to
rest and snack, and was treated to a view of the train chugging through. The last mile and a half was less
enjoyable. I could see the highway to
Molas Pass, but the trail didn’t seem to get me closer. Worse, it had clouded up and was threatening
rain. I finally reached the pass and the
highway about 1:00 pm, and was quickly able to hitch a ride, just as it started
raining. (Poor Will, still back there in
the rain.) My ride dropped me off in
front of the Blair Street Hostel, where I secured a bunk and was soon
showered. Cathy, the host, did my
laundry while I west to Avalanche Brewery next door for beer and pizza. A little while later, I ate another big meal
– cheeseburger with green chilis – at Handlebars, before an early bedtime.
8/23/16 – Blair Street Hostel,
Silverton; 9,300’; 0.0 miles
It was
raining when I woke up, and my plan to return to the trail was quickly
abandoned. It was a cold, wet,
miserable day, but my body appreciated the rest, and I was certainly glad not
to be walking or camping in this weather.
It was a very lazy day, killing time between meals by catching up with
Maribeth and daughters, and reading the latest news. It was Brown Bear Café for breakfast,
Natalia’s for lunch, and the Golden Block Brewery for dinner – beer and pizza
again. There are a whole bunch of
holed-up through-hikers in Silverton tonight.
Most are 30 – 35 years younger than me.
8/24/16 – to CT mile 428.7; 11,503’;
18.0 miles
I had
another good night’s sleep at the Blair Street Hostel. Jan, the owner, shuttled 3 of us to Molas
Pass at 7:30 this morning. The high
peaks were all covered with fresh snow from yesterday’s weather. An absolutely spectacular morning! I felt good, and the miles slipped by quickly. I got over the 12,500’ pass before stopping
for lunch. That was the last time the CT
gets that high. I had planned to walk 15
miles today, but felt too good to stop.
I finally found a nice campsite 18 miles in. I’m here by myself tonight, except for one
female mule deer who keeps circling my tent.
She seems keen to make friends.
I’ve also heard the huffing (bugling?) of something (a moose? an elk? a
bear?) somewhere below my camp. My mule
deer friend is very attentive to that noise; it makes her very skittish. I’m done.
Good night.
8/25/16 – to CT mile 440.3; 10,850’;
11.6 miles
For the
first time on this trip, I had some difficulty staying warm in the dark, cold
couple of hours before dawn. But I
managed, and got a good night’s rest, not rising until the sun was up and
shining on the tent. I prepared a fairly
big breakfast: hot chocolate, hot tea,
and a great big bowl of cold cereal. My
doe mule deer friend was still lingering around camp, paying much attention to
spots where I had peed. I finally started walking about 8:30. It was a short day – only 12 miles – but it
seemed more difficult that it should have been.
My left foot was particularly problematic as the day wore on, despite 2
ibuprofens at lunch. I made camp at 3:00
just downstream of Straight Creek.
This is
purportedly the last reliable water until Taylor Lake, 22 miles away. My plan is to load up as much water as
possible before I leave here tomorrow, and walk the entire 22 miles. Unfortunately, I have only two 1-liter water
bottles. I also have an empty half-liter
rum bottle that I’ll fill with water.
And, I will finish off my peanut butter and use that 12 ounce jar for
water also. In total, I’ll have less
than 3 liters. That should be enough if
I’m careful.
I thought I
was camping alone tonight. But after
dinner I was joined by five more people:
a couple from Cumberland Gap, Kentucky, and 3 Asian men. All of us plan to reach Durango on Sunday, so
I may see these guys again. As I write
this (7:30 pm,) thunder is rumbling continuously, ominously, and ever
closer. It may be an interesting night.
8/26/16 – to “Scenic Overlook,” CT
mile 454.8; 11,331’; 14.5 miles
It was
quite the thunderstorm last night. Lots
of thunder, lightning, and rain. It
lasted about 3 hours. I stayed dry and
slept well. I woke shortly after 5:00 am
and began preparing in the dark for my long walk. Everyone else in camp was also up, and little
headlights moved busily but quietly about.
I started walking about 6:30, foregoing anything hot for breakfast. It was not yet sunrise, but there was enough
light to see the puddles and wet foliage hanging into the trail. I felt good today, though I switched from
boots to sandals after five miles because of that pain that comes occasionally
in my left foot. I had no problems with
the sandals.
After 14
miles, I was pleased to find water. The
guidebook said it might be there, but was unreliable. Presumably, last night’s rain helped. In any case, I did not have to go 22 miles
after all! There was no reason to: with 2 days until Maribeth arrives in
Durango, there is nothing to be gained by hurrying. And by staying here, I can do the final
12,000’ sections of the Colorado Trail in the morning, when the weather is
usually the best.
My campsite
tonight is among the very best of this trail.
It sits out on a bench, with gorgeous views. The storm that I feared never
developed. Instead, I have a hazy, sunny
view of green trees and meadows below, tall snow-covered peaks in the distance,
and a blue sky broken by big white and gray cumulus clouds. Coyotes yip in the meadow below
occasionally. If I can stay up until
dark, it might be an amazing night view.
The couple from Cumberland Gap is camped 150 yards away (I have the
better tent site) and the Chinese men are 0.4 miles back down the trail by the
water. I’ve seen no other hikers
today.
8/27/16 – to Junction Creek, CT mile
470.2; 8,522’; 15.4 miles
I fell
asleep before dark, and slept well, waking only once or twice to see a million
stars out the open tent door. I awoke at
the first hint of light – about 5:30 – and fixed a nice big breakfast as I
watched the sky lighten and the sun rise.
From my high camp, the horizon was
low, and long yellow rays of light made it a magic morning. I finally started walking about 7:15. It was a climb, and in a few miles I was
walking about 12,000’ on Indian Trail Ridge.
Magnificent scenery in all directions, including steeply below. I reached Taylor Lake mid-morning, having
descended from 12,000’ for the last time on this trip.
I reached
Kenebec Pass Trailhead and ran into a couple of the Asian hikers I had met
before. We snacked and chatted. Ende is 70.
I’d guess Lucas is 40. They are
both Chinese, and live in Toronto.
Their English is not great, so we
had trouble communicating. They
offered me a piece of “Chinese Army
biscuit,” which was unlike anything I’d eaten before. And not bad.
Neither Lucas nor Ende knew what the ingredients were.
It started
raining, then sleeting, just as we got over Kenebec Pass. We suited up and trudged down. It was actually quite beautiful, though not
particularly comfortable. I dawdled on
the way down to camp, finally arriving about 4:00. The Chinese invited me to find a tent site
nearby. Later, we were joined by Jason
and Annie, a 30-something couple from Carbondale, Colorado. They had also run into the Chinese
previously. Lucas had been picking
mushrooms along the trail, and tonight he cooked up a big pot over a fire. With some apprehension, I tried a
bite. Not bad at all. The Chinese were shoveling them down. I filled my sierra cup. We started talking about having a big
feast. This being our last night on the
trail, all the food must go! But then a
clap of thunder, a bolt of lightning, and a sudden deluge of rain chased us all
into our tents. It had rained on our
party. I finished my last Mountain
House meal (lasagna) in my tent, and I am now trying desperately to make a dent
in a one-pound bag of M&Ms.
It is 14.4
miles to Durango and the end of this Colorado Trail. I am so very glad I did this. And I’ll be so very glad when it is
finished. I am really looking forward to
seeing MB and Molly tomorrow. I can’t
wait!!!
8/28/16 – to Junction Creek
Trailhead (the Durango Terminus); 6,983’; 14.4 miles
The Chinese
woke me up before dawn, and they were gone soon afterwards. I finished off the hot chocolate and tea, and
tried to wipe away the water on the tent with a bandana. But it was still sopping wet when I rolled it
up. I got underway shortly after
7:00. It was a beautiful day, and the
climb in the first 4 miles went fast. I
passed, and then was passed by, Caleb and Jason from Utah, who I had first met
in Silverton. Soon, I was meeting
day-hikers strolling up from Durango. I
stopped for lunch 4.5 miles from trail’s end and finished off the sausage and
cheese. I also ate the last Cliff
Bar. I arrived at the Junction Creek
Trailhead at 2:30, having now walked nearly 490 miles from Denver in 40 days,
including 5 zero days. With the help of
Jason and Caleb, I finished off the M&Ms, and took pictures to mark our
completion. Soon, a woman with a young
son offered us a ride into Durango. We
headed first to Carvers, where a free beer is offered to through-hikers, and
where I was soon joined by Maribeth and Molly.
What a treat to see these beautiful ladies!
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