Part 5

After I left the CDT at Cumbres Pass last year, I returned home for the winter to relax and plan the next trip.

My plan had been to return to the Mississippi River to finish that journey, but my partners for that had to back out – one for family reasons, and the other in order to let a shoulder heal more completely after surgery.

So now it’s back to the CDT. I took the train to Wenatchee to spend a couple of night and then One-K and I drove to Lander, WY to begin our hike. We’re spending the night with Marcia, and old friend I met in Yakutat during my piloting days. Marcia will take us to the trail in the morning. The plan is to hike south through the Great Divide Basin. One-K will be with me until Encampment, WY and head home from there. I’ll continue south into Colorado to Grand Lake, where I left off last year. After that, I hope to get to Cumbres Pass and hike to Ghost Ranch, NM. That will complete New Mexico and Colorado for me. From there I’ll get back to Lander and continue north on the CDT. That’s the plan, anyway.

June 3, 2026

Day 1

We left Marcia’s house at about 7:30AM and drove to where the trail crosses Highway 28. We took One-K’s truck, and Marcia drove it back to her house. It’ll stay there until he returns to get it.

We walked less than half a mile before we noticed we were a little off track. The trail was poorly marked and we were following a cattle trail, I guess. We had challenges with staying on trail throughout the day. A lot of the markers were blown down and it was tough to discern the actual trail even when the navigation program told us we were right on it.

In about three miles we passed through the old mining town of South Pass. They’ve done an excellent job of restoring and preserving the old buildings. South Pass was the home of the first female justice of the peace in the world – 1870. We took a short break and then climbed out of there. It was a gradual climb for the next 4 miles or so. We stopped for lunch in the shade of a tree, with a nice view of the town of Atlantic City, another old mining town. There were abandoned little mines all along this section of the trail. I believe it was mostly gold they were after. We watched a parade of vans and buses going back and forth on the road below us. Tourists visiting old mines, we guessed.

After lunch, we descended to and crossed that road and began an up and down traverse roughly paralleling the road. The going was kind of tough because there was no obvious footpath and the trail markers were often blown down or rotted out. Eventually we decided to cut over to the road and road walk. I’m guessing we weren’t the only hikers to do that, because there was no visible indication of a trail, even at the markers we were able to find. The road will take us to the Sweetwater River, an important water source in this section. So probably most hikers road walk this stretch.

Along the way we saw a few pickups and four-wheelers, but no other hikers. We lost track of the number of antelope we saw. At one point, One-K startled a young antelope at a distance of about 10 feet. It took off like a shot. We hope it found its mother.

After about 8 or 9 miles of road walk we came to the Sweetwater River. We found some flat spots near the river and set up camp. After filtering some water and resting just a bit, we soaked our feet in the river until I couldn’t feel my toes. It felt great. The beavers have begun construction of a dam just downstream, and there are cows in the area. We had to move some dried cow pies and dried antelope pellets to clear spots for the tents. It was windy most of the day, but it’s calmed down a bit as the sun moves lower in the sky. One-K has a couple of small blisters to deal with, but my feet are okay so far. All in all, not a bad first day on the trail. 17.5 miles for the day. Countless antelope, two snakes.

June 4, Day 2

The wind died down and was fairly calm most of the night. The tents had a bit of condensation in the morning, as you would expect when camping next to a river. We were hiking by about 6:30

Our first stop was at Upper Mormon Spring. We filtered some water and took a break. Took off our shoes and socks to cool off the feet, snacked, etc.

From there it was only 6 miles to Weasel Spring, where we more or less repeated the procedure. Since we’re among the earliest hikers in the Basin this year, we’re trying to post water source updates for the hikers who will passing through the Basin in the coming weeks.

Six miles after that was a creek where we grabbed some water. On the way there, a wild horse appeared suddenly and galloped across the trail about 20 yards in front of us. We couldn’t believe we were seeing it – a beautiful chestnut with a black and white mane. Amazing. After getting water at the creek we encountered 3 more wild horses and those were kind enough to pose for a photo.

The trail started with a short and steep climb and continued with the usual ups and downs, tending upwards until the final steep climb up to and over Bowen Pass. The rain continued throughout the morning and as I gained elevation I was basically walking in a cloud. Visibility was about 100 feet. It was a slog.

We decided to push on another 4 or 5 miles to a water cache and to find camping nearby. We were the first hikers to take advantage of the cache this year. We got some water, signed the logbook, and pushed on another .4 mile to a very exposed campsite. Fortunately the wind died off as the evening came on.

There are signposts indicating that this section of the trail coincides with the Oregon Trail and the California Trail. Much easier with GPS.

25 miles for the day.

June5, Day 3

It was a peaceful night and we were packed up and hiking by 06:15. The trail meandered up and down between 7200 feet and 7700 feet, going above 7900 feet in one spot. The views were fantastic, and we saw our first trees in a while. And of course, dozens of antelopes. We also saw some horses on a distant ridge. Later in the morning we met our first hiker on the trail. His name was Truewood, and he’d skipped the snow in Colorado.

The first water stop was a cow pond 12 miles from camp. We took a short break and then began a 5 mile climb on our way to the next water stop. After about 6 miles, we arrived there and decided we had enough water to push on to Bull Spring, where we arrived and pitched camp for the night. On the way we encountered another wild horse on the trail, who allowed us to approach within 10 yards before trotting off the trail. It’s always so great to see these animals.

This spring is located right next to a gravel road that sees some traffic. One-K is having major blister problems and will probably hitchhike into Jeffrey City tomorrow. I’ll continue alone.

One-K is heading to town. The blisters are just too bad to continue. I packed up and we said our goodbyes. He’s hitching to Jeffrey City, and from there he’ll try to find a ride to Lander to snag his truck and meet me in Rawlins. The hope is that with a few days off and a different pair of shoes, he may be able to hike from Rawlins to Encampment.

It was a pleasant morning. After about 4 miles I reached a spring with a pipe sticking out of a bank. I took a short break, filtered some water and rinsed my socks. From there it was another 7 miles to an electric well. It was running when I arrived, so I left it like I found it. I took a lunch break in what shade I could get and after about 45 minutes I moved on. The wind was strong and continued so for the rest of the day. 1.6 miles later I came to A&M reservoir and I was thinking about a swim. Temperatures have been in the 80’s the last few days. But there were some folks fishing there, so I went over for a chat instead. They gave me some tips about Rawlins and some cold bottled water. I appreciated both, but the cold water just a bit more.

The next water would be 14 miles. I decided to carry enough water to camp along the way, in case I couldn’t quite make it. Along the way I met two separate trucks with people out to view and photograph wild horses. I saw plenty of those horses today. Always kind of a thrill.

As it turned out I made it to Bull Springs, having left Bull Spring 27 miles ago. When I arrived there was a gentleman camping with his two llamas. He’ll be southbound in the morning, as well.

27 miles for the day.

June 7, Day 5

At about 6:00 I said goodbye to Kent and his llamas and set off for the next water source – Fish Pond in about 16 miles. It was a pleasant and cool morning, but the wind would pick up later.

At about 9:00 I had just crossed a road and was searching for the trail in the underbrush when Steve came along in his truck. He had hitched into Jeffrey City and caught a ride to Lander. Then he’d driven to Rawlins and found a hotel. He had a subway sandwich and some lemonade for my lunch. It was too early for lunch, so I stashed it in my pack. After a short conversation we parted ways: Steve to Laramie for different shoes, and me to Fish Pond for water and lunch. Steve intends to walk to Encampment with me, as was the original plan.

Given the difficulty of discerning the trail there, I decided to road walk for a few miles, before rejoining the trail. The road I was on eventually joined Highway 287, a busy road with semis and motorhomes and other traffic. It has a wide shoulder, but the uphill slog was not very enjoyable. The actual trail follows this highway for a bit. When I came to the place where the trail again diverges from the highway, I turned onto the trail and began a climb. Within half a mile I wished I had continued road walking. There was no discernible trail tread, the signs had all blown down. It was not easy terrain and that, combined with route finding, made for slow progress. I eventually arrived at Fish Pond, a cow pond just downhill from a corral with a solar well. There was water in the pond, so I didn’t bother either the well.

By this time, it was quite windy. There was no shade so I sat on a bank with my back to the wind and had my sandwich while filtering water and airing out my feet. After 30 minutes or so I was underway again. The trail between there and Rawlins was easier to follow and I was making decent time. I still managed to miss a turn which resulted in about half a bonus mile before I got back on track.

I came to another section where the trail was hard to follow and apparently had not accounted for more recent land development. After bushwhacking for a bit, I decided to go back to road walking. I called Steve and asked him to meet me where the trail joined the highway. When I got to that position, he was waiting with a cold root beer.
I saw a few antelope today, but no wild horses.
27 miles for the day.

June 8, Day 6

Zero day in Rawlins. One-K and I were driving down the road and saw another hiker. We pulled over to offer her a ride. Her trail name is Taser. She’s northbound and I got some good trail info for Colorado, and gave her some info about the trail ahead of her. We dropped her at the post office and she planned to hike out today. Here’s a selfie we took and some photos One-K just shared.

June 9, Day 7

Another zero mile day in Rawlins. Rested, fine tuned the resupply. Dinner at the Japanese restaurant.

June 10, Day 8

We were up early, and even after coffee and breakfast at the diner next door we were hiking shortly after 6:00. The first few miles were in town, first along a main road, then through some neighborhoods. We began a climb, passed under the I80 freeway and followed Highway 71 for a mile or two before turning onto a series of jeep road. It was a steady climb for several miles before we crested a ridge overlooking a lake with a picnic shelter and a privy. We could see the llamas I had previously met at Bull Springs staked out near a tent. It was a very steep descent to the level of the lake. Kent, the llama owner had apparently gone to park his truck somewhere. He had told me he planned to ferry the llamas around Rawlins rather than march them through town. So he was going to stake them out north of town, get his truck, and carry them to this spot.

The wind had begun increasing a bit earlier, but at the lake it kicked up several notches. There were two boys fishing there, and their dad was watching from the car, out of the wind. We got some water to filter and the dad insisted on giving us each a small bottle of water before they left.

After the lake we climbed some more, following jeep trails, and eventually joining Bridger Pass Road. By this time the wind was 30-40 mph and gusting over 50. Also, it was pretty much a headwind the whole way. After about 4 hours we stopped at a small pond and considered taking water. But we knew there was a better pond 3 miles ahead. Since it was only 2:00 and we’d come more than twenty miles, we took shelter from the wind behind some low bushes, stretched out and took a 90 minute break.

After the break, the wind was still strong, but 50mph gusts had stopped. Still, it was an upwind struggle to the next pond. We found a tent site below the road across from the pond. It was mostly protected from the wind and we pitched our tents. After a short rest we crossed the road to get some water. It was still very windy, and we’re glad to have this somewhat protected spot.
25 trail miles for the day.

June 11, Day 9

After the tough day in the wind, I was asleep a few minutes after sundown. I had the alarm set for 5:00, and woke at about 4:30. I thought, “I’ll just lay here until the alarm goes off”. I awoke to One-K saying in a loud voice, “Hey, are you sleeping in over there?” Sometime during the night the wind died down completely. It was a calm and cool morning – it was 30 degrees overnight. We were still hiking by 6:45.

The trail continued on Bridger Pass Road, and soon we came to Bridger Pass. I’d like to say it was all downhill from there, but it wasn’t. The day was a series of up and downs the resulted a net altitude gain of about 700 feet. The grade was mostly gradual and the weather was great. Blue skies, much cooler temps than yesterday. And only slight breezes; no gusts of 50mph.

We were seeing fewer antelope and more deer; maybe 10 or 12 mule deer.

After about 10 miles we came to Muddy Creek, which the trail follows for a few miles. We took a break, had bite to eat and after about 45 minutes we were walking again by 11:00.

The trail continued to follow the road and after 8.5 miles we took a break near a bridge over Muddy Creek. We drank as much as we could and each carried 3.5 liters when we left. There was a piped spring 8 miles ahead, but recent online water source updates indicated it might be dry. So we carried enough to get to the water source beyond the piped spring.

When we reached the spring, I found that there was water. It was a slow trickle, but still viable. I’ll update the info on the spring.

From there we pushed on another 3 miles and found a fairly level spot near a pile of rocks. Just a slight breeze tonight.
23 miles for the day.

June 12, Day 10

It was 21 degrees at 5AM, and we decided to delay crawling out from the warm quilts. One-K had frost on the inside of his tent and on the foot of his quilt. When the sun rose above the hill, things warmed up quickly and his stuff was mostly dry by the time we packed up.

A helicopter flew by shortly after 5:00. We later came across a truck and a tank parked alongside the road, and after we’d passed them we saw the helicopter land there. Probably some kind of spraying operation.

As we were packing up, we also heard coyotes yipping not far away.

It was a pretty steady climb throughout the day as we began to leave the basin. The topography and flora began to change, and the views were great.

We stopped at the North Fork Savery Creek for a lunch break. It was an idyllic spot and we enjoyed it. We filtered some water and after a while began walking uphill again.

It was a pleasant day with warm, but not unbearable, temperatures and a nice breeze. We passed by a dilapidated cabin on a slope overlooking a series of beaver ponds. About 8 miles later we stopped at an unnamed creek and topped off the water in anticipation of a dry camp.

From there we began the climb to high on the slopes of Divide Peak. It was a little steep, and slow going. At the top we took a short break before descending. While we were sitting there a hummingbird zipped up to One-K, looked him in the face, and zoomed off. After that it was ups and downs, eventually climbing to this camp among some trees at almost 8900 feet. It was a long day, and a hard day, but it was very beautiful.
23 miles for the day.

June 13, Day 11

After a peaceful night among the trees, we were hiking by about 6:00. We had a climb ahead of us – up and over Bridger Peak at just under 11,000 feet.
The first water was just under 2 miles from camp and we took a short break there. Then we hoisted the packs and began the climb, following an old jeep road. The snow covered the trail beginning at about 10,300 feet and was mostly there until the other side of Bridger Peak. It made for slow going, especially with the constant uphill slog. The trail passed just below the top of the peak. One-K had expressed a desire to climb to the top, but it looked too sketchy, what with snow and loose rock. So we just kept going.

On the downhill side we took a break and soon 5 ATV’s appeared, having battled their way through the snowbanks. We chatted while the lead vehicle powered a path through the snow we had just walked over. After the break we continued down the jeep road, walking on snow much of the time and postholing occasionally. Eventually we got below 10,000 feet and were able to pick up the pace.

At about 1:20PM we came to a parking spot where One-K’s friend Nancy was waiting for us. She had her dog Koko with her, and also had my resupply box. She gave us a ride to Encampment and we enjoyed some excellent cheeseburgers before she dropped me off at my motel. She and One-K then left for Rawlins, where One-K had left his truck. I’m very grateful to Nancy for her help. I’ll be solo from now on and I’ll miss hiking with One-K.
13 miles for the day.

June 14, Day 12

Zero day in Encampment. It’s a nice motel and a friendly town. Cleaned my cooking gear and water filter. Found a replacement washer for my water filter that only required slight modification. Off for Steamboat Springs in the morning.

June 15, Day 13

I was waiting on the local hiker bench at 7:15. At about 8:15, Dan pulled over. He’s a local guy and often takes hikers to or from the trail when he can. Half an hour later he dropped me off at the trailhead, and after a quick visit to the pit toilet, I was on my way.

There was snow on the trail, off and on for most of the morning. So it was slow going at times, and more tiring than hiking on dirt trail. There were lots of water sources – creeks running and snowmelt streams. So I didn’t have to carry much water.

After about 5 miles I took a short lunch break alongside a fast flowing creek. From there it was 6.5 miles to Dale Creek where I took another short break. I drank a liter of water and carried 1.5 liters out of there, which I thought was enough to get me to Whiskey Creek, 7.5 miles down the trail.

But I was unaware of the blowdown hell which awaited me. It began about a mile from the creek and continued throughout the afternoon, until I called it quits at 6:00PM. In the midst of the blowdowns I met two northbound hikers, who had done all of Colorado without using any of the lower elevation alternates. They were Sticky Teeth and Flow. Swiss, I believe.

So the navigation app says I made 15 miles today. But my GPS watch says 17 miles. A small part of that discrepancy is due to the snow. But the majority is due to constantly going off trail and around the tangled blowdowns. Add the steep ups and downs and it made for tough going. I think I was averaging 1mph for about 3 hours. In the end, I ran out of steam.

So I’m dry camping and conserving water. Whiskey Creek is about 4 miles away and I have enough water to get there. Also, there are comments on the navigation app suggesting an unmapped water source a mile ahead.

June 16, Day 14

After yesterday’s afternoon battle with the blowdowns, I thought about my stubborn intention to stay on the red line in the nav app. I woke early, broke camp, and scouted ahead on the red line. More blowdowns. So I backtracked .4 mile through yesterday’s blowdowns to a wide logging road which connects with the trail further on. Should have taken the road in the first place.

The toll from the blowdown battle: two ripped gaiters, a few scratches, and a slightly hyperextended big toe. The toe was stiff in the morning, but felt better as the day wore on. It’s a bit red and swollen tonight.

The road walk felt great, and I had occasional views of Hog Park Reservoir. There were numerous water sources and camp spots along the road.

Eventually I came to Whiskey Creek, which braided through a meadow, causing a bog. It seemed difficult to gather water, so I continued to the Colorado border where there was a pond. The comments on the app only said there was a pond. They didn’t say it was small and shallow and full of floaties with a silty bottom. But I needed water, so I pre-filtered it using my buff. It tasted okay, but I added a purification tablet to be safe. Then it tasted a bit like pool water.

The day was the usual ups and downs, mostly following old jeep trails. I encountered a group of dirt bikers and ATV’s just at the beginning of a steep climb. They informed that the trail was very rough. It was.

I got water from Trail Creek near the top; took a lunch break and little rest. It was flowing, but not strong. Now I’m at the bottom of the hill, camped not far from Trail Creek and it’s roaring.

Between upper Trail Creek and lower Trail Creek I encountered Roadrunner and Waterboy. Roadrunner has a YouTube vlog, and I’d been following to see how things look in Colorado. We had a nice chat, exchanged trail info, took some selfies, and said goodbye. A couple of hours later, I pitched my tent here. 24 miles for the day.

June 17, Day 15

Today’s hike included a big climb – 3400 feet. I had pushed as far as I could yesterday in order to have a chance to get up and over the 11,850 foot hump. But it was not to be.

I was up before 5:00 and hiking before 6:00. The tent had a bit of condensation inside because of the proximity of the creek. It was a pleasant morning and there were numerous water sources so I didn’t have to carry a lot of water. There were the usual ups and downs, but they were mellow compared to what lay in wait.

At the Middle Fork Elk River, I grabbed some water and since there was no other spot, I was kind of right on the trail. I heard a “hello” and looked up to see northbound hiker Meatball. We traded trail info and he moved on. He also warned me of the blowdown extravaganza that awaited me. He was not wrong. Shortly after my lunch break I began to encounter them. It went on for miles and it was all uphill. Climbing over them, crawling under them, walking around them. Like the other day, it wore me out. And the going was so slow that when I reached the beginning of the last big steep push, I realized I should probably stop for the day. By this time it was very windy, as usual in the afternoon. It was a situation where I could do 15 miles, or I could do 23 miles or more. Nothing in between. Since I was beat, and didn’t like the chance of getting stuck in a bad spot up top, I pulled the plug. There was no chance that I could get to Steamboat Springs tomorrow, anyway.

I’m camped in the lee of a few spruce trees. It’s a small protection, but most other sites here are swampy from snow melt or have dead trees standing – not good anytime, but especially not in the wind.

So I’ll take advantage of the extra time to rest more, and get an early start in the morning. Hopefully the wind will die down by then and the snow up top will be firmer in the morning.
15 miles for the day.

June 18, Day 16

As much as I disliked stopping at 15 miles yesterday, it proved to be the right decision.
A bonus was the deer that came by to drink from the pond and munch on plants.

I was up early and hiking by 6:00. After a brief level walk, I began a 1200 foot elevation gain over a span of 1.5 miles, to an altitude of 11,850 feet. . Halfway up, the wind came on strong. Near the top I began my daylong adventure of traversing snow fields of varying sizes and angles of steepness. That continued until 6:30 PM, just before I pitched camp.

As tough as it was, the day was filled with beautiful vistas. The Mt. Zirkel Wilderness is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. And I didn’t see another person all day. I had the whole place to myself.
20 miles for the day.

June 19, Day 17

Last night, just about sundown, I was laying in my tent when I heard some kind of ruckus on the lake. I poked my head out of the tent to see a black bear on the far side of the little lake, near the shore, plunging repeatedly into the water and rising up before plunging again. The bear went ashore, shook itself off, and disappeared into the forest. At first I thought it was fishing, but the first plunge would have scared any fish away. So maybe it was just having a dip in the lake, like I might have done. Except the bear didn’t shriek when it first hit the cold water.

It was a quiet night and despite the proximity to the lake the tent had no condensation in the morning, thanks to camping under the trees.

The trail, though mellower than the day before, still presented a few challenges. More blowdowns, for one. And tons of mosquitoes, for another. I also began to encounter other hikers. The first were Cisco and Margarita, a couple of thru hikers who happened to be from Steamboat Springs. They told me about a free concert in town tonight. There were numerous other day hikers, some with dogs. And several mountain bikers. I also met a thru hiker named Halftime. We chatted a bit. This hike will complete his triple crown: Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail. He had a dog with him and his wife follows along with a teardrop camper for support and resupply. Shortly after parting company with Halftime I climbed over the last blowdown of the day, and managed to rip one pants leg. Almost a clean getaway.

At the last creek before reaching the highway I stopped to camel up and take some extra water, because I was uncertain how long it might take to hitch a ride, and the day was pretty warm. Then as I was cruising along I came to Dumont Lake which had a parking lot and a vault toilet. After a brief stop (can’t pass up a sit-down toilet) instead of backtracking to the trail I followed the road that reconnected me with the trail. A couple of miles later I arrived at the highway and after about 10 minutes an SUV stopped. The driver was named Nick and he was very helpful in letting me use his onboard WiFi to make hotel reservations, and giving me lots of info about Steamboat Springs.

I’ve decided to take a double zero here. Even after doing my town chores, I think I’ll need another day of rest. 13 miles for the day.

June 20, Day 18

Zero day in Steamboat. Rode the bus to Ski Haus, bought new baskets for my poles, new gaiters, new briefs. Then went across the street to Safeway for my resupply. Then the bus back to the motel. Then kicked back.

June 21, Day 19

Another zero. Tried to do as little as possible. Letting the feet rest, and recharging.

June 22, Day 20

I was up early, for the Continental breakfast at the motel, and caught the 6:36 free bus to the end of the line at the edge of town. I had my thumb out by about 7:10, but the cars and trucks just kept zooming by. I called Spokes to see how he’d managed this last year and he said he’d arranged a ride on the intercity Bustang bus which dropped him off at the intersection with the trail. Unfortunately, it was too late for me to do that. Soon after the Bustang bus breezed by me. About 5 minutes later a nice woman named Sydney stopped. She was a local, on her way to a day hike. She serves on a couple of committees related to the CDT and local trails. We had a nice conversation on the ride. Interestingly, we arrived just behind the Bustang. So it all worked out.

The hike began by following Hwy. 14 for about 10 miles before turning onto a gravel road. The highway had narrow shoulders and it was not a very enjoyable walk. Along the highway, I met northbounders Bando and Bliss (from Switzerland), and Spit. After turning onto the gravel road I stopped for lunch in the shade of a large informational sign with a big map. From there it was a long walk on a gravel road with a gradual uphill climb.

I stopped for water at a beaver pond and shortly after came to the trailer of a kind of trail angel named Jim. We chatted for a bit and I signed his logbook, but he didn’t seem that welcoming so I moved on. I hear he’s friendlier to the opposite sex.

A mile or two later I stopped to air out and cool off my feet, and Dixon and Econoline walked up. They’re from Vancouver Island. We had a nice talk and a snack and then moved on. I continued up the road to this camp which has a creek running nearby and called it a day.
19 miles for the day.

June 23, Day 21

The day began with a steep climb and then settled into the Colorado routine: steep up, steep down, repeat. I spent much of the day above 11,000 feet and the views were spectacular.

My first stop for water was after about 8.5 miles, and I took the opportunity to stick my feet in creek until they were almost numb. I have a feeling that they may have overheated during the long road walk yesterday.

I continued to meet northbounders throughout the day: Jim and Aaron, Caveman, MLB, Sidecar and Gooseberry. There’s 2 or 3 more, but I forgot their names.

My plan was to try to camp as close as possible to the beginning of the steep clump up and over Parkview Lookout (12,296 feet). I’m currently camped at 10,210 feet, 4.5 miles away.

June 24. Day 22

It was a calm night, and since I was camped in a burned area I was thankful. I woke before the alarm and was hiking before 6:00. The day began with a climb that became increasingly steep. Soon enough I was in low gear and remained in low gear for about 8 miles. As steep as the climb was, the descent was just as steep. And because of the somewhat tricky trail footing I didn’t go much faster on the downhill than I had on the uphill. So, low gear both ways.

I reached the top of Parkview Lookout at about 9:15; 3.5 hours to go 4.5 miles. So less than 1.5 mph average. But more than 1mph average, so there’s that.

It was very windy at the top. I took a break, tried to snack, and took a video. There’s an old hut at the top and I think it was an automated weather station back when they used wires for that sort of thing. It would make a serviceable, if not comfortable, shelter in a weather emergency. There’s a resident marmot and chipmunk living on handouts from hikers, I’d guess.

Then began the steep descent. It took careful foot placement near the top. But eventually the trail went into the forest and from there it was the normal ups and downs.

I took a lunch break at a gravel road crossing after about 8 miles for the day. I still had almost 4 miles to the next water, and the day was warming up.

Soon after my lunch break I crossed a paved road. I was feeling a little down. Tired and a bit dehydrated, I think. I took another short break; ate a candy bar and drank a little water. Then I hit the trail again. When I came to the water source I drank a liter of water and tried to soak my feet. After that I felt better.

The trail went through a burned area for most of the afternoon and in the late afternoon began to follow a creek up the valley. Eventually I passed through the burned zone and found a camp site under some live pine trees. By then it was 5:30 and the trail would begin climbing more steeply. I’d had enough climbing for the day, so I parked it.
15 miles for the day.

June 25, Day 23

At about 3:00 AM I woke to the sound of rain on my tent fly. I battened down the fly and went back to sleep. A couple of hours later it was still raining and I decided to skip the coffee and oatmeal and pack up. I packed everything I could while inside the tent and then got out and took down the tent and rolled it up and lashed it to the top of the pack. I was hiking shortly after 6:00.

I met a number of northbounders on my way to the pass, but didn’t stop to chat much. Temps were in the 40’s, and with the wind and the rain it was better to keep moving. At the top of the pass it was completely socked in. No panoramic views this morning.

After cresting the pass, the first part of the steep descent required careful foot placement and it was slow. Eventually the trail entered the forest and I was able to pick up the pace. As I dropped in elevation the weather improved and the rain stopped. Soon the sun came out and it became a fairly pleasant day. I continued to meet more northbound hikers throughout the afternoon. I came upon a hiker named Breezy who was waiting for his partner. He pointed out that a road walk would save me from another pointless up and down I took the tip, and when I came to the road I walked it. After about 1.5 miles the trail joined the highway for a few miles before diverging again. At this point it began to look like more rain and I saw that continuing on the road would save a couple of miles and get me town faster. So I walked the road all the way to Grand Lake. After checking in to the hotel and showering I looked out the window. Sure enough, it was raining.

After arranging a ride to the airport and a flight home for the next day, I walked through the rain to a barbecue restaurant and had a nice dinner. The rain had stopped by the time I finished and it was a pleasant walk back to the hotel.

I’ve completed all but 3 miles of Colorado on the CDT, and 75 or 80 miles of New Mexico. But I have to pause the hike to help out at home. Jackie’s mom isn’t doing real well, and Jackie needs my help and support at home. Additionally there are some medical appointments of my own that I can see to when I’m home. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get back to the trail.