August 5

13.9 miles

So much for being able to sleep hard! Rodents bothered me all night long! First, they were running up to the corners of my tent and I had to bat the sides and tell them to go away. Then, a persistent animal tried chewing through my Ursack. I would call out to it to stop, it would take a break, then start back up again- all night long! For the first time on this trip, I got out of my tent to pee in the middle of the night. It was 1 am and there were a few stars out, but it was mostly cloudy. The moon was pretty bright, though.
By sunrise, the rodents had scampered away, leaving only traces of their efforts visible in the chewing marks in the bag and cord. They had failed to get any of my food. It was cold again (41 degrees) and I huddled in my sleeping bag and snacked.
By 7:30, I was back on the trail and ready to climb again. Thankfully, it was not as steep as the night before.

Nearing the top of the climb (with about 300 feet to go), I heard a noise that sounded like an owl or some other kind of animal. Then, it sounded like a human voice. I didn’t know where it was coming from. Then it sounded almost as if the voice was saying, “Somebody, help me.” Oh, no…! Did someone fall off the mountain? I looked down the slope and didn’t see anything. But with the gravelly, chalky terrain, I could imagine how it would be easy to slip off the trail. Then again, maybe it was just some kids messing around with each other at the top of the mountain. I decided to proceed to the top and see if anyone was up there. There was no one. I felt horrible. What if I had just walked by someone who needed my help? My labmates made me carry a personal beacon search and rescue locator because they were worried about me being alone and unable to help myself if something bad happened. Maybe I was actually carrying this for someone else! I turned on my phone so I could call someone in my lab and have them contact the forest service. There was no reception… I would have to hope that someone else was climbing the mountain behind me and would hear him, or that someone was hiking towards me, who I could alert.
About an hour later, I met a man and woman hiking toward me. We said hello and I told them the story and that I felt bad. They assured me that they would check it out and that I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it, anyway, all by myself. They said that when you are out here alone, you are responsible for yourself. (If you are hiking with someone, you are responsible for each other). The man jokingly said, “I’ll send Stacey down to check it out.” We ended up chatting for a bit. They said that if I wanted water, I should go see Daniel- the crazy mountain man with the huge beard, who was possible not mentally well, but liked to talk. “Isn’t there water down there?” I asked.
“Yes, but if you don’t want to filter it, we paid him to go into town and bring back spring water for us last night. There is some left over.”

I hiked down to the bottom of the hill and filtered water from the creek (I didn’t want to deal with Daniel). I crossed the road, saw his tent, and quietly walked by. I hiked along the ridge for awhile.
There was another creek with running water across another road at mile 9. I don’t like staying around loud water because I can’t tell if there is anyone else nearby. I stopped to have lunch and filter more water, and sure enough, only several feet away, but out of sight from where I had stopped, 2 guys were setting up camp. They weren’t very friendly.
For the rest of the day, I saw only 2 mountain bikers. The next climb consisted of switchbacks, which weren’t too steep. The terrain was once again arid and chalky. I walked along a ridge for awhile. It rained for about 15 minutes and there was a bit of thunder. I couldn’t tell what mile I was at.

I came to another creek at 3:20, collected and filtered water, and walked across some logs. I had no idea if I was at mile 14 or 15.9, but I knew the road started at mile 17 and that there was no place to camp after that until well after the hot springs. So, I decided to stop there. It was the earliest end to a hiking day for me, and after setting up my tent, I kind of wondered what to do! I was so happy that I had cell service! I heard the sound of a text and saw that my Swiss friend had written me. And I also had a voicemail! I listened to it and heard mostly static and then a voice with an accent that I recognized in the background, asking if I could call him! I thought that was a funny thing for him to do, but also sweet that he was worried about me! Apparently, he thought I had told him that I would reach the Hot Springs, where we could talk, in 2 hours- not 2 days, and not hearing from me, tried to reach me in ways he never does! 🙂

I was going to sit on a rock and look over tomorrow’s terrain at 6:30 pm, and immediately, it starts sprinkling! Unbelievable! Back to my tent, it is!
I hope the rodents leave my food bag alone and let me sleep tonight!

August 4

About 17.5 miles

I fell asleep hard in the morning hours. I was exhausted! A little after 6, I woke up feeling like I had a sore throat. 😦 I ate some granola and a trail bar in my sleeping bad, texted back to my Swiss friend concerning the question he had about the picture I had sent him, and felt sad about him for a couple of minutes. After packing everything up, I was on the trail at 7:23. The nearly 2 mile climb was very steep first thing in the morning! And the view wasn’t so beautiful at the top.

The environment was very arid. The man yesterday had talked about the descent being very steep, but in actuality, it was not (you should never let anyone else’s opinions affect your own experience…) The trail was gravelly, though, and I lost my footing and almost fell. My knee twisted, but I hung on. As I approached Pine Creek Basin, I saw a sign to Elkhead Pass! (the mysterious trail I had wanted to take yesterday!). The man from last night was sitting near the creek, fiddling with his steripen, which wasn’t working even in the clear water! (I was glad I had a filter on this trip).
I collected water and got very chilly. I was still feeling sick and very run down, so I put the emergen-C powder that I got from the hostel in Breckenridge into my platypus bladder and hoped it would help fend off the sickness. I also took some vitamins and ate some soy nuts, fig newtons, and chocolate-covered goji berries for good measure. I decided to keep my rain jacket on to try to keep my core warm as I resumed climbing.
A man with a nice camera and his son hiked toward me. They told me that the man ahead told them there was “a lady” behind. The father said that if he ever thru-hikes the Colorado trail, it will be on horseback.
It was a very slow-going day. My feet hurt and I knew that I needed new insoles. The ones I had had definitely lost their support! My right big toenail was also hurting. There was plenty of water in this section, but the environment was arid. There was also no cell service. When I finally reached the second peak, the views were nicer.

I sat down to take a short break. It reminded me of Switzerland a bit. The man passed right on by, not slowing down to take in the nicest view of the day. He wondered what the next section would be like with all of the downed trees from the huge winter storms. Just a few weeks ago, this section was impassable, but a trail maintenance crew put in a lot of effort to make it passable again. I hadn’t realized this section was approaching so soon!

I caught up to the man again at the creek, and this time it was me that kept going. (Honestly, I prefer hiking alone with no one in the vicinity. I never feel like I am too slow or need to be keeping up with anyone else’s pace, and I enjoy the solitude). I continued on to the section with lots of downed trees. It was a very warm day, and I took my pack off for a moment at the top of a dry climb and looked around. Then, I continued on. All of a sudden, I heard an incredible amount of noise in the forest! I stood still. I knew it was a large animal- maybe a bear. And then, a whole herd of deer (or elk) raced down the side of the slope, crossing the trail in front of me, and crashing into trees well below me! It was incredible! One of them, with small furry antlers, stopped at the trail and looked at me for a second, startled. Two others seemed too scared to make their way down past me and remained at the top of the slope, one of them looking at me. Before I could get out my camera, they had all disappeared. Wow! I had never seen anything like that before!
Later on, I saw another grouse. I tried to keep my mind strong and not let my body get sick. And along the way, a solution to what I could wear as a make-shift bathing suit top in the hot springs came into my head! I could use my buff as a tube top! Problem solved! I knew I had been carrying that with me the whole way for some reason!
I took a long (40 minute) break at the creek at mile 15.2 into this section.

I ate, collected and filtered water, and rested for a few moments. Again, the man passed me. There were 3.3 miles to the end of this section, and then, another big climb. I was so beat!
As I was signing in at the trailhead, I met a man who asked me if I was hiking the whole trail. “Are you doing it all alone?” He thought that was really good. There were big tent set-ups (non-backpacking) in the beginning section. I pushed on to my own space. At first, the terrain was surprisingly level, but then it got incredibly steep! I was having a tough time! I was carrying three liters of water and felt dead tired. The trail consisted of loose dirt and had probably the steepest incline I had encountered yet. It took an enormous amount of energy to climb. I had to sit down a couple of times to catch my breath. Slowly, slowly, one foot in front of the other, I climbed. I had no idea how much longer I would have to climb until I found a camp spot. I just hoped it was soon! I sat down and ate a crunchy peanut butter think thin bar, some choc. covered gogi berries, and a little peppermint patty to help boost my strength and morale. I was cooked and just wanted to be finished! The steepness of the incline and gravelly under-footing persisted. Each step was a struggle.
Finally, it leveled off and entered forest. I found my campsite at 5:30! I set up my tent, cooked dinner, hung my Ursack, and got into my sleeping bag at 7, just as it started to sprinkle. Tomorrow starts with more steep climbing, and then one more pass. I hope I pass out hard tonight!

August 3

Adventure day!!

(Don’t know how many miles I hiked today, but I am now at mile 194.9 from Denver)

Another side trip that some previous hikers had mention in the planning guidebook was Hope’s Pass. I had taken a picture of these words from the guidebook- “Hope Pass, Belford Mt, Elk’s Pass back to CT.” It was supposedly a beautiful route, so I wanted to do that, too! Only I didn’t know how to get there… The maps I had were meant to be used in conjunction with a GPS, which I didn’t have… What to do…

I got up around 7:15 and got a text from my friend who said he would be willing to buy me crocs. I took another shower and made some instant coffee and had a bowl of granola with powdered milk. It was pretty good and I felt happy. I texted a bit as I packed up and my friend, at one point, commented on my pack being in disarray. My eyes grew large as I looked at all my stuff around the room! Could he see me? (He was really just commenting on the things I didn’t have- a top to wear in the Mt. Princeton hot springs, my crocs, my guidebook pages…
It looked like a beautiful day out! I finished packing around 9 and went out, hoping to say goodbye to Fred, ask about Hope Pass, and maybe get a ride back to the trail. I walked up the porch steps, but saw a sign that they were closed. Oh, well. As I walked back down the steps, Fred opened the door and said, “You leaving?”
“Yup. I’m leaving.” I asked him if he knew anything about the old CT route and told him what I was hoping to do. He explained that there were 2 ways to get to Hope Pass. The first involved crossing a “crick”, which didn’t sound so appealing. The second option was that he could drive me up the road a bit and drop me off at the trailhead. “That would be awesome!” I felt a bit guilty about the ride, but it was already late, and I wasn’t following the current CT anyway (which would have been a flat route around the lakes). I felt like this hike was for me. I had already walked a direct path from Georgia to Maine and didn’t have anything to prove to anyone while I was out here. Besides, I had climbed extra (very hard) miles to summit Mt. Elbert. He went inside to get his keys and his dog while I waited beside his truck. A bunny was also waiting by the truck in the sun. I wondered if this was my visitor during the night!

After carefully explaining directions on how to get to Hope Pass (“you’ll see the change in forest, take a right at this intersection…”), we said our goodbyes and I started hiking again. What a nice man he was! I was grateful for my path intersecting with his.
The climbing felt easy in the beginning. I always feel better coming out of town for the first few miles. The elevation is lower, and even when my pack is loaded with food and water, my pack feels manageable. After a few hours, however, even after drinking some of the water and eating some snacks, the straps press into my shoulders and the weight becomes more and more unbearable.

A man hiked toward me and I felt a bit uneasy, not being on the CT, and being alone. But nothing happened. We both continued on in our separate directions. I thought about how, while hiking, I can sense that animals (including humans) are nearby well before I see them.
A bit later, a woman runner startled me, however (perhaps because she was moving much faster). I saw several runners training for the Leadville 100 in this area.

I ended up finding Hope Pass without trouble. I had no idea what I was getting into- no idea that this was another long exposed pass, which I had reached around noon. But boy, was it incredible! I was so glad I took this route! I just couldn’t believe the views, and once again, I was the only one out in it! Me and the mountains and the incredible beauty! Wow! As the elevation increased, I had to stop every few feet, just like I did on the climb to Mt. Elbert. Slowly, slowly, I plodded toward the top. I finally reached the saddle and the high point of the climb! I felt so happy.

As soon as I started to descend, the wind became very strong! It was almost comical. The descent was not very steep at the top, so at times, I could almost run! It was so fun. Then, it gradually became steeper, and I had to be careful with my footing.
I met the woman runner who first scared me on her way back and asked her if she knew where this trail met up with the current CT. She said she thought this was part of the CDT, but didn’t know where the CT was. She told me that the trail split and either went to Windfield (which had a nice cemetary, she said) or down to the highway. I figured the highway was my best bet. (I really had no need to see a cemetary!). She said there were lots of campers and backpackers down there.
Great! I continued on, came to the intersection, and headed down. I came to a dirt road (not a highway) and saw no backpackers or campers. Hmmm… I decided to sit on a log and take a look at the words that I had taken a picture of. I trusted that someone would come along to help me.
Within a few minutes, a bearded backpacker emerged from the woods! My help! He was quiet and a bit aloof. I found out he was hiking the CDT. I asked him if he was the first southbounder. He said he thought he was. He had 200 miles to go. His calf and knee were hurting and he was ready to be finished. I told him that I was looking for the current CT and he asked if I had maps. “I’ll show you what I have. They are useless,” I told him.
“Do you have a GPS?”
“No.”
He probably thought I was crazy or at least very stupid. He took out his GPS and determined that the CT intersected this road. I asked him if he was going south.
“I’ll follow you!”
He didn’t seem so thrilled about that… I decided to eat a snack and let him have his space. And then I continued on in the direction he went, looking to the right and left, searching for the CT intersection. Every small trail made me pause. Down the road, I saw a camper tucked into the woods on the left, with a man standing outside of it. I hesitated, wondering if I should ask him for directions. Part of me was scared, but I finally decided to make my way over to him. I told him that I was lost and that I was looking for the Colorado Trail. He pulled out his road map and told me that it was further ahead on the right. “If you pass Vicksburg, you’ve gone too far.” As I turned away, he said, “Your friend was just here. The guy with the big beard…”
“Did he stop and talk to you?” I asked.
“He said you’d be coming and that you were lost.”
I thought it was nice of him to be looking out for me…
I looked up at the sky and saw a circular cloud that looked almost like a face. (I had been looking for signs from my brother in the sky when I needed help). I wanted to take a picture, but then it disappeared…
I passed a couple of trails on the right, but none were the CT. I decided to flag down the next car. The driver happily pulled over. I told him my predicament. “Well, let me pull out a map!” I told him I wanted to hike Mt. Belford and descend Elk’s path (I didn’t realize this was another 14,000+ foot mountain… Okay, just the CT will be fine…). He told me he was checking out gold mines. From his forest service map, he determined that I was 6-7 miles away (!). He asked if I was comfortable sticking out my thumb. He said he would have given me a ride, if he wasn’t running out of time. I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t at least bring me part way… Then, he realized my confusion. “Girl- you’re all turned around! You want to go that way!” (pointing in the opposite direction).
What?? Why did my helpers steer me in the wrong direction?
Now, I was very discouraged. I had just walked several miles in the wrong direction and still needed to walk 7 more miles on the road before I met up with the CT again! I walked past the family who steered me in the wrong direction. They were playing in the creek and didn’t notice me. Plenty of cars were driving in the opposite direction, but none were driving in mine!
As I neared the point at which I had first emerged from the woods, the first car heading in my direction came along. It was a black SUV. I stuck out my thumb and they pulled over. I put my pack in the back and climbed in. They had no idea where the CT was. The woman handed me the road map and I started to look for the area, feeling a bit overwhelmed. We reached the Missouri trailhead and pulled in. The man asked 2 groups of people if they knew where the CT was. They had no idea. The third group (drinking and the ones most least likely to know, I thought) said it was “that way.” I remembered that the goldmine guy had told me it was near a reservoir. It was now almost 4pm (I had first reached the road just after 2). We continued on for several miles, finding nothing. They had to hitch their trailer up to the SUV before heading home and told me I had three choices- either get out and walk, find another hitch, or wait while they hitched up their trailer. It had started raining when I was walking back, and now it was coming down harder. I decided that I preferred to wait in the car. I looked at maps while they attached their trailer. Then, we headed off again, this time much more slowly! We reached the reservoir, which was dry! The man took out the maps and determined that we had passed the trail turn-off. It was a lot of work to turn the trailer around, and I told them I would just get out and walk or find another hitch, but he was now determined to find it! We pulled into a campground to ask someone and some nice people told us that the trail passed through the campground and that it went over the bridge they were pointing in the direction of. The husband wanted to take me right to the bridge! They asked if I needed any water and I declined, but they insisted that it was easy- they just had to attach a hose. (I should have filled up more, not realizing I was entering the Collegiate Peaks…). I said goodbye to these very kind people and saw another man being dropped off at the same time.
He asked me if I was just starting. He was just out to do this section and said it was “a horrible one- 4,500 feet elevation in 12.8 miles.” Great, thanks for the positive energy…I felt very tired and thirsty, so I sat down and ate a power bar, a packet of peanut butter, and a snickers.
I climbed at a steady pace and came upon the man making strange sounds at pretend bears in the woods! He then wanted me to pace him further up the hill. He intended to make it to the top and down to some camping spots at mile 6.4. I had already hiked a full day and just needed to find a place to camp. As we rounded a bend, I found my camp spot about 2.9 miles in. Perfect! The man decided to take a break at my spot. He checked his GPS and found that we were at an elevation of 10,300 feet. Tomorrow, I would climb up to 11,600 feet, descend a steep downhill, and then climb again. I had black bean chili for dinner. It was good, but spicy and messy, and made my nose run a lot!. A curious chipmunk and friendly bird were my camp companions. I felt full, washed up, checked my guidebook pages, and brushed my teeth. I was finished at 8pm, while the sun set on the other side of the woods.
What a day! I’m so glad I made the decision to hike Hope’s Pass! The beauty was unparalleled and I enjoyed hiking without constantly checking on where I was in the segment. Usually, it is the number of miles that I have left to go in any day that occupy most of my mind space. Today, I had no idea where I was going, and it felt different and more fun. And I felt very comfortable trusting that I was okay, and that I would receive help when I needed it! (A big step for me!) Only two more days until I reach the Hot Springs!

(The first gas canister that I bought in Denver still has gas in it!! And I’ve been carrying two extra half canisters for most of the time, as well…)

August 2, 2012

7.2 miles on CT + Mt. Elbert + 1.5 mile road walk (14 miles?)

I got up around 6- a bit of a late start to my 4,000 ft climb, but I also really needed the rest. As I got ready in my tent, I heard groups of loud men making their way towards Elbert. It made me feel behind! I got on the trail just after seven, and had it all to myself for awhile. I was breathing hard. My pack was too heavy with all the food I was carrying. I was glad no one could hear me. The same kind of friendly birds visited me again and I gladly welcomed the break.
As I continued the climb, I passed a man who was already dripping with sweat! He was overweight and wearing a cotton sweatshirt. His daughters ahead of him had to keep stopping to wait for him.

Once I got above treeline, more athletic people started passing me. This was the most crowded part of the trail that I encountered so far (actually, I wasn’t even on the CT at this point). There were many runners springing up the mountain and they made me so jealous! I so wished I could drop my pack and move faster! (I was also jealous that they lived in CO and were already acclimated to the altitude!). The temperature dropped and I decided to change into my long sleeved shirt along the side of the trail. Slowly, I plodded on…

A group of three teenagers came up behind me, talking about the Appalachian Mountains amongst themselves. One of them asked another what altitude we were now at. The girl thought we were at 12,500 feet. My spirits sunk a bit. It felt like we should be so close to the summit now! They scampered ahead, and I slowly marched on, stopping often to catch my breath.

It was growing colder, so I took out my liner gloves. At times, I took off my pack to let my shoulders rest for a minute. Each time I started again, the first 3-4 steps felt okay. And then, every time, my legs turned to lead. Ugh! This was the most physically demanding thing I had done in my life! I wished people at home could know how hard I was working and how much I was struggling. I wished they could send some encouragement…
I asked a man who had already reached the summit and who was on his way back down what time he started. I then asked him at what altitude we were now at. He pulled out his GPS. “Do you really want to know?”
“Yes.”
I still had over 1000 feet to climb! This mountain was killing me. Every now and then, in between moments of immense struggle, I was struck by feelings of incredible happiness. “I love climbing!” I would think to myself. And I would stop and look around at the views in all directions, totally amazed and in awe. Then I would try to lift my legs of lead and take a breath with my heavy lungs and take another step. Just another step… Slowly, slowly…

The three teenagers turned out to be a part of an outdoor group, lead by an extremely encouraging and nice man, who amazed me with the amount of energy he had. His 11 year old daughter was hiking with them, and he would call out, “C’mon, love! You can do it!” I imagined that someone was also calling me “love” and encouraging me on, which helped me a lot. We were now in the rocky territory and found ourselves off the path, scrambling over small boulders and loose rock. I lost my balance a couple of times and nearly fell backwards! I wasn’t totally in control…
After several minutes, we re-found the trail and the leader of the group apologized to me for getting us off-track. They went on, and I slowly put one foot in front of the other, stopping often to take pictures of the incredible views. I lost sight of the group and could not see how far ahead the summit was. Ahead, a girl was sitting on a rock, not looking well. I think the altitude and all the work of climbing this mountain was really affecting her. Luckily, she had a guy to look after her.
Once again, I found myself all alone. I couldn’t hear or see anyone! I figured I must be nearing the top, though!
And then…at last, I saw a group of people! I had done it! I made it to the top of the mountain! Tears welled up in my eyes. I felt so much more emotion that I did when I reached the summit of Mt. Katahdin at the end of the Appalachian Trail. This was the hardest climb of my life (because of the altitude) and I did it all alone! (and completely voluntarily)

I asked the nice group leader if he could take my picture. He told me to “flex those muscles, girl!”. I told him how his encouragement to his group had also helped me, and that I was impressed with the amount of energy he had. He made a phone call to his wife and called her “love”, as well. (My kind of man!)

Two college guys had made it to the top from the south trail and were taking pictures of each other doing push-ups. When I saw that, I laughed, and remembered I had imagined people taking pictures of me doing yoga poses along the way, but had not yet had the chance. So, I asked them if they were willing. They were more than happy to oblige.

I continually put on and took off layers, texted a couple of summit pictures, chatted with the guys, and then, still wanting to linger, but also noticing the big black clouds coming in, I started down.

A lady who was climbing up, stopped to talk to me. When I told her I was thru-hiking (I was the only person climbing with a full pack), she gasped and said, “I want to touch you!”. She was so thrilled about what I was doing. (To me, this was just a baby hike…) She told me that her husband was riding in the Denver-Durango bike race, and she was out here to support him.
I passed many people who were still making their way up. I had reached the summit at 10:15 and started my way down at 10:45 in order to get to treeline by early afternoon to escape the storms.
I spotted a deer in a field as I got closer to treeline.


Once I was back in the woods, it began to rain and then hailed! I was glad I had made it through the exposed part. My stomach had been hurting on the way up and continued to hurt on the way down, as well (I later found out this is one of the symptoms of altitude sickness). My pack felt so heavy, and I had to stop often to give my shoulders a break. I felt so tired!
Once I reached the trailhead, I sat down and ate a snack. A father and his two young children came riding in on their ATVs. I pressed on, through the woods, headed towards Twin Lakes, where I would have to walk a mile off the trail to pick up my next resupply box. Part of me wanted to stay in Twin Lakes and watch the Olympics, but another part of me didn’t want to spend the money, knowing I would have another place to spend the night not too far ahead.
Three mountain bikers headed towards me and I stepped aside to let them pass. “Hey, Thank you!” the leader said to me with a nice smile. All three of them were cute. It gave me a boost!

I reached the highway at 2:49 and headed towards Twin Lakes. Non-CT miles are so much harder!
It took me 25 minutes to reach the store. I wished someone would take pity on me and pick me up, but no one did… The rain had started coming down again along the way. The Travel Lodge had a sign reading “No vacancy” and the Wind-Spirit Cabins were also full. My spirits sank. I was tired and down and did not want to walk back to the trail and camp.
Luckily, the lady at the store was nice. When I asked her for my box, she told me that I looked too pretty and clean to be a hiker! I told her I definitely didn’t feel that way… She gave me the number for a place to stay that was 1/4 of a mile up the hill. Luckily, they had a room for me! First, though, I had to sort through all of my food and resupplies again. I sat on the floor of the store and spread my things at. (This can be an overwhelming task…!). What do I need for the next section, what is worth the cost of mailing back home, and what do I want to donate to other hikers? An older man, who was training for a 100 mile trail race chatted with me as I sorted. He was impressed with what I was doing because, unlike him, I stay out in the elements, while he stays indoors each night, eats real food, and showers. He talked about the daily threat of lightening and I brushed it off. “You’re a trip!” he said. “Lightning doesn’t scare you!”.
I sent two small boxes back home (they didn’t have any postal boxes), and headed out in the rain to walk up the hill to my cabin. (I got a bit scared about what I would be renting based on what I saw along the way). A nice,older man greeted me and brought me to the cabins. He opened the door to my room, and I quickly scanned it, not seeing a TV. “Is there a TV in the main part?” I asked, sheepishly.
“You want to watch the Olympics, don’t you?”.
(How did he know?). “Yes,” I nodded.
He told me I was welcome to come over and watch them in his living room. I took a shower and was so happy to see that they had both shampoo and conditioner! I had noticeably lost a lot of weight already. I took out my contacts, ate a snickers bar, and then realized that I could make a pot of soup on the stove! (So convenient and civilized!). I checked facebook and sent out a few e-mails to let people know I was okay, then headed over to the man’s living room to watch the Olympics! His little dog kept climbing into my lap and sniffing me. His lady friend joined us and we all struggled to keep our eyes open until the end (I hoped I wasn’t keeping them up!). I was so tired that I wished I could sleep for 10-15 hours!

Around 2 in the morning, I woke to sounds of some kind of animal trying to eat the food in my ziplock bags! (and I swore I saw a medium sized animal dart across the floor! I got up, stashed all of my food back into my Ursack, and tried to go back to sleep. The animal(s) continued to make noises throughout the night! Still, it felt good to sleep in a bed.

August 1, 2012

About 17 miles

There are several opportunities to take side trails and climb 14,000+ feet peaks from various parts of the trail. In my preparation guidebook, the author interviewed past thru-hikers and asked them which, if any, side trips they had taken. Several had mentioned that they had climbed Mt. Massive, and that was in the back of my mind to do, as well.
I headed out just after 7, with 12-13 miles to hike until I reached the intersection to the Mt. Massive turn-off (not good timing at all!).
During my walk, I came across a couple of grouse walking on the trail ahead of me. Seeing animals is my favorite part of hiking. And for the first time, I saw a male grouse with his tail feathers fanned out, in hot pursuit of a female who wanted nothing to do with him! It was very amusing to watch.

I traveled through more forest, as well as some very dry, arid sections.

At 1:20, I reached the turn-off to Mt. Massive. It had started to rain, and things weren’t looking good for me in terms of climbing this mountain. I also had no idea how tall it was, what altitude I was currently at, or how long it would take to climb it! I decided to call Laura and see if she could google some information on it for me. She did not answer either her work or cellphone, however. Then, I realized that if I had reception to call her, I could just google it myself on my iphone! I discovered that it was indeed a 14,000+ foot mountain, which is never smart to climb on any afternoon, never mind an already rainy one! I looked up at the skies and saw more black clouds. I would have to give up this side trail, and I felt greatly disappointed. I sat in the rain, studying my guidebook, and discovered that Mt. Elbert was only several miles from where I was! Mt. Elbert is the second highest mountain in the lower 48 states (after Mt. Whitney) and I was definitely going to climb it! I hadn’t realized that I would be coming upon it so soon, however! Although I wouldn’t be able to climb Mt. Massive, I could set myself up within striking distance to climb Elbert the following day.
I passed a large group of teenaged girls marching along in the rain and eventually made it to a road and the end of segment 10. Two cyclists were looking for the point at which the Colorado Trail picked up again, and I pointed it out to them. We all took a break by the river, joining a third cyclist who was already resting. I collected water and listened to the banter of the cyclists as I filtered. They were also participating in the Denver-Durango race, but were traveling towards the back of the pack. And they didn’t care to chat with me. (I find that it is the most athletic and in control people who have the most left-over to give to others). I felt lonely among them.
After they took off, I got out my maps and guidebook pages to try to figure out which trail I wanted to take up Mt. Elbert (the north or the south) and where I should camp. In a third of a mile, I reached the turn-off to the Mt. Elbert trailhead. Two day hikers were hiking toward me, and I asked them if they had just hiked Mt. Elbert, “Yes, we did!”. I told them my situation and asked them for their advice on which trail to take. They were quite friendly. I decided to take the north trail off mile 1.3 of the 11th segment of the Colorado Trail, and descend the South trail, rejoining the CT at mile 4.5. THis would mean that I would have to climb Mt. Elbert with my full pack! I hiked on and ran into another person who was just finishing his Mt. Elbert climb. He asked me if I was trying to head up the mountain tonight.
I began to look for a place to camp, although part of me wanted to press on and get a better head-start on tomorrow’s climb. As I looked down into a valley below, I saw what looked like good camping territory. I paused and thought about what to do. Stop, or continue?
I decided to check it out. It started to sprinkle and thunder rumbled. I looked at my options for setting up and went back and forth between a couple of places. I had to hurry! As soon as I got my tent staked, the rain fell harder, and all of a sudden, hail pelted the ground! I would not be having dinner again… I hunkered down and waited out the storm. For the next 2 hours, it rained, thundered, and lightninged. Some water leaked into my tent, but it was containable. The pine trees never stopped dripping, just as they had not the night before I reached Tennessee Pass. I got out of my tent at 8pm to brush my teeth and go to the bathroom. The end of my sleeping bag had gotten a bit wet, but it wasn’t bad.
At 1:30 in the morning, I heard a loud group of girls walking along the trail above me! Maybe they were heading to watch the sun rise on top of Mt. Elbert?

July 31

about 11 miles

I was hoping to be able to talk with my Swiss friend yesterday, but his busy social schedule wouldn’t allow for it. Today, he had to leave at 8am (my time) for a barbecue. Breakfast started at 7:30am. I needed to wake up early so I could talk with him and then get breakfast, but I was SO tired (as well as hungry)! I really needed to sleep more.
I finally woke up and called him. The conversation started out okay, but I ended up crying for awhile. The owner of the hostel (the same guy who had yelled at me the night before for lying on the couch) opened the door to my room and told me that breakfast was being served and that I needed to come upstairs. He asked if I was talking to someone on the phone and it blew his mind when I told him yes (I wonder what he would have thought if I told him I was talking to someone in Switzerland!). I was so tired, and so sad and ending the phone call was particularly hard. I made my way upstairs, got a piece of gluten-free egg casserole, a slice of watermelon, and a cup of coffee. I didn’t feel like chatting. There were still tears on my face, but Chad and Jasmine were at the table and they love to talk! I didn’t want to seem rude and interrupt them to get seconds, so I just nursed my coffee and listened to their stories. By the time I got to go back to the kitchen, they were putting breakfast away. I didn’t eat nearly enough.
I had to decide if I was going to spend another day at the hostel and rest, or head back to the trail. If we were checking-out, they needed us to strip the beds and give them their sheets. I asked for a half an hour to think. Downstairs, Chad, Jasmine, and Andrew were all busy sorting through their belongs and food. Stuff was all over the place! Decisions had to be made, and food bought at the stores had to be repackaged. And then, somehow, it all had to be fit back in our (relatively) small backpacks! Almost a miracle! It amused me to see the time it took others to deal with this part of the trip, and being with them calmed me down a bit. This was hard for all of us! I relaxed and chatted with them, wondering what I should do, and finally decided that if they were heading out, I might as well, too. I really enjoyed their company and didn’t want to be here without them. Before I packed up, though, I needed another shower!

The owner, Bill, drove Chad and Jasmine to their drop-off point, and Andrew headed to the post office to send his bounce box further up the trail and then hitch ahead. (I had given him some powdered milk and other things I didn’t need and he gave me some of his dehydrated strawberries in return!). I was left to wait until Bill got back. I tried to catch up on my journaling, but the longer I had to wait, the more antsy I felt. My hiking time was diminishing! Bill finally returned and I paid him for the stay, the laundry detergent, the breakfast, and he charged me $11 for the ride back to the trail and $5 for the ride in (even though Howard was already there to deliver the trail magic!).

At 1pm, Howard drove me back to the trail in silence. I thanked him and said goodbye, and began my climb. Soon after, I saw the bin of trail magic and pulled out a Hostess snack for later. (While it’s nice they put out snacks for us, coming out of town is when we least need extra food! I found another swing on the side of the trail and went to sit on it and relax for a bit.

After continuing on for a bit, a mountain biker approached me from behind. I stepped to the side to let her pass and she thanked me. I knew she was in the race (part of the reason I wanted to get back on the trail today was to be able to see some of the racers). She was wearing long, green socks up to her knees and her hair was in braids. Her gear was extremely minimal. The trail descended to a flat spot in the woods, and there was a wooden bridge nearby. I saw a bike and then saw the woman sitting beside the creek, filtering her water. I walked onto the bridge and said hi, excited for the chance to talk with her. I asked her where in the pack she thought she was. She had no idea (it turns out that she was the lead female). We chatted for a bit, and I didn’t feel like I was holding her back at all, since she was filtering her water the entire time. It was interesting for me to hear about what the race was like for them. She said she got most lonely during the dusk, and missed her boyfriend, but once it was completely dark, she felt okay again. I asked her if she hallucinated during the race and she admitted that she did. I told her about running into Chad and she said she would look out for him. She thought that what I was doing was cool, as well. She lived in Durango. Another racer from South Africa passed us as we talked. He didn’t need to stop for water. Since bikes aren’t allowed in the Wilderness sections of the Colorado Trail, the racers had to take detours on roads, and since I was headed into one of these sections, I didn’t know if I would have the chance to run into anymore of them again. I said goodbye, wished her luck, and continued on.

Sometime later, I passed a group of 5 guys who were stopped along the side of the trail. I didn’t know which way they were hiking. They weren’t very friendly. Most did not even say hi. I walked on, and started the climb. My breathing was labored and one of the guys (a college-age kid) passed me. I couldn’t even hear him breathing! (How is that possible?). I maintained the second position. At the top of the climb, he hopped up onto a large rock, threw his arms into the air, and let out a roar. “It doesn’t get better than this!” he said as I approached. (Personally, I’ve seen much better views…)
Realizing the opportunity to have my picture taken on the trail for the first time since the start, I asked the kid if he could take my picture. He happily obliged. “Love it,” he said, as I struck my poses on top of the rock. He told me that his group was hiking the trail one week per year. It would take them five years to complete. I was happy that I got the chance to hike it all in one shot. When I told him that I hiked the Appalachian Trail, he was completely amazed. I thought that was funny, since to me, hiking in the West seems much more grand and remote, with much higher mountains, but the Appalachian Trail seems to hold a certain kind of mysticism for people out here- most who have only heard stories about it.

His father approached the rock and we continued onto (what they thought was) Porcupine Lake (which turned out to be a dot in the distance!), where they planned to camp.

I had wanted to take a break there, but felt like I should continue on to have a bit of space. The father asked me if I was out here for “a college project.” (!) I told him, I had finished college a LONG time ago…
Amusing.
I found a nice rock to sit on and have a snack.

And then I continued walking.

After nearly 2 miles, I saw water and smelled a campfire! It seemed so homey- and so unusual! I could see the smoke as I walked further on, and then saw tents and a women and two younger girls cooking dinner. I had hoped to camp here, as well, but there didn’t seem to be any more sites left.

Dejectedly, I collected and filtered water from the lake and pressed on a little further, not knowing if I would find any suitable ground. The trail would climb for the next mile and then reach tundra again. I definitely needed to stop before treeline. There were no potential camping spots, so I just set up my tent on some plants in the woods, and took my food bag to the trail to eat some snacks. I checked my phone and saw that I had reception here! My “friend” from home had texted me, asking me where I was. He said to talk to him about gear. “I told you I’d hook you up!” So, I asked him if he would be willing to buy me some new crocs, since I wasn’t able to get them in Leadville. We texted for a bit, and I was happy to have some company. When someone shows you that they are thinking about you, at any time, it gives you a boost, but the effect is even more dramatic and appreciated when you are alone, out in the elements, and hiking all day long. It is so much work to do this! It’s so much harder in some ways than regular life, but also more rewarding in the end. However, it is definitely not like being on vacation. The physical level of exertion is strenuous, and constant, and any bits of encouragement along the way are immensely appreciated. (I tried telling this to a couple of my friends, but the message didn’t seem to have been received).
It rained throughout the night, thunder rumbled, and lightning struck in the distance. I was sleeping all alone, at an elevation of over 11,000 feet. Luckily, I didn’t have as many problems with water coming into my tent as I did two nights ago!

July 30

4.8 miles

I had a very elaborate dream starting around 5-something in the morning, and I didn’t wake up again until 6:39- my latest yet on the trail! It was okay, though. I only had to hike just under 5 miles to get to the road that I would be hitching into town from. I ate a tiny bit while sitting in my sleeping bag and noticed that my hair was looking worse than ever (I had gotten my hair cut before I left for the hike and asked her to cut an inch off. She ended up chopping off 8 inches of my hair, with an even shorter layer all around my head!!! So bad!). But today, I decided not to care. No one was going to see me, anyway. I packed up all of my wet stuff, and started walking around 7:30. The miles were pretty easy, but I had to remind myself not to try to go too fast, as 5 miles was still a decent distance to walk. I made it to the first (small) highway, and then crossed the railroad tracks.

I saw a black Mary-Jane croc hanging on top of a wooden post on the other side of the train tracks! My first thought was that was someone had found my lost Croc and left it for me where I could see it! Then, I realized that didn’t make any sense, because I had lost it miles back. I went to take a look at it. It looked very small for being a size 7 1/2, and was a different style than mine, but what a miracle it would be if it were the opposite shoe of the one I still had! I took it off the post and set my pack down beside a large cairn of rocks to take my Croc out of my pack. It turned out to be the same foot as the other one. Too bad! Because my pack was off, I decided I might as well eat a power bar.
As I was eating, a cyclist walked towards me, crossing over the traintracks a few hundred feet above where the trail crossed, carrying his bike over his shoulder. “What’s going on?” he called to me in a southern accent. “Nothing…” (I never know how to respond to greeting such as ‘What’s up?’).
“This grass is wet. Now my shoes are wet,” he complained. I thought to myself, “if you were walking on the actual trail, they wouldn’t be wet!”.
I saw gear on his bike and asked him if he camped last night. “If you call 48 minutes camping, then yes.”
Knowing that the Denver-Durango bike race started that morning, I asked him if he was racing. He said yes, but I was confused as to how he could already be 140 miles into the race. He told me that registration was full when he entered, so he was doing the race on a time trial basis and started 2 days before the field. He asked me if I had seen another biker pass through this morning ahead of him. (I had not). He told me that he was chasing down his tracks and almost took me out when he saw me, thinking that I was his competitor. He complained about the heaviness of his gear and how it was slowing him down.
“Let’s have some fun,” he said, taking off his pack to let me see how heavy it was.
He told me that he didn’t have money to buy lighter gear, and that he ran out of gas money on the way to Denver and had to have his brother wire him money from Japan. He was going to try to make it to Durango with the $80 he had left! I was in disbelief. I asked him if he needed any water or food and he ended up taking some of my water (later, I realized this was probably against the rules of a self-supported race).
As he got back on his bike, he said, “I would stay and play, but I have my ego to stroke!”
He started to pedal away, calling back, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m walking from Denver to Durango!”
“I love you!” he yelled back. “What’s your name?”

He took off, and I walked on, thinking about guys and their egos. I wished I could tell him, “More heart, less ego…”
I walked through a meadow and heard a dog barking in the distance. I wished the owner would quiet him down! The howling had its own echo. Then, I saw the shape of a grey canine in the far distance and realized it wasn’t a dog making those sounds. It was a wolf! My very first wolf! Wow! As I walked on, I thought about the bike race . All of a sudden, a bird flew right next to my head! I couldn’t believe it! This was the first bird who was not scared of me at all! It flittered around me, hopping from branch to branch. I stayed, talking to him for a little while.

Looking ahead, I saw the cyclist at the edge of the meadow, leading into the woods! How could that be? He should have been so far ahead of me! His bike was pointed in my direction, and he looked disoriented. Maybe he decided that he wanted to hang out with me after all! Then, he turned around and headed into the forest…
A little ways after I made it into the forest, I saw his bike in the woods. Then, I saw him peeing. I put my head down and kept walking. When he caught up to me, he said, “You walk fast! How fast do you walk?” “I was trying to put some electrolytes in the water you gave me, but they kept falling on the ground.” He ended up riding his bike alongside me until we made it to Tennessee Pass. He said he didn’t know why, but he felt that he should hang out with me. We talked about the good things that happen while out here in a vulnerable state (spiritual moments), our crooked spines, yoga, and awareness. He told me that I am “open and strong.” He talked about how he had lost many years of his life with a crushed spirit and how he needed to come out here more than anything. I told him I knew exactly what he was talking about. I too, had given up far too much of my life. He told me that he wasn’t sure if he should come out here with no money, but kept receiving the message, “Go and you will be taken care of”.
We reached Tennessee Pass, where I had to try to hitch a ride 9 miles into the town of Leadville, and we exchanged numbers. We then sat on some wooden steps for a little break before he continued on. He took out his left-over french fries from his stop at Copperhead Resort, where the waitress let him sleep for awhile in the booth. He commented on my shaved legs, checked out my shoes and socks, and we told each other our bear stories. Then, an SUV pulled into the parking lot and the driver proceeded to pick up speed as it headed straight through the puddles, splashing mud all over! “No! Not on my pack!” He turned around and did it again before stopping the vehicle. Chad told me not to give him any eye contact. He then took a large tupperware bin out of the back and told us he was delivering trail magic from Leadville Hostel. My ears pricked up. “That’s where I’m going!”
“That’s your ride!” said Chad.
Howard wheeled the bucket of candy and soda a few hundred feet up the trail while Chad and I finished our conversation. The same kind of bird that flew so close to my head was now nibbling on Chad’s french fries. “I want a hug before you go,” he said.
I asked him if he wanted $20 and he said no- that my company was more than enough. But he asked if I could take some of his extra food and mail it ahead for him. It took awhile for him to figure out where he wanted it sent. I suggested Mt. Princeton Hot Springs because it was right on the trail, but he wanted it sent to Buena Vista, a little ways ahead.
“Crazy Howard” and I took off and headed into town. He asked me if there was anything I needed to buy in town. I told him I was hoping to buy a new pair of Crocs, and he suggested that I check out the thrift shop. (Really?? The thrift shop? The outfitter doesn’t have them?). We arrived at the hostel, and he showed me the hooks in the garage for hanging our tents and sleeping bags to air out, and then took me down to the bunk room. I wanted breakfast more than I wanted a shower, so I headed downtown to eat, calling Laura on the way. It was the first time I had gotten ahold of her on the trip. It turned out that I was 10 minutes too late for breakfast, which greatly disappointed me. I love breakfast food the most!
I ordered a chicken BLT and white bean soup. The party of 3 that were seated next to me, asked to be moved…
For desert, I had a huge brownie with cinnamon ice cream. Some middle-aged woman seated near me were ogling it the whole time. It was too big for me to finish!
I headed out, found a store to buy Chad some extra treats and a postcard to add to his own food, walked to the post office, and waited in a long line. It began pouring rain outside! After I mailed his package, I headed to the outfitters. They had almost nothing there! I couldn’t believe it! A Colorado trail town with outdoorsy people constantly coming through and your best bet to find something was a thrift store? I bought another canister of fuel for my stove and headed back down the street. (Along the way, I checked out the thrift stores and also found nothing that I needed). I returned to the hostel and started on my next chore-laundry!
In the upstairs hang-out room in the hostel, I met Jasmine and Chad, a couple who had hiked the PCT a couple of years ago and who were now hiking as much of the Colorado Trail as they could before getting off to go to a wedding. They were very nice, relaxed, and easy to talk to. We talked about our long hikes and people we knew in common. They were the very first thru-hikers I met on the Colorado Trail! They were father ahead on the trail than me and had come back to spend the night here from a different road, so unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to hike with them.
I tried to rest while my clothes were in the washer, but didn’t manage to fall asleep. By the time my clothes were dried, my little towel had disintegrated and my clothes didn’t smell any better than when they first went in! A kid in the hallway outside of my bunkroom, sorting through his stuff, asked me if I could watch it “in case anyone gets curious.” He turned out to be the 19 year old (actually 20 year old ) thru-hiker who was ahead of me! I met him without trying to catch him! He was also farther ahead on the trail, coming back to the hostel from the same place as Chad and Jasmine. I told him how I knew about him and we chatted for a bit. We had both been invited to join some others for dinner at a steak restaurant, but I wanted to eat sooner than later so that I could watch the Olympics (this was the first summer I would miss being able to watch them!) and I wasn’t loving the idea of steak. I told Andrew that he was welcome to join me if he wanted. I was going to head back to the place I had had lunch.
He did up joining me. I had my bacon cheeseburger and we had a nice chat. He needed to hike so many miles per day because he had to get back in time to start school again! I was glad that I didn’t have such a tight deadline.
I made it back to the hostel a little after the Olympics started. Chad had called me a couple of times, so I went out on the deck to talk to him and ended up missing synchronized diving. He sounded like he was hallucinating. It was crazy talk that I really couldn’t connect at all with, so I finally asked him if he was okay and if it would be okay if I watched the Olympics. He said he was always okay. The Olympics weren’t over until 11- several hours past my new bed-time and I was getting very tired. I lied down on the couch, as I continued watching the TV, but was sternly admonished by a man I had not been introduced to. “This isn’t a flop house! You have to sleep in one of the beds!”
I told him that I was awake and watching the Olympics. He said he was turning off the TV and told me to go downstairs. I sat up, stiff and upright, my eyes wide open. “Please let me watch the end.”
I got into my bunk at 11:15. I was completely exhausted and slept hard.

July 29

20.9 miles

I got up around 6, hit the trail just before 7, hiked down to the highway, crossed the highway, went up a grass embankment, and then… had no idea where to pick up the trail again! My guidebook said the trail skirted a golf course before heading back into the forest, and that it was well-marked. I looked over the landscape, deliberating about which direction to take. I was very confused! I was supposed to pass under some ski lifts at mile 1.6, saw some across the golf course, and thought about cutting across. Instead, I wound up lost in some uphill putting sections! Ugh! Time was passing and I was going absolutely nowhere! I backtracked and came out to field level again, luckily seeing a post with a CT sign from a distance! Finally, I found the trail into the forest, ascended the switchbacks, and eventually passed under a series of chairlifts.
After emerging from the other side of the forest, a woman who was walking her dog came around the corner,startling me. She commented to the dog that someone was walking on his path… There were condos on the other side. I came to Copperhead Ski Resort, which reminded me of Switzerland and my Swiss friend. I thought it was a place he would definitely hang out at.
It would have been nice to get something to eat there, but I decided to save my money and time and continue on.

On the climb up the next hill, I stopped to put on my visor and sunscreen. A group of younger people started the climb after me and I quickly went on.

A bit later, I caught up to a father and son who were out on a day hike. They let me pass them as I was moving more quickly, but they passed me back after I took a break to eat a plum that I had brought from Breckenridge. They went up a grassy hill while I continued on the CT, into the woods, heading for my second long stretch (4.8 miles) of exposed terrain- Searle Pass.

I saw a ski hut in the evergreens, which again made me think of Switzerland. And then, I was out in the open again! My favorite part!

I got to the highest point that I could see, saw a nice flat rock to sit down on and have lunch, then looked behind me to see big, dark clouds! Oh, no… The wind quickly picked up, the temperature rapidly dropped, and it began sprinkling. So much for enjoying lunch… I put on my rain jacket and moved on.

The rain turned to hail… It pelted my hands and bare legs. All I could do was keep moving forward. I thought about people at home, enjoying themselves in comfort as the hail stung my skin. I wished I could enjoy the views in these open areas without racing away from storms! The hail eventually turned to rain, and then stopped altogether. I still hadn’t reached the highest part of this section at mile 12.3. I heard and saw both marmots and pikas. A family of 5 or so marmots poked their heads out of the rocks and watched me walk by. So cute!

Rain still sputtered and I continued to move.
I finally reached the high point, and the trail started to descend.

I could see treeline in the distance. Then, I saw flashes of lightning! I picked up my pace, hiking as fast as I could as lightning bolts flashed in the sky. Finally I made it to treeline- safety! The rain picked up in intensity again. Lightning was again striking.

I headed off the trail to 2 pine trees, which I felt were protecting me from the lightning and keeping me somewhat dry. I waited for 10 minutes until it seemed as though the storm was passing.

Again, I pressed on, downhill, heading towards a dirt road. And again, the rain started. I saw the headlights of a car approaching me. It passed me by without acknowledgement. I walked on a path along the road, in the rain, eventually crossing the road and heading towards the forest once again. I saw a flat spot underneath a couple of trees at the end of the road and thought about setting up camp there. But then I saw some spooky bunkers nearby, and decided it would be best to continue on! I climbed another mile. My guidebook said there was a great campsite 0.1 miles from this point, but I saw nothing! So, I pressed on, growing more tired, hungry, and demoralized by the minute. I reached a bench a few minutes later, pulled out a power bar, and wondered if I should change plans and try to hike 5 more miles and hitch the 9 miles into town tonight. I didn’t know if there were any camping spots in the next five miles. I would be exhausted and wouldn’t reach the trailhead until 7:30 (after having hiked 26 miles that day), but I would be able to spend the night out of the rain. I put my pack back on and pressed on. Not long after, I saw a bit of flat ground, looked into the woods in that direction and saw a place to camp! That was it! I was stopping for the day.
I had to set up my tent on some tree roots. I unpacked my sleeping bag, got things set up, then took my stove out to cook some dinner. It then started sprinkling again! Fine- I guess I will just rest in my tent for awhile…I tried to lie down and relax. I woke up about 20-30 minutes later to the sound of steadier rain. It was really starting to come down! And then, I noticed it flooding my tent- in all directions! My sleeping bag was getting wet (it’s really bad to get down wet because it loses its insulation properties and takes forever to dry!), and water was running underneath my sleeping pad! It was a nightmare! For the next 2 hours, I tried to triage the situation. I tried to mop up the puddles with toilet paper. I didn’t have my rain beak staked out, so I was trying to hold it away from the mesh wall of my tent to prevent more water from dripping in… I managed to nibble on a few snacks, but I didn’t feel very hungry. I was just exhausted.
At 8:00, I decided that the drops I heard falling on my tent were coming from the trees and that the rain had let up, so I got out to pee and brush my teeth. I tried to get some sleep, but all night long, water dripped on my tent from the pine needles above me.

This was a very difficult day! (And I managed to lose one of my Crocs, too…)

July 28

12.4 miles

I got up just after 7, with a lot on my mind. Not only did I still need to find a way to get my guidebook pages, but I also had an additional challenge. The next section involved an 8 mile climb up to 12,500 feet, with 4 miles of exposed terrain. Treeline would not be found until mile 9.9. Due to the daily storms and lightning, it isn’t smart to be above treeline in the afternoons, necessitating an early start. But getting out of town early is very hard to do. Breakfast wouldn’t be served until 8:30, and I still needed to have my pages faxed, and then pack everything up. The earliest possible bus I could take would get me to the trailhead at 10:30. I would hit the exposed terrain at the most dangerous time of day. I contemplated spending another day in town, but didn’t know if the hostel was fully booked or not.
Breakfast was good (scrambled eggs, coffee, a couple of small slices of fruit, and french toast), but the conversation was not very congenial. Half of the table were cyclists from New Zealand who came to tour the Colorado mountains, and the others were tourists on vacation. I was the only hiker. I tried talking to the cyclists, but it didn’t go anywhere, and no one was interested in what I was doing. I felt SO lonely in the midst of all these people and desperately missed the two Swiss guys that I ate dinner with in a hut on my last night of my hike in the Swiss Alps. They were so kind and friendly! (Why is this so rare?)
David faxed me the pages I needed, for which I was charged $1/page. (My saviour!) I re-packed everything and walked to the bus station. I decided that if the skies looked threatening, I could at least get six miles in. I was let out at Highway 9, just where I had crossed the road yesterday morning at 9:30 am- before walking a long way in the opposite direction of Breckenridge! Oh, well. I had to let that bad day go and open myself to a new start.
I began the climb (which always feels much better after having real food), and found a fork in the trail at mile 1. I took out my guidebook pages. They said nothing. A cyclist came up behind me and I asked him if the trail to the left was the CT. He told me there was a swing at the end of the path (not far away). He didn’t know who had put it there. “You’re almost at the top!” he called back as he sped away. I decided to check out the swing. (I don’t often take moments of pure relaxation). My mind contemplated how the person who was so mean to me and threatened never to talk to me again the night before my hike was the person offering to do the most for me a week later, and checking to see if I was alive and okay the most frequently. I found that to be so strange and confusing!

I continued on. The trail was steep and slow-going at times and I sometimes had to stop to catch my breath. And then, the trail started going down and down! I wasn’t sure I was on the right trail! I was certainly losing all of the altitude I had just worked so hard to gain! I passed some day hikers, who had no packs, as well as other people sitting down. In general, I felt strong and good, and was making good time. I sat down for a break at one point and looked at my sunburned wrist. It was bubbling! (I’m not used to such strong sun!)

Soon, I reached mile 6, where I had to decide if I was going to camp and get up early to do the 4 miles of exposed terrain, or risk the storms. The climb was getting steeper and steeper, and I had to rest more often. It started to sprinkle already, but there were some puffy clouds and blue sky in parts of the sky. I passed an obnoxious group of kids on mountain bikes, and then two tents and a barking dog who obviously didn’t want me there. I was now creeping up to tree line and decided that I would risk the pass!
As soon as I stepped into the tundra, I heard the familiar sound of marmots (that I had seen and heard in Switzerland)! How happy that made me! I felt at home! And the views were stunning! Finally! I could see a huge lake below me and beautiful mountains all around me.

I started climbing again, stopped, breathed, and continued again. (The altitude made climbing harder than I have ever experienced it before!) I continuously checked the sky. There were always some puffy, white clouds, and some darker clouds in another area of the sky. I could see rain over Breckenridge and some distant mountains. It looked very dark- almost black. Behind me, the sky was gorgeous! I hoped the wind was moving the good weather in my direction, or at least that the rain would stop by the time I made it farther along.
It did not. It started sprinkling again, and then the rain got steadier. I kept eying the krumholz, deciding I would dive into this low vegetation if lightning struck. The trail continued to climb. It was tough work! I had to stop often. It felt like I was only moving one mile per hour!

Finally, it started descending! And there was no lightning! I got lucky! Even though the views were obscured with the clouds, it was amazing to be in this exposed terrain. And it was just me out there! Just me, and the mountains, and the rain, and the birds, and the little pikas!

The skies darkened on the opposite side of the summit, so I decided to only sit down and eat a bite when I was closer to treeline.
The descent was steep and my knees were not happy. Finally, I was safely back among the trees!
I walked about 2 more miles and found a campsite just over the river and bridge. I heard sounds from the highway (0.4 miles away). I ate Thai noodles, a Hershey bar with almonds, and a power bar, and collected more water. It started to sprinkle again around 6:40, so I went inside my tent and journaled. The rain stopped about an hour later, so I went out to brush my teeth. The temperature had already dropped from 60 degrees to 50. It was 8:01 and I was ready for bed!
Tomorrow, I have a 13 mile climb!

July 27

6.8 miles + (a lot more…)

(Bad day 😦 )

I got up around 6, ate some granola in bed, packed up, and hit the trail at 7:07. Soon after, I heard some noise in the forest. I looked over to see the guy who had passed by last evening! So he didn’t make it to Breckenridge on day 6 after all! He waved and I continued on. My competitive instincts (which have been greatly reduced by my yoga practice) suddenly kicked in! I wasn’t going to let him catch me! I wanted to be the winner! 🙂
The power line that I was looking for last night turned out to be a long way away! I was glad I stopped where I did. I felt like I was moving very slowly. The sun started burning down again, so I put on sunscreen. I decided to wear my bandana instead of my visor because I was only hiking 6.8 miles. The route went up and down, and at one fork, I was very confused as to which way to go. I followed my instincts, and luckily chose correctly!
Later on, I saw a grey, tattered bandana on the ground, and nearby, a dead squirrel! That was an eerie site!


At last, I started descending the switchbacks overlooking a resort town.

As I made my way to the bottom, I saw a family fishing in the lake, walked around the lake to cross a bridge, then a road, and then another bridge. I thought I only had a 0.4 mile walk to the trailhead. I was wrong. I still needed to cross Highway 9- a major, very busy highway! I made it across, but was confused about where to go next. I almost started up the wrong trail and then realized the CT continued on the pavement, crossing a bridge. The guidebook said the end of the segment and trailhead was 1/2 mile after Highway 9, and the bus stop was supposedly a couple hundred yards away. I came to a trailhead much sooner than 1/2 mile and was confused again. I asked some people who were about to start a hike if they knew what this trailhead was called. They weren’t very nice and didn’t know the name of the trailhead. They just mumbled something about Pike’s Peak. I told them I needed to get the Summit Stage bus into Breckenridge. They pointed me in the direction I had just come from, but I thought it was further ahead. So, I kept walking- and walking- and walking, looking for another trailhead. There was no second trailhead- only runners and bikers on a path!

The sun continued to beat down on me. I was walking much further than the 6.8 miles I was supposed to have. I was demoralized, hot, and drained of energy. I finally asked a girl who was running where the next bus stop was. She said it was a mile away- in front of the high school. A mile! My guidebook was wrong! I had no choice but to keep going. I stopped in at a design center to ask where the high school was. When they found out what I was doing, the woman put her hands in prayer and bowed to me (!). Both the man and woman were in awe that I was doing this alone. She wanted to mountain bike the trail in the near future. At a garden center, I asked for directions again. Finally, I found the high school and fortunately didn’t have to wait too long at the stop. But the bus driver was so mean to me (three times)! He was extremely rude when I asked him which stop I should get off. At least there was a nice older couple who seemed interested in what I was doing.
After arriving at Breckenridge Station I used the restroom (I was very dehydrated!) and then asked the gondola entrance man where N.French St. was. It was far away! Finally, I found the hostel. No one seemed to be there. I went in and ended up startling the lady. She asked if I had a reservation. Not having had to make reservations at most of the places on the AT, I didn’t expect to do it out here, either. But this was a different situation. All summer long, mountain bikers and tourists were occupying hostels, as well as hikers. Only because of a cancellation that day, was I allowed to stay in one of the bunk beds. She asked if I had a package sent there and I said I did. However, they didn’t have it! They asked if I had sent it by US mail, telling me their residence wasn’t allowed to have US mail delivered there because it was a historical site. The post office most likely sent my box back home! There was only a small chance that they held it. I walked all the way to the post office, waited in the long line, told them my situation, and was immediately told (without checking) that my box was sent home. The lady then pulled out a town map, showing me where the grocery store was so I could buy new supplies there. I was so upset! I was dirty, exhausted, and now I didn’t have any of my food, supplies (including contacts and sunscreen), and most importantly my guidebook pages for the next section! On each side of the box, I had written “Hold for Hiker, ETA 7/28” and they just sent it back? Tears welled up in my eyes. The lady behind the counter told me this would make me stronger. As if I hadn’t already been through enough to make me strong…!
I walked back to the hostel, texted my “friend” to let him know the bad news and e-mailed Erik. My “friend” actually asked if he could fetch the box and Fed-ex it to me. Really? He would do that? I didn’t know anyone else in my life who would be willing to do that for me! (and this from the person who had ripped into me a week ago? Confusing…) I called my landlord and left him a message, asking him if the package had arrived back home.
I finally took a shower and headed off in search of a meal. I ended up going to a small, popular pizza and pasta place. I felt a bit lonely (it always feels lonely to be eating in a restaurant alone, while traveling, and everyone else has companions). I ordered a green salad and a glass of water to start. The waiter asked me if I wanted bread. “Is it free? Then, yes.” I ended up eating almost the entire basket! I wanted a slice or two of pizza, but they didn’t sell slices, so I ordered a chicken parmesan sandwich. While I waited, I kept eying the leftovers on other people’s tables, but refrained from asking if I could have them…I checked my e-mail and my landlord’s son had written back, telling me that they had my package and that he could ship it overnight! I could relax!
A party of three came in and sat down at the table to the right of me. The guy next to me kept looking at my sandwich and finally commented on how big it was and that I was making good progress! I responded, “I just hiked 105 miles!” The woman’s eyes grew wide and she started asking me questions. It was nice to have people to talk to. She said that I was the most fascinating person she had ever met because of what I was doing. She told me about their trips to Alaska and said that I would love it there. They each had a glass of wine, and after going back and forth on whether I should have one, too, I finally decided to order one. After hearing about my ordeal with my package, they were glad that I got myself some wine, too. While we ate, there was a tremendous hailstorm! Within minutes, the cars all had snow on their windshields, and a gushing river was racing down the sides of the street! I was so thankful that I was inside eating at this time!

Another hiking couple had also come into eat and were attracting the attention of their table neighbors. Finally, I saw some people like me! They were hiking the Continental Divide Trail (but only for 6 weeks). And they had the strength and discipline to come into town, eat as much as they could, resupply, and get back on the trail in the same day! That is never something I like to do.
The woman next to me continued to ask me questions. Her husband was embarrassed and thought she was bothering me, but I loved it! They got up and said goodbye. A few minutes later, the waitress came by to tell me that they paid for my meal! Incredible! I felt like this helped with the extra resupplies I now had to pay for.
I headed for the grocery store at the opposite end of town and checked my e-mail along the way. David had written again to tell me that my resupply box had actually not yet been returned (the box they had was the things I had sent back from Fairplay). I decided to turn around and walk all the way back to the post office to see if they would check General Delivery. (The post office was in the other direction…) They checked and it was not there. So, it was in transit back to my apartment.
I again headed all the way to the opposite end of town. The grocery store was expensive! I paid $30 for some power bars, a few candy bars, a couple pieces of fruit, sunscreen, and a cheap contact lens holder. I still had to figure out how to get copies of the guidebook pages that I needed. As I headed back to the hostel, it started storming again! Rain, thunder, and lightning! The hostel didn’t have a copy of the Colorado Trail guidebook. The woman called the Alpine Store to see if they had it, but they had sold their last copy that afternoon! How was it that I was hiking the Colorado Trail and could not find a copy of the guidebook in Colorado? In a town that was 3 1/2 miles away from the trail?
The Olympic Opening Ceremonies were on that night and I wanted to watch them. I expected them to start at 8pm, but they were starting at 6:30! I quickly headed back into town to find some dinner. The organic place that the hostel owners recommended was only open for lunch, so I continued on. It started raining again and I was having trouble finding a place. They were either too fancy, or too dumpy. I was getting cold and wet. I stopped in at an outfitter to see if they had the guidebook. They did not and recommended I try the bookstore. I went to the bookstore and saw that they were closed from July 27-31 and about to go out of business. Great! I was now very cold. I poked my head inside a tavern and they said I could sit at the bar. I ordered coffee and a giant bacon cheeseburger. I needed food and warmth. Luckily, it was happy hour, so it only cost me $11.37!
I returned to the hostel and, all night long, made phone calls, wrote e-mails, and sent texts (which cost me money) to people back home to see if someone could find my guidebook and copy the pages I needed. All I wanted to do was relax and watch the Opening Ceremonies, but I was not able to see them at all. My guidebook was not in my desk drawer at work, so it must have been in my apartment. My landlord had to search my messy apartment for it (I told him it was probably in one of 2 places), and once he found it, had to drive to his workplace and scan the needed pages. He e-mailed them to me, but because the files were too large, I got nothing! All night long, I worked on this problem and didn’t get into my bunk until after 11pm. A traveling couple came into the room after midnight, making sounds throughout the night. The man was snoring, kept scratching himself, tossed and turned, and people would get up to go to the bathroom. Although my sleep was very broken and disturbed, I slept harder than I had all week in the moments that I did sleep.
Today was a very tough day!