August 14

10.8 miles

I got up at 6:30, ate a quick breakfast, and packed up, ready to hike the 10.8 miles to the highway, where I would attempt to get a hitch into Lake City (I had heard this was a very difficult hitch! One guy waited 2 hours!). It was cold and I had all of my layers on. I said goodbye to the couple and said I might see them on the road because I’d probably still be there waiting for a ride. Holly thought I would make it into town in time to have breakfast. “I wish!” But alas, that was not possible… She invited me to join them for their morning coffee, but saw that I looked ready to go and let me be on my way. Last evening, they commented on how beautiful their campsite was, but I didn’t see anything different about it than any other campsite. In the morning, however, once the clouds had cleared, I saw beautiful red rock walls. It was much nicer than where I had camped in the pines!
I stepped over the stream and started my climb. I got warm very quickly and had to stop shortly after to peel off some layers.

I continued up the switchbacks, seeing a peak in front of me, but not able to determine where this path was taking me. Once I found my way around the peak, I entered into more of a bowl in the mountains and even saw a couple of deer (or elk?) at the edge of the forest! I stopped to eat a snack, take off more layers, and resumed the climb, eventually reaching alpine territory again. At this altitude, the temperature had become very cold! I loved walking in the bowl I was in, traversing a path under the rim with beautiful views all around me. It reminded me of Switzerland again.

I headed towards the next saddle, very cold, but not wanting to stop to put on layers again. When I started descending to the other side, I could see clouds in the distance that were below me. It was a beautiful, peaceful sight!

Scraggly bushes lined the trail, and as I made my way through them, my legs got very wet from the dew, and it felt like they were being scratched. I just kept going.

Around six miles into the hike, I felt extremely and unusually tired. I walked over a rocky region and could see an intersection in the distance. I decided to reach that point and then take a little break. I found a place that was out of the direct path of wind, and ate a packet of almond butter and a snickers. I wondered why my energy level was so low. It seemed a bit alarming. My stomach hurt a bit, as well. I continuing walking underneath some rock cliffs and imagined that I could be in Ireland.

Then, I approached an alpine pond.

I wanted to wait until I came to the stream to collect more water. Something had been hurting on the bottom of my foot, almost as if there was something in my shoe or sock, and I couldn’t wait to take a break and see if I could figure out what it was. Ahead, I saw a lone figure standing in the meadow. It seemed to be some kind of animal, but I couldn’t tell what it was.
Finally, I reached the little stream. The animal was still there. I hoped I wouldn’t scare it away with my movements before I had a chance to see it! Collecting water was a slow process as there was only a dribbling flow. I took off my sock, but couldn’t tell what was bothering my foot. I just had to hope that it could take the pain for 5 more miles. I filtered my water, packed everything up, and then resumed my walk, at last reaching the grazing animal. It was a lone sheep! What was it doing out here all by its self? It wasn’t at all scared or concerned about me.

I continued on through Snow Mesa- 3.3 miles of huge, fairly flat expanse at an altitude of over 12,000 feet. It was almost like a Stars Wars kind of landscape. Funny bugs would hop onto the trail, right in front of me, and then spasm with fright and jump away. It was very amusing!

Snow Mesa kept going and going… I could see nothing in front of me but huge grassy expanses with mountains in the far distance.

Then, a lone male hiker headed towards me. He looked a bit like Waldo and was very interested in telling me where I could get water ahead! I told him that I was all set- I had just collected water and was headed to Lake City. (It’s funny how all these northbound hikers feel the need to tell me things like this. I guess maybe they like to get information from people who are walking in the opposite direction, but I get along just fine with only my guidebook!).
On and on, I walked. Finally, I reached the rim of Snow Mesa!

I looked down and saw that it was very rocky below and I knew it would be slow-going. More pikas were squeaking in the rocks and I felt sad that I would only have a few more chances to be among these creatures.
At last, I reached the safety of the pine trees, once again!

For all of the beauty of the open, alpine environments, there is an equal amount of stress that comes with hiking through them, as you are always racing to escape the possible lightning.

I had a couple more miles of descending before I would reach the highway. I could see the road and cars passing along it already. I tried to keep my pace steady, even though I wanted to reach the road as quickly as possible. As I neared the road, I saw a parking lot across the street, and a black SUV. Part of me hoped that my “friend” had at last come to meet me and help me out by giving me a ride into town! I reached the road at 1pm, and kept my eye on the vehicle. It didn’t move. I took my pack off, and stuck out my thumb. No cars stopped. A construction crew was nearby and I could hear them talking about me, wondering what I was doing and where I wanted to get to. Lake City was about 17 miles away, but in two direction along the highway. A car pulled out of the parking lot and headed past me. I stuck out my thumb, but the lady driving just smiled at me. Then, I saw some people headed to the black SUV! Maybe I should ask them if they could give me a ride! The woman and younger girl used the restroom and took their time getting into the car. I decided not to bother them. I continued trying to hitch, but still, no one wanted to stop. The, the black SUV pulled out of the lot. It sat facing the highway, not moving. The driver was looking at me. I wondered why he couldn’t just pull over to me. It seemed like he wanted to say something to me, but was frustrated because he was too far away to be heard. “Are you going to Lake City?” he called out.
“Yes!” I excitedly answered. He motioned me over. I threw on my pack and dashed across the highway, happily moving as fast as I could to their car. Without any hesitation, he helped me put my pack and poles in the back seat, next to the girl. He asked if I was hiking the CT and said they had just dropped off 2 CT hikers and picked one up. It took me a long time to understand who the girl next to me was, and who the hikers they had dropped off were, and how they were related. I finally understood that they had dropped off their son and his girlfriend who were hiking most of the trail this year, and the girl next to me was their friend, who had hiked the last section with them and was now being brought home with the parents. She was hiking the CT in sections. I felt very comfortable and happy with these people, and so grateful for the ride. The timing had worked out perfectly! The parents talked a lot about wanting their college-aged son to find something that made him happy. I am always, always struck and surprised to hear parents express these kinds of sentiments about their children, because it is something that I did not experience from my parents at all (quite the opposite, in fact). We talked about the AT and PCT, as well.

We reached Lake City and they dropped me off in the center of town, across from the Silver Spur Motel. I had been having a hard time deciding if I wanted to stay at the hostel, or pay more money to stay at a motel where I could have my own room and privacy. I opted with privacy, as that was what I was feeling like I needed the most. It took me awhile to find the “office” of the motel. It turned out to be the check-out counter of the store. Two guys outside of the store with their dogs said hi to me and asked me what I was doing. We chatted for a bit. They were from Fort Collins and out here driving from mountain to mountain, climbing several of the 14,000 footers. I told them that I think I would prefer what they were doing because they got to see all of the best views, and got a huge feeling of accomplishment after reaching the summit of each mountain they climbed. A lot of thru-hiking is walking through forested areas or plains, where you don’t get to see so much.
I got a room, which turned out to be extremely basic, but it would do. I took a shower and was surprised that it didn’t feel nearly as luxurious or necessary after hiking for six days and 105 miles! I was proud of myself for not wanting to reach town any sooner than I had come to it. I had made good on my intention and was happier for it.
Clouds had rolled in and it looked like it was about to rain. I put on my rain gear and walked the half mile or so to the post office to pick up my package. The woman who worked there was very nice!

I then headed over to the Soup Kitchen, where one previous thru-hiker had mentioned that he had had his best meal on the trail! Unfortunately, it was after three and they had just closed! The lady said they would be open for the buffet at 5:30. I felt disappointed, but there was nothing I could do about it. I started the walk back to my room. Along the way, a car stopped and the woman in the passenger seat asked if they could give me a ride. I said I was fine and that I was only going to the store. The man seemed impatient and nearly drove over my foot a few times, wanting to take off! The woman said she would be back…
When I was almost there, she beeped and pulled up to me. I got in, even though I was merely feet away. I told her what I was doing out here and thanked her many times for her kindness and the ride. She told me that she could never do what I was doing and that she was so happy that she got to meet someone like me!
I ended up getting lunch at a little outdoor place near my motel. They were out of chicken, so I got a turkey sandwich with chips. It was good! I bought I raspberry square for dessert and brought it with me to the coffee shop to have with a latte. I sat inside at a big table and was joined by two older gentlemen who were seated outside at first, but had come in because of the weather. I was perfectly content. At one point, I saw two hikers in rain gear with bright orange pack covers walking down the street. Buzz and Holly! They had reached town 2 hours after me. I went out to try to call to them, but they were already too far down the road. I went back inside and finished my snack.
The hostel was next door and the owner was outside his truck, working with a pile of wood. I asked him about getting a ride back to the trail, but he said he couldn’t give me one (even if I paid him) if I wasn’t staying at the hostel. He did give me the number of a woman in town who gave rides to hikers and told me to get back to him if I still needed help.
The Fort Collins guys were packing up their car in front of the store and were friendly to me again. I stopped and chatted with them for awhile. One was particularly nice. They were on their way to Silverton, which I was, as well, but I would take a lot longer to get there on foot, and they would unfortunately no longer be there by the time I arrived. So, we wished each other goodbye. I went back to my room, hand-washed some of my clothes in the sink, left a message with the ride lady, and tried to rest for a bit. It was difficult again! It is amazing to me how little I sleep on these thru-hikes, even when I come into town! It is completely opposite to my non-thru-hiking life, where I could easily sleep 10 hours a night, take 2 two hour naps during the day (even right after drinking a coffee) and still never feel rested! I think when I turn my body into a hiking machine, it wants to stay active! And sleeping in a new (and often uncomfortable) environment, makes it always on alert. There is also a very limited time-frame within which you have to complete all of your chores!
I wondered if you had to be at the buffet at 5:30, or if you could go at anytime… I walked over around six, listening to my ipod along the way. (One thing that I miss while hiking is the ability to move more freely-and in more than a single plane! Being able to listen to music and dance becomes so special! I was looking forward to being able to do yoga again, too!). The Soup Kitchen was quiet. I got some lasagna, salad, and warm bread with butter. I didn’t do a good job of eating, though. Maybe it was too soon after I had eaten my big sandwich and dessert. My tummy felt full and the lady working there asked me if I was okay. “You suddenly got quiet!” she said. I ordered a piece of carrot cake to take back to my room and headed back. (The owner thanked me for returning).
Along the way, I thought about how differently people see me on the trail, as opposed to in “real life.” Out here, all people see of me is that I am open, brave, courageous, and strong, whereas, in real life, people see me as small and fearful, shrinking and afraid. I thought about the contrast between my mother constantly striking me down, not wanting or allowing me to be the person I am, forcefully exerting her control to stomp out any trace of the spirit and life inside me, and the many years I have lived in a state of un-living and depression because of it, and what I was displaying out here, so evident to everyone that crossed my path, even for a moment. I felt very emotional and cried for the realization of the truth of who I am, for all of the time that I had lost not living it, and for the strength I have shown in persisting through incredible pain and obstacles. I am living proof that no matter how much darkness overtakes your life, a bright spark always remains deep inside, waiting for the chance to burst open and be given life.

I had e-mailed Chad back, curious as to how the end of his race was and he called me back and left a message. Once back in my room, I gave him a call back. After telling me that he finished the race in eight days and sharing some stories from it, he said that after meeting me, he decided to turn his ride into a spiritual one, instead of a competitive one.
He told me about his stay in Silverton, mentioning a gun show in the street, and staying in a hotel that was haunted by ghosts. He also said that he wants to go on an adventure with me, but doesn’t know what kind because he doesn’t like to walk! As we finished the conversation he said, “What I love about you is that you are a wild child.” I found that to be quite amusing, because I am far from wild…
I called the ride lady back and we agreed to meet around noon. “You’re my kind of hiker!” she said. “All of the other ones want to be picked up at 6am!”
I tried to sleep, but my mind was occupied with thoughts and had a hard time quieting. I also had to get up to go to the bathroom three times during the night!

August 11

17.3 miles

After having strange dreams throughout the night, I got up at 6. I heard the guys talking not long after. I placed my stove right outside my tent and cooked up some oatmeal while I remained in my tent (this was the first time I had done this!). I decided that I could have a cup of coffee with the guys after I packed most of my stuff up. I brought my stove and pot with me, and Mel was impressed with how fast I was able to get a boil! (Much better than an alcohol stove, which I used on my AT hike!) This was my first cup of coffee that I had made on the trail! Unfortunately, the powdered milk doesn’t dissolve and remains in clumps no matter how much you stir it! I wanted to put some big miles into today since I felt behind due to last night’s storm, but I decided it would be nice to chat with people while I had the chance. Mel and Dave had already broken down their tents and they were trying to get John, who was not quite awake and ready to move, to do the same. They talked about going into town that evening for burgers. (I still had many days to hike before I would get my next town meal).
I went back up the hill to finish packing. The wind was howling already, which was a bit disconcerting. Then, I came down one last time to say goodbye. Tears started to form in my eyes. Mel said, “Well, it was nice to meet you, Wendy.” The tears spilled out. (It’s hard for me to leave people who make an impression on my heart). “Now, I’m really sad,” I said. Dave and John stared at the ground, not knowing how to react. Mel said, “We weathered the storm together. And now the sun will come out and shine on us.” His positive outlook immediately made me feel better. He said it was nice to share the evening together. I told them I hoped I would see them again. They said that probably wouldn’t happen because I hike much faster than them, but maybe if I take a really long lunch break…
I started on my way. It was quite chilly for a long time, and the wind continued to blow. This was an unusual weather pattern! I felt strong through the first two uphills, and more like my normal hiking self. I wanted to keep climbing until I got to the top, without taking any breaks! (I usually love hiking uphill, but hiking in Colorado is different than what I am used to. The altitude makes climbing much, much tougher, and I did not like going uphill most of the time out here!)

I thought about how my Dad had not communicated with me at all in seven or eight years, and how he didn’t even know I was out here, much less want to do anything for me in anyway. I wished Mel could be my father.
After getting over the second saddle that I had wanted to get to last night, the profile showed three uphills. The second one looked steep, but very short. I came to a big uphill that kept going and going and I wondered if I had somehow missed the second one. I took out my profile, studied it carefully, and continued on. The plateau it showed was only a couple of steps! This couldn’t be the big one, but why was it so long? I crested the top and then began to make my way down a very steep downhill!
Finally, I began the third climb. It had gotten quite warm and I was feeling tired. Luckily, there were switchbacks on the third climb, but it was very slow-going for me because I was out of energy.
At last, I reached the jeep road. I had one little uphill to finish off the climb, but I was feeling hungry and tired, so I sat down on a tree stump and took a little lunch break. I ate a packet of smoked tuna and some snacks.
I then continued on and finished the climb. At the top was a man wearing ranger type clothes with a CT patch, talking on the phone. I smiled. He said he was making a call to his mother. I decided to check if my phone had reception, as well. I had the smallest bit of reception. When the man was finished with his call, he told me that he had a tent set up about 30 minutes ahead with sodas and snacks. I then realized that this was the Trail Angel named Apple! Then he said, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Did you see the cairns?… Did you take a lunch break just after the start of this last uphill?…”
“Yes…” I was starting to feel a little spooked.
“There’s a tracker down there keeping count of the hikers and I thought I missed one.”
I was startled that someone was watching me. “Who is keeping track of me? ” I asked. I told him that was spooky! (I hadn’t yet fully understood that he was the one who had put the earthquake detector in the ground and hooked it up to a computer and his walkie talkie to let him know if a hiker was approaching…)
He went the other way and said he would see me down there in a little while. When I arrived, he waved me over, pointing to the tent with cold drinks and snacks. He only had sodas, which is really the last thing I want to drink (especially while hiking), but I felt like I had to take one. He seemed like he really wanted company. The bland chips and peanuts were also not at all tempting for me, but I felt obliged to eat some because he kept saying what a shame it was for this food to go to waste, as he tossed some chips out for the animals.

(Today was the last day he would be providing his trail magic to CT hikers for the year). He also had a large sleeping tent set up with a heater to boil water inside. It would have been a great shelter to come across in stormy weather like we had last night! Unfortunately, for us, it was too many miles away. I really wanted to keep moving to get in my miles, but felt rude about leaving so quickly. I asked him if he had met Andrew, Chad, and Jasmine. He had brought Andrew into Creede and drove all three to the trailhead of segment 19. They had all skipped segment 18! Apple had told them there was nothing to see! He asked me if I had had any trouble with the falcons and told me that one thru-hiker came though a few weeks ago with scars on his cheek from the talons of the bird that swooped right by me! Wow! His walkie talkie went off and a woman’s voice told him that one hiker was on their way… I knew, right away, that it was Mel! Apple said it would be another hour…
He asked me if I had gone into the water at Baldy Lake. I told him, no, that it was storming. He then told me that it was full of leeches! “You mean, if I had put my feet into the water, the leeches would have jumped on me?”
“Yes.”
Well, I’m glad I didn’t go in then!
I finally said I should get moving, partially filled one of my water bottles, and asked if I could empty my trash. Then, Mel emerged!
“Wendy! What a surprise to see you here! Were you waiting for us?”
It was now 2:30. Mel was going to hike out to his truck and then drive back to pick up Dave and John. Dave was not feeling well and was really struggling. Mel said to me, “I don’t know if you are a stickler, Wendy, but I could give you a ride, too!”
I told him that I could just hike out with him! He seemed to like that idea.

I threw out my useless maps and packed up, as a northbound hiker came by. He stopped and rubbed his eyes. “Is this real?”
Apple told him that I was a southbound thru-hiker. He told me that the scenery from here on out is about to change.
“Good!” I said. (I had heard that the last 2 sections were the most beautiful).
This guy didn’t feel the same way. He said it was all rocks- “like being on the moon.” Then he said, “Are you aware that there is no water for the next 20 miles until the middle of segment 19?” And that the next 20 miles is all on roads like this one? And partly highway?”
“Ummm… no…”
He was scaring me!
Mel wanted to go and said I could stay and chat, but I didn’t want to talk to this person who only had negative things to tell me! I said I was ready to go!
We talked easily the whole way back to the truck. At one point, it started to rain and then hail. I was getting cold and wet and told Mel that I wanted to put my rain jacket on. He helped me take my pack off and then put it on again when I was ready! How sweet! Of course, the precipitation stopped as quickly as it had started! Mel walked me right up to the gate and asked if he could take my picture. We exchanged contact info, he gave me a nice hug (with my pack still on), and then we said goodbye. I thanked him for the wine, for taking care of me, and said that it was nice for me to run into them at that time. I told him, “I think the calmest people are the most in control.” He said he agreed. He opened the gate for me, told me to be careful of the barbed wire, and off I went, all by myself again!

I walked on the path through the meadows, not knowing where I would camp (considering that guy had told me the trail was on roads for the next 20 miles!). Then, I sat down and had a snack, as I was feeling hungry. Three guys on ATVs passed me (always an unsettled feeling). As I headed uphill, I found a grassy spot along the side of the trail and pondered staying there for the night. But after looking at my guidebook, I decided I might as well finish off this uphill and see what was up there. I came to a gate, and across the way, I saw a couple of Elk grazing! And they didn’t seem to mind me! I was so glad I had made this decision! I quietly tried to open the gate, take out my camera, and take come pictures, but they ran off.

There was a nice, flat pine floor for me to camp on right there! It was only 5:12pm. I cooked dinner, started catching up on my journaling from Salida, and was in bed before dark. I felt happy!

August 10

16.7 miles

I got up around 6:15. It was another cold morning, so I snacked in my sleeping bag. I packed up and went out to the rocks to check out the sunrise. It was as equally as unimpressive as the sunset. (For all of the romantic notions that people might have about seeing the stars and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets in our lengthy time outside, that very rarely happens on an excursion such as this. Most of the time, I am camped in the trees with no views to be seen, the weather is much more cloudy and rainy than sunny, and I can’t stay up long enough to see if the stars are out…)

I was on the trail by 7:31. My energy was low, and the miles dragged on. It didn’t help that there were no great views (which always boost my energy). I just put my head to the ground and plugged away. My happiest moments came when I saw a scavenger bird hanging out in the meadow bushes, and a marmot playing in the remnants of a log cabin.

The difference between how I had felt yesterday and how I felt today was extreme.

In the afternoon, I saw a lone mountain biker. He asked how I was. “Fine,” I said. He laughed. In actuality, I didn’t feel fine. I felt extremely tired. It was a hot day and the heat always sucks the energy out of me. I imagined reaching Baldy Lake and relaxing for a bit along its shore. Then, I discovered that it was a half mile off the trail! Extra miles!

I tried to cover 10 miles before noon. At 11:45, I found a big pine tree on the top of a hill near the end of segment 16 to eat lunch under. It was windy and dark clouds were approaching yet again. I was very chilly.

The “trailhead” was completely unrecognizable! Someone would have needed to have driven in with an off-road jeep if they wanted to start the next section! (It was also irritating that the mile points and landmarks in section 16 in my guidebook were way off! We rely on those points to keep track of where we are.)

At 3:30, I finally made it to the Baldy Lake turn-off, after having walked nearly 17 long, tedious miles. I planned to drop my pack and get some water (it was the only water available in a very long stretch), and continue on for another 3.6 miles. Then I saw several men! My first instinct was one of fear. I wouldn’t be able to drop off my pack as I had hoped…! But as I went over to them, they turned out to be very friendly! One of them even offered to help me take my pack off (when I declined, he realized that I had done this many times on my own!). They offered the son to watch my pack (he was going to stay and nap) while we all went down the half mile long hill to collect water. Wonderful! I took out two of my collecting bags, my filter, my 2 platypus bags, and one of my hiking poles. But it was too cumbersome to carry like that. One of the guys offered to let me put my filter in his pack. On the way down, I instantly turned into a chatty girl! Sometimes, I just need a little company and the opportunity to express my female energy to put me in a better mood!
The hike today had been a very rocky one and taking steps on and around them was hard. The bottom of my right foot was hurting.
At the bottom of the hill, Mel introduced himself. He was very nice. They walked around the lake to collect their water while I took the most direct route to the water. But my collecting bags didn’t work so well in the shallow, stagnant water. I tried to step out onto a rock where the water was deeper, but my foot slipped off and got totally submerged. I cursed loudly and the two men looked over at me. I had imagined that the lake would be blue and beautiful, but it turned out to be green. It was taking a very long time to collect and filter the water, repeating again, and again. But the pump that the men were using was taking even longer. (If this was a race…)
I climbed back up the hill with all my things and now full water bags. It wasn’t easy to carry! It had smelled like cow down by the water, so I wanted to put iodine tablets in my water for extra measure. By the time I got to the top of the climb, it started raining! The son had set his tent-up and was inside. I quickly found the iodine tablets, but couldn’t open them! And when I did get an individual packet opened, the tablet disintegrated into powder! They were too old! I did the best I could and then put everything away as the rain fell harder! I got out my rain jacket and rain pants and went to stand under the pine trees. This time, there were no dry spots underneath them! The rain quickly turned to hail. And the size of the hail grew larger! All I could do was stand there and get pelted. I was freezing cold!! I had wanted to pack up and continue hiking, but was now forced into a holding pattern. I realized that I didn’t even have a chance to put my camera into a ziplock bag! I hoped it was okay. Hail covered the ground, our packs, and the kid’s tent. Then, it switched back to rain. Lightning and thunder followed. The kid emerged from his tent, brushed off some of the hail off the tent, checked on the packs, and asked me if I wanted a jacket. He also said he had a sleeping bag. I told him I was okay. When the rain slowed a bit, I went over to my pack and dug my fleece jacket out and then returned to the trees to try to find a dry space. I failed. I was so, so cold.
Mel and Dave came back and wanted to know where I went. Dave’s son pointed to me in the woods. I remained where I was for awhile and then made my way over to them. They were trying to decide if they should move or camp here for the night. I voted to move in order to keep warm. The weather had a different plan, however. The storm was not letting up. It continued to lightning and thunder. We were in the middle of a swirling weather pattern. It would have been stupid to climb even higher. Mel said it was a plains storm. He was cool as a cucumber- very calm and in control. Dave brought out his flask of whiskey. “This is what I brought it for!”. He took a swig, passed it to his son (who said, “I’m not 21 yet. Can I still have some?), then to Mel. Mel looked at me, “Wendy?”. I took a sip. He saw enough flat ground for their tents and invited me to stay with them. My first camping company on the hike! I didn’t want to camp on the hail and several inch-high plants (the bottom of my tent is mesh!), so I decided to go back up to the intersection where I remembered seeing a patch of dirt. Mel said he would help me set up after he got his tent set up. “Just give a call over.” John, the son, came up to see if I needed help, and again I told him I was fine. Then it started raining again! My gear was getting wet! I hurried to put everything in the tent.
I was so cold that I was shivering! I changed into my long johns and dry socks. My toes hurt from being too cold. I didn’t want to cook dinner in the rain, so I just got in my sleeping bag and slowly tried to warm up. The rain kept coming down.
A bit later, Mel walked up to my tent. “Wendy? Are you awake?”
“Yes.”
“I brought your water bottle up here and set it against this log. And I have some wine. Do you have something to put it in?”.
“I only have my pot,” I said.
“Well, wine in a pot is still good!” he said. I searched for my pot while he stood outside, rain falling down on him. He said he hoped to see me in the morning and that I should come down and have breakfast with them.
I ate some goldfish crackers with my wine. It was delicious! How fortunate was I to meet these nice people to keep me company through the storm and have wine brought to my tent in the rain? I felt happy. I snacked on chips, a peppermint paddy, and chocolate covered gogis. Yum! The wine didn’t give me a buzz (I only had a tiny bit). The rain finally slowed enough for me to get out and pee and brush my teeth. I kept my food with me inside my tent.

August 9

17 miles

I got up at 6, showered, packed up, and headed out around 7. The hostel owner was unfortunately going out of town that morning and wasn’t able to give me a ride back to the trail like he did for most of the hikers. So, I had to find a ride on my own. As I walked up the main street, one of the coffee shops was just about to open. The lady was bringing the tables and chairs outside. A father and young son were already waiting. I decided that I had time for a snack, took my pack off, leaned it against the brick wall, and waited for them to open. There weren’t a lot of choices for baked goods and the few they had were absolutely enormous! I ended up getting a peppermint paddy cupcake and a coffee (which was very strong!). It was the best breakfast ever! The nice girl from Sweetie’s came in to deliver some baked items, and I felt happy to see a familiar, friendly face. I went to the bathroom to get washed up and saw a decorative sign that simply said, “Journey.” It made me stop and reflect. This walk I was undertaking had meaning.
Highway 12 was supposedly 12 blocks up, but seemed more like 24.
This was one of the roads that I wished any of the passerbys could have given me a lift, but that didn’t happen. I tried to find a good spot to hitch once I reached the highway, and stuck out my thumb. Many cars passed without stopping. Then, a truck with a wagon attached pulled over! He asked where I was going and told me to get in. As I was about to open the door, without warning, he decided to turn and pull-in off the road! He very nearly ran over my foot!
I put my pack in the back of the pick-up and joined him in the front. He told me that he was headed that same way to chop wood. His name was Daniel, he was originally from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan and had moved to Salida not too long ago. He spent a lot of the ride talking about his 24 year old daughter, Madeleine, whom he was extremely proud of. She was a very bright girl and had done extremely well in her biology studies at the University of Michigan. He shared a favorite memory of her as a little girl on a camping trip on which it rained for three days straight and everything they had was wet and muddy. When she appeared out of the tent with her pink sundress over her muddy overalls, it instantly brightened his spirits.
He drove me all the way to the Monarch Pass trailhead, but that wasn’t where I had gotten off the Colorado Trail. So, we turned around, looking for the CT access point. I remembered what the area where I hitched looked like, but I saw nothing like it along this Highway. For 2 hours, we drove back and forth, searching for the unmarked trail, stopping to ask anyone we could. At one point, he said, “I’m getting angry!” and I tried to calm him down, “Don’t get angry. It will be okay.”
We finally reached the probable place where I had hitched in. He pulled over and as I got my pack out, he went across the street, looking for a trail marker. He saw one! Yay! I looked in my guidebook, and it said that the next 2.9 miles were road miles that could be accessed only by a high-maintenance vehicle. He looked at me and asked if I wanted him to bring me up to the trailhead. Yes! It was already 9:35 and I had lost a good deal of hiking time. I would be crossing another 4 mile exposed route later in the day and had to be careful of the impending storms. So, back went my pack in the back, and up, we drove, slowly and carefully over very bumpy terrain. Hooray for high maintenance vehicles! At times, we weren’t sure we would make it, and he hoped there would be a place where he could turn around (the road was very narrow). But it all worked out. We found the tiny dirt parking lot, and got out to say goodbye. I asked him for his address so I could send him a thank you card, but he declined. So, I told him I would give him a hug as a thank you, instead. He told me to look him up if I ever came back to Salida and he would buy me a meal at the restaurant he worked at.
I started my walk feeling good, strong, and happy (despite carrying food and supplies for 105 miles!). It wasn’t long before I spotted three women ahead of me, who were doing a lot of talking. When one of them noticed me, she said, “Let’s let this ambitious hiker pass.”
Another one asked where I was going. “Oh, you are VERY ambitious!” Their names were Kathleen, Irene, and Gail, and they were very friendly. We talked about the Appalachian Trail, and they were just as amazed as the people that I had met earlier in my trip. I asked them why and they said it sounded so idyllic to them- so much green! The climate out here was very different and often arid.

I continued on my way, still feeling good. The climb was not very difficult.

Shortly before reaching the alpine environment, I spotted 2 deer (or possibly elk) in the forest! I continued to climb, and for the first time, I saw a wooden sign at the summit! At last, I could see my destination, which psychologically greatly helped. The wind was very strong at the top. I took off my pack, took several pictures, and felt very happy. (The ladies were nowhere in sight!). I had remembered that the cyclist that I had chatted with on the second day had told me that Monarch Pass was his favorite part of the trail, but I didn’t see why. I had already seen better views earlier in my hike.

On I went, walking along the exposed ridge, stopping to look around often. About a half an hour later, a woman hiked toward me. She stopped and wanted to chat. She was fairly quiet and there were often long pauses, but she kept looking at me, definitely wanting to continue talking. I had kept my pack on, knowing that I had four miles of exposed tundra to cross and it was already 1:30 in the afternoon! I wanted to keep moving! I finally had to put my pack down because my shoulders were in too much pain. After a half an hour, I told her I needed to be on my way.

I walked as quickly as I could, checking the sky for dark clouds. Before I got to the trees, thunder began to rumble and dark clouds overtook the skies. I couldn’t afford to take any pack or food breaks. I had to keep moving. At last, I reached tree line and sat down to eat some lunch. (the peppermint paddy cupcake had given me plenty of fuel for many miles!)

I continued on, passed the only shelter on the trail (in the distance), saw mountain bikers ahead, and a hiking couple taking a break in the woods to my right. I continued onto a dirt road, and at some point, saw a pipe with water coming out to the left of the trail. I wasn’t sure if it was safe, so I passed it by. But after a couple of minutes, I decided to check my guidebook pages to see if they said anything about it. It said it was a piped spring! So I returned and collected water. I sat down on the side of the trail and filtered it, as the rain began coming down again. An ATV rider rode passed me. It continued to rain as I walked, and I became very cold. In the distance, I heard ATVs roaring and what sounded like kids making mooing sounds (rather unpleasant). Occasionally, I would stop underneath a pine tree, which sheltered me from the cold rain, but standing still only made me grow colder. So, I continued on. The lady I had talked with had mentioned a log cabin a little ways off the trail, but the ATV riders had taken it over, so I just kept walking. The rain was coming down hard. I passed an outhouse and the parking lot and began the next section. A man appeared on the hill ahead, seemed to look at me for a minute, and then disappeared back. It was a bit unnerving. Later, I saw him with a woman and some baskets. I guess they were just picking something.
At the base of a grass hill, I came to a large tree that was dry underneath and stationed myself underneath it. I added another layer, cut my ripped fingernail (very hard to do with cold, numb fingers!), and waited for the rain to slow. Then, I continued on, climbing again, and then passing through grassy meadowlands with lots of rocks (not good for camping!). Occasionally, I would wander off the trail to look for a camping spot, but I was having no luck. At one point, I passed through a forest area and saw lots of hail and gigantic puddles all over the place! I was glad I was not in this area when the storm hit!

I continued to look for a spot to camp, but it was either too wet in the woods or too open in the meadows. I went through a cow gate, through an open expanse, through a rocky region, and then climbed up a hill. At the top, I found pine trees! I went in aways and decided I could camp there. But then, I decided to go down the slope and see if there was a better area down there. There was!
As I set up my tent, it began sprinkling again! When it stopped, I made a pot of macaroni and cheese, which again was cold, clumpy, and disgusting! I wanted to watch the sun set on some rocks a couple of minutes away from my tent, but it was not a good night for it. By the time I got into my sleeping bag, it was 8:20. I was too tired and it was too dark out to write anything in my journal.

August 8

0 miles

My first zero day!

I had to get up at 5 to pee. But the bathroom light would not turn on! It was a bit eerie to have to leave the door open to go to the bathroom. I returned to my sleeping bag and got up for good after 7. My hair looked like a big mess! It was hard to fix and I really didn’t want to go into town looking like that, but I wanted breakfast! I went out looking for a place to eat.
There weren’t as many cafes as I expected! After walking up and down the main street, I went into Sweetie’s (a new place). I got a “New York Joannie”- fried eggs, avocado, and tomato on a bagel. The coffee was kind of cold. I felt so lonely eating by myself again. More tears rolled down my face. I wanted to relax for awhile and not rush anywhere, so I sat and put my earphones in to listen to the new Mumford and Sons song. It was the first music I had heard on the trail!
For desert, I got a chocolate chip scone. The girl who waited on me had a really bad attitude (completely opposite to her co-worker). People’s moods have a big effect on me, but it is even more noticeable when I am alone, traveling. Is it really so hard to be friendly? She went to the back of the place to put my scone in the microwave and then forgot all about it. I finally had to ask the manager for it.
After breakfast, I returned to the hostel to do my laundry, sort through all of my food and supplies, and call Laura (my Swiss friend didn’t want to talk). The doorbell rang and the Fed-ex guy asked for me! My crocs had arrived! Luckily, I was there when he came because he needed a signature. There was no note in the package, but my friend had put some insoles from CVS in it, as well as manicuring scissors (which I thought at first were for me, but then realized they were meant to cut open the packaging of the insoles). How sweet! He got me platform Crocs which were much heavier than my old ones and very unstable for my feet that were used to being in trail shoes! I went to the outfitters to see if they had the Superfeet insoles that I really needed. They did! I checked out the sleeping pads that they had, but they were too heavy. (I had made it this far, essentially sleeping on the ground, so I knew I could manage the rest of the way!). Afterwards,I walked to the Safeway at the opposite end of town to look for a new notebook to journal in.
I ate a frittata and drank a little lemonade at Plough Boy, and then walked to an ice cream shop for dessert on my way back.
By the time I returned to the hostel, I was so tired! I just wanted to sleep! I could tell from the color and thickness of the mucous from my daily sinus infection, that my body was run down. I still wasn’t finished with my chores, however! I had to go to the Post Office to mail the extra things I didn’t need back home. Zero days might seem restful, but they are actually quite the opposite! We run all over town and do chores all day long, fitting in food whenever possible.
I returned to Amica’s for dinner. This time, I had a margherita pizza and a root beer, and I got to sit at my own table. I enjoyed the pizza much more than the panini. And they had the peanut butter mousse that I missed out on last night!

While I waited for my food, I looked at the guidebook pages for the next section. The young couple next to me asked me if I was hiking the CT. They were amazed I was doing the whole thing alone! The guy said I put him to shame!
I walked down to the river and discovered a nice park! Right away, I felt more peaceful and comfortable. I had found the romantic part of town! I sat on some rocks and watched a couple paddle boarding.

I couldn’t imagine myself living in any of the towns I had stopped in along the trail so far, including this one- until I found this part! I continued walking along the river and found the bluegrass band that the people at the community table last night had mentioned. I didn’t want anymore food, so I just stayed at a distance and sat on the rocks, watching a little girl play in the water while her father took photographs of her. I was very content.

I saw a cloud that had a ring of sunlight around it like a halo, and decided to see if I could get a better view of it. I walked around the back of the restaurant, and a girl in an apron, sitting on the steps smoking, asked me if I had had a nice dinner. I told her I didn’t eat there. “Well, if you have some money, they have some really good food here.” I thanked her and walked on, then headed back to the river. There is an “S” on a dirt hill that you can see throughout town, and I saw that it was lit up in yellow lights as evening fell. Then, I saw the lights switch to a red heart! This town was growing on me.

I headed back to the hostel and went up to my room. I had to get my things together, get some sleep, and be ready to get up early and find a ride back to the trail. It was time to start hiking again!

August 7

19.7 miles

I did not sleep well! I was unusually scared, being camped only 0.7 miles from the trailhead, that someone from town could easily come and “get” me, I was sleeping on a huge slope (comical to see from the pictures), it rained for awhile, and I heard a variety of animal sounds (including a horse-like noise- probably from a deer). I also had to go to the bathroom. I don’t like getting out of my sleeping bag or tent when it is dark out, but I finally had to at 5 am. I went back to sleep until 7. I always sleep hardest in the morning hours before it is time to get up- even at home. But it it amazes me how little I sleep each night while thru-hiking, compared to the amount I sleep at home! I also burn tremendously more calories and eat a lot less! Everything is opposite.
I was on the trail at 7:53, resuming my climb up Raspberry Gulch Mountain.

As I walked, the environment became arid again, the trail having the consistency of chalky gravel. I had to be very careful on my downhill steps. It was incredibly easy to slip.
Throughout the day, there was a lot of uphill.

As I descended one slope, I saw a medium sized animal dart through the bushes. It seemed like it could have been a little deer or a fox or something with a tan coat. I never found out what it was because it hid in a bush and wouldn’t come out. I saw a tent set-up at the bottom of the hill, then continued on through some trees and a meadow-like environment, with the terrain leveling off. I entered back into the woods, and sat down for a little break, where I found that I had some reception.
Around Brown’s creek, I slung off my heavy pack, adding an “ugh” outloud. Then I looked up and saw some campers- all guys. I wondered where the girls were!
I continued to walk, and around the bend, saw three girls. There they were!
Farther along, I saw a couple. They were stopped on the trail and the girl was turned to face the guy and looked like she was rubbing the top of his head as he looked up at her. When she saw me, she quickly turned around and marched on! I got the feeling that she didn’t want me to pass them. They were hiking at the same pace as I was and were almost always in my sight. When I did catch them, they seemed socially awkward and not very friendly.
I reached Sand Creek at mile 10 and saw a piece of paper hung on a tree, congratulating the thru-hikers. We had reached the half way point of the trail! A big smile spread across my face and I paused for a minute, reflecting on the meaning of this point in my journey.

The couple approached behind me and asked me if I was doing the whole thing. They seemed impressed. As I sent the picture out to a few people, they went on, eventually finding a spot on a ridge to have their lunch. I continued on aways so I could have my own space. I was so tired! It took some work to set my pack out of the way, but not have it fall down the slope. Thunder rumbled in the distance. I couldn’t sit here long…

I packed up and trudged on. As I reached the top of the climb, I heard a sound in the forest. It was a big cow! There were lots of cows! It was a funny sight to see these large, slow moving animals up here. There were also enormous cow paddies all over! I was suddenly glad that I didn’t collect water from Sand Creek. (And I remembered that Hellbender got giardia in this area of the trail when he tried to hike it a couple of years ago and had to end his hike in Salida).

The thunder still rumbled and rain began to fall as I walked on. Crossing a dirt road, I saw a herd of turkeys! I tried to follow them off the trail to get pictures, but they were too quick!

I had a choice of whether to stop around mile 15 and camp, or go 19.7 miles all the way to the road, where I would hitch into Salida. I was exhausted. At 4:00, it began raining. My body was tired, my mind was numb, and all I could do was keep counting down the miles that passed incredibly slowly.

I reached a creek at mile 15.2 and sat down for a break, wondering if I should collect more water. I decided that I had enough water for a few more miles.

I started the next climb, knowing that I could reach the road by 6pm. The rain continued to come down. (The idea of setting up my tent in the rain was not appealing).
On and on I went, checking my phone every so often to see if I had reception to call the hostel and ask if they had room for me. Finally, when I reached a spot that looked like a crater in the middle of a field, I got ahold of them. They had room! “I’ll be there in an hour,” I said.

I finally reached the last creek, with one mile remaining in the segment. There was a campsite there, and I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should spent the night there and make the most of my day in town tomorrow, or spend the extra money to stay another night in town. I then heard and saw a squirrel and decided I didn’t want to deal with it getting into my food. So, I marched on. It was an extremely long and slow mile! I was completely exhausted and it seemed to go on forever! I crossed under the power lines and tower (reminiscent of the AT), then started down the long, slow hill. I could see my road, but it was taking forever to reach it! It almost didn’t seem real!

I finally reached it, exhausted and completely out of energy, at 5:40pm. I didn’t know which way to hitch so I just stuck out my thumb. The first vehicle stopped. It was a shuttle, but going the opposite way. So, I crossed the road and stuck out my thumb again. Car after car passed, but no one stopped! Out of energy and wanting desperately to be able to rest, I dug into my pack for another power bar. I stuck out my thumb again, and still no one stopped. Then, a jeep coming from the opposite direction pulled in! I ran over and told the girl I was trying to get to Salida. She had passed me earlier and then thought that I seemed harmless and looked like I needed a ride. So, she turned back. She said that she used to pick up hitchhikers all of the time, but now that she is alone, she only picks up female hitchhikers. (Thank goodness I am female!). I put my pack in the back with Fred, the 2-colored eye dog and joined her in the front (warning her that I smell and that I could stay in the back…). The ride was pretty quiet. We did see a rainbow along the way! My first of the trip!

We found our way to the hostel and I checked in for 2 nights. It cost $88 to stay in the bunkroom for the first night and the private room the second night (not including towels or sheets). My roommate was an older woman, who was traveling, and her dog.
I went to Amica’s for dinner and had a panini and salad and the lightest beer they had (a blond bomber) to celebrate the half-way point. I drank 1/3 of my beer and started feeling the effects! This was a very popular and crowded restaurant and I sat at the community table in order to get a seat. Again, I felt quite lonely. The food was okay, but I was left wondering why I look forward so much to coming into towns, only to be disappointed by my experience. I decided that I would try to enjoy wherever I was more- being happy in the moment and not wanting anything else. My journey was already half-way over and I had to make the most of it!
They were out of the desert that I wanted, so I had a piece of chocolate cake and coffee instead. Back at the hostel, I took a shower. I was disappointed there was no TV to watch the Olympics. I was in my sleeping bag in my bunk by 10 and tried to drift off to sleep with the sound of snoring in my room.

August 6

About 6.5 miles

I got up at 5:45, after what I think was my most restful night on the trail! No animals tried to get into my food bag! It took me a little while, but I slowly started to get excited for breakfast, the package I was supposed to receive from my “friend” with my crocs, and the hot springs! I was on the trail by 7. My toes are already numb from nerve damage (especially my big toes!). I wasn’t sure that I had only 4.4 miles to hike before the springs, but it soon became clear that that was indeed the case. There was lots of uphill at first, then I walked along a ridge, and soon after saw power lines (a sign I was getting closer to civilization!). I saw a jeep parked at the edge of the road (usually an eerie sight to me- I never know who could be waiting….), and then walked down the dirt road for quite aways. The views and winding parts of the dirt road reminded me of the hut that my Swiss friend drove me to for fondue one evening.
I passed under a touristy sign reading “Mt. Princeton Hot Springs”, walked by a horse coral, and then started the paved road section. The mountains were pretty in the distance.

Since this was part of the official trail, I had no desire for anyone to give me a ride. Of course, a car drove by, and a young, cute guy with curly brown hair asked me if I needed a ride. I thanked him and told him I was fine (although on second thought, maybe I should have taken him up on his offer!). I took lots of pictures and enjoyed the walk as much as possible.

As I got closer to the resort, I saw a cute bunny on the side of the road and wanted to take its picture, but a passing car scared it away! At last, I saw tennis courts and two swimming pools below me.

I made my way down the hill and headed into the main office. The couple coming out asked me if I was going for a hike. I told them I had just hiked 230 miles. “Not by yourself?!” the man exclaimed, shaking his head. “You can’t hike by yourself!” the woman said. I just smiled… (Of course, I can…I just did!) and went inside. The couple I had met coming the other way yesterday had asked me if I was planning to stay at the hot springs and said it was worth it. I was kind of leaning towards doing that. I told the man at the desk that I was hiking the CT and asked him how much a room was. He said they had a condo for $180. Okay, I guess I will just spend the day and head out…He told me that the hot springs cost $17 and pulled out a map to show me which building to go to pay. “These pools are for guests only,” he also pointed out. I asked if I could have breakfast in the lodge, went into the bathroom to change into a clean shirt, put a bandana on my head, and waited a very long time to be seated. Everyone else in the place was a tourist and I felt very alone and disrespected. I finally got seated at a table in the middle of the room. I was given a huge bowl of coffee, which didn’t taste so great, and once again, had to wait a very long time for the server to take my order. I was not liking this place that I had looked forward to for so long…I ordered an omelet with everything and sat and waited while my coffee got cold. I felt very sad and lonely. Then, I got a text from my “friend” telling me that my crocs hadn’t arrived in Boston yet, so there was no package waiting for me here (I had hoped to wear them around the springs). I was not going to be able to rest in a nice bed, nor watch the Olympics, nor shampoo my hair. Other people in the dining room were looking at me, but no one said anything. Tears began to roll down my face. My phone battery was very low, so I looked for an outlet to charge it while I ate. I didn’t eat as much as I had expected to. I think my stomach shrunk.
It took a lot of effort to ask for more coffee to warm up my cup, and more water. And this meal ended up costing me $21!
I bought my pass for the water, showered, and put on my buff as a tube tube. I could either go in a rectangular pool with hot water or the outside creek with rocks, where everyone else was. I decided to check out the creek first. The water was very cool, but I found a spout with warm water coming out to sit under. Then, I went into the rectangular pool to warm up, but found it a bit boring to float in all by myself. I got out and sat in one of the lounging chairs. The sun was burning down on me.
I headed back to the back room in the dining hall with the outlet I found to charge my phone and skyped with my Swiss friend. We had a better talk than last time. I decided it was worth the stopping time and cost of the place to sit and talk with him. I was feeling dehydrated from the warm water and all of the coffee I had. At 2:00, I felt hungry again. I sat at the bar and had a happy hour burger ($13), another coffee because I was cold, and some chocolate mousse. Again, I didn’t eat as much or as quickly as I thought I would have. My stomach wasn’t feeling so great. I guess it was not used to rich town food! The sky had clouded over and it looked like it was going to storm. I was not at all motivated to hike back to the trail and camp.
I’m not sure why the bartender, Todd, wanted me to sit at the bar and keep him company, when he didn’t really talk to me… I asked him if there were thruhikers ahead of me. (It seemed so strange that I was the only one in my vicinity!). He said there were lots of them and that in the last week alone, three dozen of them had come through! He told me that I would catch up to them, adding that the terrain becomes very steep and challenging in the last few sections, which slows everyone down. (First of all- I had been through some challenging terrain already and this only made me worried about the end of the hike, when I had been looking forward to the beauty of that part! And second of all, if the terrain is so challenging that it slows everyone down, I will be slowed down as well! Therefore, I will never catch up!) Grrr… I asked him where another 14,000+ mountain was located that I was interested in climbing, but he didn’t know.
As Todd gave me my bill, he said, “Just for the record, you’re the cutest hiker that has passed through here in a long time.” I bet he was just trying to get a big tip.
I decided to check once more about room availability, but by that point, they were fully booked. As I returned to the pools to retrieve my pack, it started to rain. I had to decide if I was going to take one more dip. There were many people still in the water despite the rain. I remembered sitting in the hot pools with my Swiss friend while the snow fell. That was a beautiful experience. Since I was completely cold, standing in the rain, I decided to go into the warm pool again for a quick dip, and then went into the 107 degree sauna for a minute. I rinsed off in the shower, returned to the lodge, picked up my resupply box from the store, and sat in the lobby, repacking my pack. I waited, and waited, and waited to give the lady at the front desk my empty box to throw away. I was blatantly ignored. Meanwhile, she helped two teenaged girls who were all dressed up for a wedding. All of the workers there made me feel like a second-class citizen. I was not welcomed there at all.

I headed back out to walk a couple more road miles. One driver asked me if I was lost. “Nope. I’m good!”

The paved road turned into a dirt road with little cabins along it for rent, houses built of wood and stone, A-frames, and then more modern houses at the end. Finally, I reached the trailhead, crossing the bridge over the creek and returning to the familiar pine forest- my home!

I instantly felt better. I climbed up through more arid brush, walked across a road, then started up Raspberry Gulch. About 0.7 miles into this section, I found a place to camp underneath two huge pine trees. There were small, but very sharp and sticky pine cones all over the place!

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!