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Jul 11, 2017. Twin Lakes, CO
Decided to stay another day at Karen's lovely home in Twin Lakes. Laundry done, hanging out with Karen, Dundee napping. Weather on/off raining, nice being indoors. Steak and salad for dinner (Karen went shopping), then movie night: "Gray Owl", starring Pierce Brosnan.
Jul 12, 2017
Late start, but easy trail day. However: rain began around 2, still going now (8:15). Test of trash compactor bag: it did the trick. Next time, will try wearing my rain kilt. Another great meal thanks to Dundee. Then a pipe of weed - turns out Dundee worked at a marijuana ranch for a year. By far the best I've ever had - gave me the munchies until late at night.
Jul 13, 2017
More rain, but the kilt did the trick (sort of - need to stop water leaking into it from behind). Now I just have to get over the embarrassment of a green shirt with blue rain jacket (which didn't work very well). As usual, Dundee found a great campsite. Lots of Colorado Trail hikers and bikers southbound. Surprising number of young solo women.
Jul 14, 2017
Big screwup. Took a wrong turn, 0.8 miles that I had to retrace. Then discovered I'd dropped my iPhone, so returned and luckily found it. Result: around 3 hours wasted. Dundee ahead, but never saw passing me, so who knows what he thinks? Big pass (around 12,500) at 4 PM, with sleet, hail, and frozen hands. But saw marmots and a pine marten. Anyway, camped at 8, nice spot, cozy, nothing wet - I'm catching on to this rain hiking.
On way down from pass, Dundee approached me SOBO, and I thanked him for coming back to get me, and told him my story of woe: but it turned out it wasn't Dundee! Looked like him though, and he was very polite when he told me "I think you have me mistaken for someone else."
Jul 15, 2017. Copper Mountain, CO
Few miles to Copper Mountain, where 8,000 are competing in a "Mudder". Madness. Had 2 beers at 10, then 2 tacos and a large coke, then 4 donuts and a large chai latte. And a 12" turkey sandwich to go. Will get on the Silverthorne Alternate in a few minutes: 22 miles to Silverthorne. Will do the first few miles on it today, then arrive in Silverthorne on Sunday. Hope I find Dundee. Phoned Mickey Florio - he's ready for us/me.
Got another 9 miles, bedded down cowboy style at 8 PM, eating half of 12" sandwich. Last hour or so could barely walk - balance shot to hell.
Jul 16, 2017. Silverthorne, CO
Beautiful day, beautiful pass, quite a few day hikers. Made it to Silverthorne trailhead around 5 PM. Instant hitch to my Bookings.com motel: spa, swimming pool. Great bar across the street. Met Leo Atkinson (Fossil & Mineral sculptor) and son Dusty: Steamboat Springs, 970-846-7687. Also met on trail Nancy Lindblade, daughter Amy, and friend.
Jul 17, 2017. Breckenridge, CO
Ran into Dundee at the Post Office while mailing stuff home. Walked with him to REI (bought a bear bag), then to the Tiki Bar on the lake (Nancy and daughter's friend). Then picked up by Mickey at 4 and driven to his home in Breckenridge. Kids, dog, family time! Split food up with Dundee, bed by 10:30 PM.
Next stop: Grand Lake, around 90 miles (mile 1387)
Jul 18, 2017. Breckenridge, CO
Day in Breck, gondola to amazing "playland" on slopes; Main Street Patagonia shop to trade my old red down sweater for a new blue one. Lunch at Vietnamese Restaurant. Hitched back. Rode with Mickey to pick up kids from day/play center, then treated them to a nice dinner in 2nd restaurant chosen by Mickey. Glued left hiking boot.
Jul 19, 2017. Breckenridge, CO
Glue fix seems good., Shopping: have 8 freeze-dried meals from Dundee, 4 fruit strips, 7 Kirkland bards, 8 Swiss Miss, 8 random snacks, 1 day's trail mix, some jerky. 15 miles/day -> 6 days' food.
breakfast: Swiss Miss, freeze dried.
snacks: 3/day, plus nutsdinner: Swiss Miss, freeze-dried
To get: Pringles, sharp cheddar cheese, trail mix, choc bar (?), 3 ramen, corn nuts, Gatoraid.
1st day goal: Bobtail Creek (mile 37.8; at 22 -> 16 miles.
Natalie's parents showed up around 6, then a great meal at a restaurant recommended by Mickey: on the balcony, beautiful flowers, and view of mountains. Breck has a lot to offer - but expensive.
Jul 20, 2017. Ptarmigan Pass, CO
All packed up, with food in Ursack, Mickey will drive me to trailhead. Will miss this sweet family, expecially the kids: Fiona and Nikko (sp?). Great standard poodle too.
Mickey drove me back to Silverthorne, bought me breakfast, then dropped me at trailhead. Got lost several times on trail, which was very hard to follow. Pitched tent at 3:30 when rain began, then more hiking, until 6:45 PM. What's the hurry? Ended at mile 30 -> 8 mile day! Hung Ursack for first time: but is it waterproof?
Jul 21, 2017
Rain began at 2, and kept on hailing until I finally camped at around 5:30, at end of the Silverthorne Alternate. Had to ford two rivers at the end, one up to mid-thigh. BUT: saw my first ptarmigan, and a herd of around 30 elk in a hidden valley; they spotted me and moved away, up an amazingly steep slope.
2017 CDT Elk herd.MOV
Jul 22, 2017.
Dried out, but took mile-long wrong turn, started to hail, on return, but cleared up in time to dry out again. Camping cowboy style (but tent pitched just in case). Saw a pine marten - 2nd time: long black tail, little triangular ears, cute face. Walkabout and wife (German couple) passed me, ridiculously efficient. Camping near mile 1330.
Jul 23, 2017. Berthoud Pass, CO
Another day of up to 12,000 feet, down and up again. Really slow and tired on even the easiest uphill: not enough food? Age? Altitude? Will pack bigger breakfasts next time (I've been skipping), and lunches. Screw the weight. Cowboy style again - beautiful clear night.
By the way: I am near the Pacific and Atlantic ocean watersheds.
Jul 24, 2017. James Pass, CO
Got to top of James Pass, but came down on same trail I went up on: idiot! Two hours wasted. Then camping at 12,000. Lots of lake and cornices. Met scientist who said more prehistoric ruins (like game runs) around here than anywhere else in N. America.
Stopped at mile 1353. Grand Lake 1387 -> 34 miles to go.
Jul 25 - 26, 2017. Monarch Lake, CO
Met Ken & Chris Kowynia (father and son) on trail. 970-819-7933: from Steamboat Springs!
Started at 6 AM, hiked all day, mostly downhill, last three hours in light rain. Camped by Monarch Lake. Mile 1371 -> 16 to go.
Trail magic on trail (3rd so far?) - chips. But I'm running low, so good timing. And got a father/son address in Steamboat (see above). Arrived in Grand Lake around 4:30, after a day of rain. First stop: deli for a huge sandwich. Then the 3 tacos special at the Mexican restaurant. Then a short hike uphill to the Shadowcliff Lodge and hostel, clearly the nicest place yet ($25), with a huge common room, coffee, hot chocolate, 8-bed dorm (I got the last bed), and a fabulous view of the city and lake. Zero day time. Koolaid was here, along with about a half dozen other hikers (not all thru-hikers).
Jul 27, 2017. Grand Lake, CO
Zero Day. Drying out tent, emailing everybody. Talked to Rachael and Caren last night. The boat is safely tied up in the mangroves of Grenada, Caren is home (after Gold Lake) figuring out what to do with her stuff in California.
Laundry and provisioning with Knock Knock. New fingerless gloves), shopping for next section to Steamboat Springs. Pig out dinner of elk sausage, pulled pork, baked potato, and soft ice cream for dessert. Burp. Decided to stay tomorrow because the Shadowcliff Lodge & Hostel is so nice; best on the trail so far.
Mileage calculation:
- Here to RNMP shortcut: 1387.7 -> 1387.8: .1 miles
- RNMP shortcut: 4.2 miles
- CDTto Steamboat Springs: 1410 to 1483 = 73 miles
- Total: 77 miles
Jul 28, 2017. Never Summer Wilderness, CO
Zero day at ShadowCliff. Oboy. Spent more time entering my handwritten notes into Apple Notes at the library. First, breakfast at Marina Cafe with Knock Knock, a really nice guy. Pig out lunch (elk, bison, pulled pork,m etc.) at Sagebrush. Dinner at stand near Marina: double cheeseburger and chocolate shake. Knock Knock's brother and sister-in-law arrived (boring).
Food for section to Steamboat: more breakfast (pop tarts), lunch (cheese, peanut butter, beef sausage), but usual dinner. Maybe this will give me more energy?
Jul 29, 2017
Off around 9:30, pack feeling light, no real shoulder problems all day, energy level high. Overcast all day, light rain for an hour or so. Easy, flat trail (cutoff), then uphill, but easier than usual. Saw first moose: one grazing, one lying down. Photo from about 20 yards (I didn't see him at first). Both males, with huge antlers.
Stopped at mile 1420: 14 miles
Jul 30, 2017
Stopped at 1436 -> 16 miles. Two more moose today. Also dirt bikers. Camping part way up big climb. Very little water -> no cooking tonight. No rain all day. 47 miles to go.
Flowers amazing last several days.
Jul 31, 2017
Great weather all day. But got lost in identical fashion to Mt. James, blowing an hour or two. Idiot. No water yesterday after around noon: dry meal. Then today only 1 stream around 10 AM: ramen time. Dry dinner again. Camping at around 11,000 feet, warm and sunny until 8.
Mile 1449: 13 mile day, 34 miles to go.
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