Mileage: 12.4 miles (754.6-767)
We started the hiking day with five miles up to Wolf Creek Pass along Highway 160. It was probably the most dangerous thing we did all day. We took a break on top of the divide just below 11,000 ft. A number of cars stopped and left before we noticed something: everyone was scared of us.
They would either give us a very large halo or just make sure their kids stayed in the car. One guy finally came up to us and when we told him we we walked there, from Mexico, it actually assuaged his fears. Another lady heard our story and she also started talking to us. In my mind you have to be a hell of a lot crazier to try to hike from Mexico to Canada than if you're just a homeless person. Luckily, most other people don't think this way and we usually end up with food or a Coca-Cola.
Once we joined the trail we realized another snowshoer had been through earlier in the day. Another CDT hiker? Woohoo! That would mean our trail was broken for us for the first time! And indeed it was - all the way until (s)he veered off trail without us noticing and skirted right underneath a sheer cliff band. By the time we noticed we were half a mile off trail and the only way to get back would be to bushwack our way up a steep, icy slope. And that's what we did. We were worried the cliff band might terminate into a precipice, so we figured getting back to the official route was the safest option. Luckily, after a mile or two back on trail, our mystery hiker got back on too and the snow was broken for us yet again. I can't say enough how big of a difference this made for us. Not only did our snowshoes keep us from sinking in every step, we did have to clear the trail either!
About seven miles from the road we camped on a bed spruce boughs next to a rushing stream. I slept the soundest I have the entire trip outdoors.
No comments:
Post a Comment