Mileage: 10.4 miles (885.1-895.5)
Laura and I woke up late in Montrose, CO and hustled to make the continental breakfast which ended at 9am at the Black Canyon Motel. Laura had a waffle and I had a couple bagels with cream cheese and a donut with some coffee. I stuffed a few bagels in my pocket with some cream cheese packets for the trail, knowing they'd taste five times better out there. It was a bummer knowing this was the last time I'd wake up with Laura and get to eat breakfast with her for a few months.
We packed up all our junk, noticed a tick on the bed, and then got the heck outta there. We weren't sure if we brought the tick or if it was the guests before us. Our bodies were tick free. I resupplied at Safeway and then we headed back towards Lake City after a quick pitstop for more coffee. We took the Blue mesa cutoff, which is a dirt road shortcut to Lake City from Highway 149. You can't go much more than 40 mph but it was much more scenic than the highway, with Lupine and Paintbrush dotting the hillsides.
We stopped by Lucky's in Lake City to check-in with him and leave a few extra supplies for other hikers. He said a couple were the only ones to head north on the CDT while I was off-trail for nearly a week. Karma took a lower route through Gunnison, while Handy Andy walked roads towards Monarch Pass, and Shira walked roads to Cochetopa Pass. I might see her in the next few days, but the other guys are probably long gone walking the roads.
Laura drove the final seventeen miles up towards Spring Creek Pass and once we got there we cried. It was hard to leave one another again after such a wonderful time and know that we might not see each other for another three months. It's on me for hiking the trail, but it's this kind of distance that's made me realize how much I love and care about her. Walking away from the parking lot I felt silly to walk away from her. Often, I feel so small up in the mountains - so insignificant that it seems like the rest of the world is completely indifferent to my life and anything that I do. It's the kind of feeling that makes me wonder what I'm doing wasting a moment without Laura and other loved ones by my side. But, I know the small feeling will go away after a day or two, while the longing and love will be there to keep me going.
A lot of snow had melted so the trail was easily followed and even mostly dirt for the first couple miles. Though, it did go up about 1,600 ft in the two miles to Snow Mesa so it wasn't a piece of cake. True to it's name, snow began to fall as I gained the top of the mesa. The bare south facing slope gave way to a flat topped mountain still full of snow. I was very happy I'd kept my snowshoes and was able to stay on top most of the time. I came to some slushy snow and though I thought it looked strange, I just stepped on top. Well, I was only on top for a split second before I was knee deep in icy water. I'd entered a slushy bog and the only way out was 50 ft more of sloshing through the frigid water. Once I made it out my toes were numb. I took off my snowshoes and ran circles around my pack trying to warm up my toes. I got them a little warmer after a few minutes and proceeded up the trail.
As the afternoon progressed, the weather cleared some and I even saw a patch of blue sky. I continued to slog through the wet snow for awhile before I realized that Snow Mesa was basically a huge wetland at 12,000 ft. Lucky me.
After about eight miles or so I began to descend, seeing a Silver Fox off in the distance running up the slope to stay clear of me, his bushy tail bouncing behind him. On the way down I saw a large brown creature down in the meadow. It took me a second to realize what it was - a moose up at 11,700 ft! I looked down at the trail and realized what I had assumed were Elk tracks were in fact my Moose friend down in the valley. I whistled at him to let him know I was there. He looked up at me and kept grazing.
On the way down I also walked across a massive avalanche debris field. Entire trees had been swept away. I sure was glad I wasn't around for that one - it was the kind of avalanche that would have almost certainly killed you if you were caught in it's path.
I found a good couple trees to camp under and cooked my Alfredo noodles before bed. I went to sleep by 9:30pm wishing Laura was still by my side.
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