Day 93 - Up on the High Lonesome Trail

September 19th

14.7 Miles

Right Below Devils Thumb Pass

It rained ALL night.......again. Early in the morning a male moose came through camp again and called a bunch while Spins and I rolled over ignoring it and the rain and waking up. We got up around seven and took a while to get packed and ready because it was frigid. A cold front blew through last night and we got hiking around 8:30. 

Coming around to Monarch Lake a bunch if cars past us which seemed a bit strange for an early Thursday morning. When we arrived at the lake and trailhead there were forest service workers and hoards of children; a field trip to the woods including a backcountry camp set up, a fire vehicle and campfire ready to be put out and a few other things which was neat for them. 

The more concerning thing was the high mountains in the distance:

You can hardly see them but they are dusted in snow. Nothing like a warning to get moving. The weather should be nice the next week or so and today cleared up as we climbed up. We spent the morning climbing and took lunch at a random trailhead we weren't expecting. There were tons of cars and as we hiked out we came across bunches of hunters scattered about. We also passed a horse caravan with a big buck head on one of the horses which were heading back to the trailhead. 

Continuing along we stopped short today to camp low and in the trees. Tomorrow we get to go up in beautiful country up at 12 and 13 thousand feet for ten or so miles before descending back down to camp again. Hopefully no precipitation tonight or tomorrow..well especially tomorrow because we'll be high and exposed. As for tonight, here's our view:

Day 92 - Out and Around Grand Lake

September 18th

19 Miles

Big Rock Campground 

Spins and I got breakfast at the Fat Cat Cafe in Grand Lake this morning and packed all of our stuff. We went to the post office and then Mountain Market to resupply. The woman who owns the market is seriously one of the kindest people we've met on trail and sheltered in our packs as we shopped because the sky let loose and the winds howled as per usual lately. She told us we could hang around the store as long as we wanted to stay out of the weather. 

Now the trail out of Grand Lake heads south and then follows Granby Lake to the north and east. The only problem with that route is that three or so miles of it is horrendous blowdowns...hundreds of them. Previous hikers recommended either rock hopping along the shore down a steep drop to the shoreline or road walking all the way around the west and south side of the lake. The road walk was about five miles longer but that three miles of crappyiness I figured would take longer than five extra miles so we chose the road. 

When we got out we made it about fourth minutes before round one of rain came pelting down with some serious thunder and lightning. It ended around as long as the dry spell lasted and we eventually came to a cafe with a 'fried chicken to go' sign in the window. I immediately ventured in and we were greeted by yet again the nicest woman who let us stay there as long as we pleased, had games and books, and gave a free drink to CDT hikers. We got a pizza and played a few rounds of chess for lunch while it rained outside. The rain ceased and the pizza disappeared and we were back to the road walking. Soon after we turned I to county road 6 around the south of Lake Granby and walked over a few dams and in and out of the rain. The last round of rain produced this:

While it was nice and all it was still raining, pretty windy and freezing cold!! We continued on and hike another five miles into dusk until we reached the campground and the reconnection of the CDT. Tomorrow morning there is a potential bakery a couple of mile down the trail!!!

Day 86 - 91 The Endless Rain

September 12-18th

Around 100 Miles

Into Steamboat Springs to Grand Lake

So over this week is when we got hit with the rain that also made its way on the east of the divide and flooded parts of Colorado in the Boulder area. Spins and I hiked into Steamboat Springs in torrential downpours that lasted hours and hours. We followed mostly ATV track and flooded trail, more like little raging rivers and getting to town was the number one priority  so we could finally be dry. We got a hitch into town from a father and son out driving around instead of fishing due to the weather in their rental which we tried not to mud-ify from being soaked all the time and landed up at the 'cheapest' place we could find. I went out to eat and got great Thai food and then went out for drinks with Panama, Beth, Qball, and Safety Officer at the brewpub after drying off and getting clean. We spent the next few days in Steamboat with Spins' brother watching movies, eating, eating some more and exploring around Steamboat Springs. It rained heavily for part of the day when we were in town. 

Hitching out of Steamboat was a bit tough but our ride was a super kind woman from Fort Collins who also had a home in Steamboat and we got to the trail and got hiking something serious. It was really cloudy today but it didn't rain!! Crazy I know! We hiked into the night and set up our camp dry which was refreshing even though we were exhausted. We got up early the next morning and continued to haul to get to Grand Lake by the night. There were certainly more climbing to be done today and a large chunk of the second half of the day was uphill before defending down to Grand Lake. We made it up to Bowen Pass in the afternoon and it was one of the first great views we saw without rain clouds hovering low.

There were two choices on routes: one on top of the ridge to the right and the other a little longer down the valley to rt 34 and then down into Grand Lake. The longer route was actually quicker because it was less strenuous and we hustled down to town. We reached the road to trail closure signs a all throughout Rocky Mountain National Park due to the storm and multiple people stopped and asked if we were alright due to it being dusk and all the trails being closed. Rangers also stopped and gave us the low down and were quite nice. We made it into town got food at the market and went to bed with rainouts looming in the nights sky.

Day 85 - COLORADO and the Wet Wyoming Trail

September 11th

20.4 Miles 

Waypoint 8.8 on the Wyoming Trail

This morning Spins and I waited for the rain to stop again and got everything packed and water filtered by quarter of 9. Panama and Beth caught up to us when we were filtering and we followed shortly down the road as it began to drizzle. After turning off the road we walked through the forest for a few miles until we came upon this:

Colorado!!!! I walked across and did as I do every state boundary and peed into the previous state, that being my last action in Wyoming. The rain had stopped, blue sky and sunshine appeared overhead and I hoped it was a sign of good things to come. Panama and Beth soon caught us and crossed over and we snacked at the border. Spins and I then took of and crunched out six miles of up and down and mostly more up with the rain increasing as we went up. So much for the nice weather. Thunder cracked sporadically and we cooked lunch with a small bit of sunshine and blue sky in between two huge monster storms. 

After lunch all hell broke loose from the skies. It started as a light steady rain and quickly progressed into torrential downpour. Ironically, the trail into Colorado is called the Wyoming Trail which is an ATV path. The path at this point became two streaming rivers of chocolate milk colored dirt water flowing every which way and overflowing as well. We did our best to stay dry(thanks to the umbrellas) and avoided any major wipeouts in the mud while it was pouring. We for to our spot for the night after slipping down the steeper mud path and came to a thicket of aspen where Panama and Beth were already set up. They got soaked setting up and had enough of the weather and wetness. The rain confidentially ceased and we set up our tent and got everything organized just in time for it to pour again. It's currently letting loose right now and hopefully it'll get all out of its system by the morning. I could use a day to dry some gear out!

Day 84 - One Last Night in Wyoming

September 10th

17 Miles

Side Trail Road Past Hog Creek  

After a restless night crammed into a creaky cabin with Panama, Beth, and the dogs, we all went out to grab breakfast around 8. Breakfast was quite tasty given the fact we were in a town with a population under 100. Spins and I got packs and went out to hitch back up to the trail with a sign this time so hopefully no over three hours of hitching bull. When we started hitching we flagged down a police truck and unfortunately he wasn't headed up to Battle Pass and let us know hitching was illegal in Wyoming. I kindly let him know that hitchhiking was just legalized as of July 1st this year. He wasn't aware of the change and said he'd look into that but was super nice regardless and went along his way wishing us luck with our hike. Soon after we got a ride from a really nice local named Jerry who went out of his way to drive us up to the pass after passing us earlier and turning around to pick us up! 

Once we got to the trailhead the rain had ceased for a bit but it was quite chilly. We followed a dirt road as per usual up for quite a ways which was actually really nice gradual hiking that led out to open foggy meadows with loads of water. 

We traveled on off and around trail for a while but mostly followed posts in the distance sometimes hidden by the fog. It started raining soon after and we hiked uphill into the cloud with thunder and lightning cracking all above and around us. It was a good time to take a snack break. The rain calmed down and we continued up and the clouds sort of parted. We were hiked g along some pretty exposed pink granite and rose quartz all over. Some of the cairns were even all huge chunks of quartz which I thought was pretty neat. 

The rain started up again almost cyclically. There was little wind so the umbrella kept me nice and dry all day today. We descended following cairns and posts with quartz rocks on top of them which made them really stand out and find easily. Eventually we hit a road which is a tad shorter and has water along it as opposed to the high waterless trail so we hiked the road in the pouring rain to Hog Creek with anticipation of camping there. No water could be found...All this rain and the creek was dry. We kept hiking hoping to find water which we did about a mile further down the road and set up camp alongside of it in the rain. The rain stopped long enough for dinner but the forecast has it raining all week so it looks like this'll be a wet stretch. Oh and we are only four miles from the Colorado border!!!!!!!!!

 

Day 83 - The Worst Hitching Experience of Any Trail

September 9th

12 Miles

Cabin Down in Riverside

We woke up to rain coming down hard on the tent after a whole night of rain. There was a little bit of misting from the condensation on the inside of the tent which left me a little damp this morning. We waited out the rain until it tapered off and got to hiking. After a couple miles in the clouds we reached Bridger Peak at 11,008 feet and saw more cloud. Riveting I know. Continuing along we hiked down for a few miles along a dirt car trail and then up to the road where four tenths of a mile further up was Battle Pass where we could hitch into town. We arrived at the pass in the pouring rain and strong, annoying winds around 11:30 in the morning. It was cold and kind of wet. With the umbrella up only the bottom half of the left side of me got wet. The wind chilled my bones though and after about an hour of people driving by not giving two shits about the two cold wet potentially hypothermic hikers needing a ride to town, I decided to head to the parking area/bathrooms to put more clothes on because I figured it was going to take a while. We went back out to hitching an more cars drove past in pack of four or so every twenty minutes. Nobody stopped, slowed down, or cared even a tiny bit. Now I understand you don't want the inside of your car to get wet but its SEPTEMBER AND RAINING SIDEWAYS. I was hungry. I was cold. I was partially wet. And I grew evermore angry and pissed off for every car that past by us. Eventually spins went over to the bathroom to make hot tea because we were getting borderline hypothermic. I waited for two more trucks to pass by and not give a shit before heading over. Around ten minutes later a car pulls up to the rest stopish area and asks if we are ok. I told him yeah we are now that we have cover and something warm to drink but we've been standing out in the rain for, at this point close to under two hours waiting for a ride down to Encampment, wink wink nudge nudge but apparently the guy didn't get it and was like well if ya'll are alright have a safe hike...and drove off. My impatience was displayed irritatively on my sleeve and we we t back out to hitch. After another hour of soulless people diving by the rain ceased and a truck pulled up from a dirt road we didn't even know existed. He thankfully picked us up and took us down to town. His cabin was right down that dirt road and he was on a booze run for the night. When we got to town Panama and Beth had ready gotten a cabin do we split it with them and got food. I spent the rest of the night at the bar watching the Eagles beat up on the Redskins and tried my damnest to forget all of the morning.

Day 82 - Shade, Trees, and Trail!!!

September 8th

32 Miles

Couple Miles before Bridger Peak

Today was a a big day. Spins and I got up early and took off on the road with about five liters each of water remaining. The morning was cloudy which benefitted us greatly as far as the temperature was concerned. We were able to cruise on the road and followed its up and downs as we gradually entered sporadic land around us which had tree cover. The road hit a construction area and the hard red road turned into dusty rocky dirt road. After that area we finally hit some water but it was a saline stream so it wasn't drinkable. We ran into drinkable water shortly after thankfully right around the time out water was near gone. Around 19 miles in we turned off the road we have been on since leaving Rawlins and went along another dirt road until reaching actual trail. Along the dirt road there was a pretty sweet abandoned log cabin that was probably used for hunting. 

When i reached trail I was super stoked because it was the first actual non-dirt road trail in weeks. Even better was walking through groves of aspen and pine where there was natural shade!! It was soooo nice to walk without the sun beating down on me. We crossed water and had lunch. Afterwards we hit patches of cross country where we followed cairns with big chunks of quartz ontop of them.

Then the clouds rolled in. It drizzled on and off and here and there for a bit. We continued to wind in and out of aspen groves and then started to hike up and gain elevation. We hit water again which was a small stream but that being said it was the most flowing water I've seen in a while. We stopped and ate again and Panama and Beth caught up and ate dinner there. It's our last water to town so we stocked up and headed further upwards to around 10,600 feet. Where the clouds were getting darker and drizzle began to start up again. That was enough of a signal for us and we set up, ate dinner, and called it a night after one long ass day. Yay for no more desert for now...

Day 81 - Windy Wyoming

September 7th

19.3 Miles

Somewhere Past Teton Reservoir 

So Spins and I prepared to leave Rawlins by filling a combined 16 liters of water total!! That's 34 pounds of water!! Our next stretch could have as long as 50 miles until the next on trail water. Luckily a part of the trail is on a well used road so acquiring water from cars may be our only hope once we run out. We left around 11 and walked to the post office to ship all our cold weather clothing ahead to Colorado to balance out all that water weight. We got an early lunch and headed through a neighborhood to walk out of town and under interstate 80. Once we crossed out of Rawlins it started to rain. Now it being mid-day, rain was alright with me because the alternative was blistering heat and sunshine. Besides that would come after the storm and dry me quickly, which it did. The entire time the wind was whipping across the road sending huge raindrops at me. We continued along the road for miles and miles of the same landscape we've seen previously. The wind changed from across the road to strait at us as the road transitioned from asphalt paved to naturally Rawlins red (the color of the earth here) paved. We got to the first big reservoir, Teton Reservoir which is saline. There are seagulls and crayfish here no drinkable water to be seen. Luckily I knew this beforehand otherwise we'd be screwed. We continued along until nightfall and set the tent up behind some bushes on the side of the road...luxurious wilderness am I right?? In the distance lightning clouds are lighting up around which is a beautiful sight to cap off the day. More road and no water tomorrow!

Day 80 - Zero in Rawlins

September 6th

0 Miles

First Choice Inn

Panama and Beth got into town today so we split a room and did some relaxing and hydrating after being dried out by the basin. Nothing terribly eventful happened on our zero besides the usual junk TV, copious amounts of food eating, and a couple trail errands.

Day 79 - Rally to Rawlins!!

September 5th

26 Miles

First Choice Inn

This morning we tanked up with water again because there wasn't any until Bull Spring. We got up early and hiked a good bit in the early morning sun before it was hot. We got a good bit of miles in before the sun started cooking and it got seriously hot today. Mid day was pretty brutal and windy so we were exposed the whole time. When we hit Bull Springs the water was in a tube cover with dead moths. Mmm extra protein. We dipped our bottled under the floating dead moths and filtered our water. Towards the evening we made it into town and Spins ordered Pizza Hut as we got closer to town and made it there just before they closed to pick up our order. We got a room and ate then fell asleep quickly. We'll most likely take a day off to kris to do town chores and stay inside away from the sun for the first time in a while. 

Day 78 - Finally Ample Water!?

September 4th

19 Miles

A & M Reservoir

We got up and out early mainly because we were really really thirsty. The three miles from camp to Benton Springs flew by and reaching a fenced in patch of green with ample water flowing. We took a long break drinking a bunch of water and rehydrating as much as we could. After the spring we continued on and were met by a group of eight or so wild horses which stopped in their track and checked us out. As we walked they followed paralleled to us and then flanked behind us and ran up the ridge for a better view of us. They continued stalking us until stopping and we kept hiking away from them until reaching another water source, a deep cistern with a neat thing next to it:

The cow bones still had the tag near it but luckily the water was in a deep steel cistern so it wasn't contaninated. We continued along dirt road and reached a barrel with a pipe below it. Inside the barrel was a valve to turn and water came flowing out if the pipe!! It was glorious. We made lunch and hung out there for a bit and then continued on. Towards the evening we cruised on a dirt road along a gas pipeline until arriving at a huge lake, A & M Resevoir. It was hot so I took a nice swim to cool off and Spins and I called it a day there. We watched as lightning storms rained and struck in the distance.

 

Day 77 - the Waterless Deathmarch

September 3rd

27 Miles

East Araphaho Creek

So this morning Spins and I loaded up with water from a cow trough for our 30 mile stretch without water until Benton Springs. I decided to carry five liters of water which meant a liter of water for every six miles...which is definitely not enough but five liters is ten pounds ten ounces. The morning was alright until the heat picked up and with that the wind picked up as well. That rendered my umbrella useless and made the day HOT. There was no shade and I sparingly drank my water just in case we didn't make it that 30 miles. At lunch we were ten to twelve miles in which meant it was going to be a late night. After lunch the wind died down a little and I was able to use my umbrella which made a huge difference. It started to get dark and the temperature was great but the dehydration and miles wore both of us down. I had about a liter left and we started our hike into the dark. The wind picked up again and light ing and thunder struck closer and closer in the distance. It began to rain and Spins and I hit our breaking point threeish miles from Benton Springs. East Araphao creek had a small puddle which we despreaey scooped up but it was basically cow piss so we didn't use it. By the time we were set up we were to tired to make dinner so I ate a bar and went to sleep with less than half a liter of water left but tomorrow the glorious oasis of Benton Springs is withing an hour from tonight's camp.

Day 76 - Rain in the Desert

September 2nd

15.1 Miles

Weasel Spring

Spins and I got up late today and as a result ended up running into Styles who we finished with on the PCT and was also on the AT at our campsite. We chatted with him for a bit and he told us the water info north of here and we were going to take the longer Sweetwater Creek alternate along the over but because it took so long to get out of camp we decided to stick to the shorter official route. All morning the clouds rolled and at our first break two hikers came from the horizon up to us heading south. Q-Ball and Safety Officer were there names and I knew of them being behind us for a while and was waiting for them to catch us and they finally did. After our break the clouds continued providing wonderful shade and actually rained over in the distance near where we would have taken the alternate. We lunched at Upper Mormon Spring, the only water source for the day, and continued on towards Weasel Spring. It's only 15 miles from where we camped but the next decent source is 29 miles past it so we'll camp there then haul ass tomorrow to the next water source. As we got close to water the clouds thickened and the rain started with high winds. Now the whole CDT I've heard about the big bad dry hot as hell Great Divide Basin and here I am being rained on in the shade with high winds. We made it to the water and setting up the tent was an event in the rain and wind. It took forever but we actually set it up better than any of the nights prior. The rained and wind ceased eventually and we cooked dinner and got an early night to sleep so we can get up early tomorrow. Hauling all that water is going to suck.

 

Day 75 - South Pass City and Entering the Basin

September 1st

16ish miles 

Sweetwater River Bridge

It's always hard to leave a comfy motel room (especially with a flat screen) but I managed to get out of there and get packed. We ate breakfast at the Oxbow and had huge cinnamon buns. After breakfast, Panama and Beth and the dogs were out hitching and we relaxed in the shade waiting for our turn when a turquoise old pickup truck without a back bed door pulled over and Panama waved us over and we all hopped into the back which was a bit sketchy but a ride is a ride. Our destination was up three thousand feet and for the old ass truck to make it up the hills he gunned it downhill which was exciting. 

We got dropped off at south pass and then headed over to South Pass City which is a state historical site and old defunct mining town. Being Labor Day admission was free and we were a me to walk around this old western town and check out the insides of the buildings which was quite fascinating.

Panama, Beth, the dogs, Spins and myself took off after lunch at about three and started the great divide basin which amounts to not much water, sagebrush, and dirt road walking. We took to the road and hiked a bit until we split from Panama and Beth during a snack break. Spins and I continued on and when we turned to get off the alternate we took and back on the CDT we got to travel on some seriously awesome historical tread: the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express!!

South Pass city was really interesting but walking on those two trails for a short bit was my highlight of the day. We hiked j to the night and got to watch the sunset while roadwalking.

Spins and I reached the river where a camper RV was parked and a fire roaring. We said hi and then set up on the other side of the river and made dinner and called it a night. Early day tomorrow and potentially more fantastic (or at least better) alternates for this section. 

Day 74 - Zero in Lander

August 31st

0 miles

Holiday Lodge

Labor Day weekend proved successful for me as far as sales to at the outfitters in town. I woke up a bit groggy and hungover from going to the bar late last night with Panama. We got breakfast at The Oxbow and walked over to the gear store which had a crowd outside and they were selling hiking clothing for 70% off. I picked up another jacket for when it will get cold in Colorado. I seam sealed the new tent to make it waterproof and spent the rest of the day veggin' out eating ice cream.

Day 73 - Car Trail Walking Into Lander

August 30th

13 Miles

Holiday Lodge Motel

I got an early start to the day and packed up everything eager to hit town. The hiking all day today was on dirt car trails and we were exposed in the hit high desert sun all day. It was good practice for the upcoming Great Divide Basin which is the next stretch which consists of mostly flat dry and open desert/sagebrush land. We meandered up and down creek valleys and made it to the road by oneish where we immediately got picked up by the first truck and rode down into town. We got a room with Panama and Beth after eating some Pizza Hut and then resupplied and went to the bar for some drinks. One half of the bar turned into a dance party with glow sticks and pop music which, being in Wyoming, was a weird sight. Spins and Beth turned in around eleven which is what Panama and I should have done but we stayed at the bar and got sucked into conversations until closing time. Tomorrow morning=potentially rough.

Day 72 - Out of the Winds

August 29th

20 Miles

BLM Campground

Waking up at Clear Lake after the Cirque, I kind of assumed the Winds were pretty much over. I also didn't looks ahead at my maps and I was wrong. We spent the morning hiking up to Deep Lake which was a basin of all granite and some thin dirt with trees barely holding on which was a cool sight.

We crossed up and around Deep Lake towards Temple Peak and Temple Lakes. The hike was graded up on the ridge towards a pass between East Temple and Temple Peaks with the huge Temple lake down and to the right. The pass, like everything so far in the Winds, included some rock hopping on steep slopes and then some steeper 'trail' hiking up to the pass. 

On top of the pass was a boulder field you had to hop across to get to the other side where it took Spins and I a quick minute to regain/find trail. The trail was steep loose dirt barley carved on the the side of the mountain and we took very careful small steps down.

The rest of the way down the valley was hiked by following game trails and we took lunch at a lake right before we rejoined with the official CDT trail. Jumping back on the CDT, we followed a dirt road and saw Panama and Beth tracks as well as there signature in a register and we knew they were right ahead of us. We hiked quickly down the road to try and catch up with them until we made it to a BLM campsite where people were out with their RV's for the holiday. We chatted with them and they said that Panama and Beth cut through the woods, through a beaver pond, and onto the 'new official trail'. The old CDT was a shorter, less hilly road walk and I took the advice many nobos gave me when passing them, "when you have the choice of hiking the new CDT or old CDT, always choose the old!" Spins and I ate dinner at that campground and by the time we left it was starting to get dark. There was another BLM campground three miles from here and we figured we'd hike in the dark to get there which we did. The stars were out at night and made for a beautiful scene when we rolled into camp.

Day 71 - The Cirque of the Towers

August 28th

14 Miles

Clear Lake

Got up round usual this morning and caught a wonderful sunrise over the mountains a cross the valley:

The only problem with the morning was the thick and low grey clouds hanging on and over the peaks ahead of us. Luckily it seemed like rain was going to hold off as we hiked down and across the valley and up towards those mountains. When we got to the turn off for the Cirque of the Towers route it was still dreary and the lazy part of me thought that because of the weather it wouldn't be worth the effort of climbing over two passes. Both of us decided we would regret not doing it and it was five miles to the top of the pass so the weather had plenty of time to change. As we headed up we ran into Pamana and Beth, who camped down in the valley, up at Shadow Lake which was a spectacular lake due to the jagged peaks behind it.

As we continued up towards Texas Pass to cross into the cirque, the clouds began to break back into big white fluffy clouds with patched of blue sky. The climb up the pass was rocky but there was a trail and it was WAY less steep than Knapsack Col. Looking forward at the top of the pass at the valley and over at the cirque was breathtaking and as we descended more and more of the towers exposed themselves.

Heading down the trail gave way to multiple options of game trails, cairns and cross country. We decided to cross country down to a game trail and then switchback down to larger trails until we got down to the lake. As we popped out at the lake we heard a bark to the right and Panama, Beth, and the dogs were nestled in between boulders and willow below the most massive tower having lunch. We posted up with them and the sun came out and the clouds disappeared and it was HOT which it hasn't been since I got into Wyoming. 

After lunch is when shit got frustrating. To get out of the valley you head over Jackass Pass which is higher then the actual pass below it so Whoever thought of putting trail up there must be the jackass. As we made our way around the lake Spins and I got engulfed in conversation and did pay attention the the fact that we were headed near the low pass to the right and not Jackass Pass. So we worked together a maze of game trails and cross country until we made it back to the trail up to the pass. 

Crossing down the pass we came to a split where the Ley map said to head up and to the left of the lake but there was a trail to the right down along the lake. Spins wanted to go along the Ley route and I wanted the easy way along the lake so we took my way and I've come to learn in the Winds that when I think the other way is the easy way, we end up having to do bouldering and rock climbing to get back to the trail. About halfway along the lake we hit a boulder field which took a lot of time and energy to get around. I personally like the bouldering but while thruhiking its a little more work than its worth if you want to get miles in. At the mouth of the lake we jumped back on trail and met a bunch of whose base camp was lower and had gone up to the cirque for the day. One of the men lives in Aspen, CO and told us to give him a ring when we head through for a shower and possible place to stay. He also owns a gear shop there which could prove beneficial by the time I get down there. 

On trail, we headed down (well actually up and around then down) another lake and came out to (insert big lakes name) where we saw Panama and Beth stopped in the field. I hollered at them and didn't realize the big black animal I stupidly glanced at earlier and assumed was a horse was actually a big moose heading over to the lake. We quietly headed over to where they were at and watched the moose to into the water, drink a bit, then swim over to where a campsite was a cross the lake.

Shortly after, Spins and I took a break at the junction of what we were told was the trail up to Clear Lake. Panama and Beth passed us up there and kept going. Misplacement number three of the day happened when I checked my GPS and saw we were headed to a different lake to the left and above Clear Lake. We bushwhacked over to the other trail and hoped Panama and Beth would realize and do the same...eventually. We made it up to Clear Lake which is stunning and saw their footprints ahead so we knew they made it back on the right trail as well. We were going to head up to Deep Lake and camp but said screw the extra mile we're done here and set up camp. We ate by the lake with the sun setting and it was gorgeous. An end to a scenic and tough hiking day. One and a half more days in the mountains until we head into the flat desert.

 

Day 70 - Lakes Everywhere!

August 27th

20.4 Miles

Above Washakie Creek

Night one in the new tent was semi-succesful. There was a decent amount of condensation from being near a lake and all zipped up and because we didn't set the tent angles up properly the mesh touched the rain fly and condensation dripped into tent and onto our sleeping bags. It's not to big of a deal but the more we set it up the better we'll get and then the palace will be perfect. 

I started off around eight and going over Hat Pass first thing in the day was a treat with the morning sun shining on the surrounding area.

A majority of the morning Spins and I spent passing lakes of all shapes, names, and sizes while flip flopping back and forth with Panama and Beth. The clouds were light and harmless looking until around lunchtime about ten miles in and the overcast gray atmosphere began drizzling. It didn't last too long nor was it terribly intense so it didn't bother me a bit. 

After lunch we never caught back up with Panama and Beth. They took off and are headed as close as possible to the Cirque de Towers tomorrow morning. The lake around lunch and the lakes after lunch were all grazed and covered in shpoop (our word for sheep poop). At the next passing of a lake, a dog sat there all by himself and I figured he was a herding dog and a couple seconds later I heard the bahhh-ing of the sheep in the distance. As we moved on past lunch it was like a energy sucking brick wall had hit Spins and I. We were both feeling spent and tired and really sore. I think the combination of lack of sleep, water, and an overall less amount of gorging ourselves in town had taken a toll on us. Still you have to make the miles so we pushed on further until we made it to our twenty mile spot for the night, a nice flat campsite about a mile and change away from the Cirque of the Towers turn onto the alternate (and one of the prettiest places in the Winds might I add). Attempt number two at the tent set up was more successful but still not perfect. By the time we get in town in a couple days we should have it mostly perfected and then I can seam seal it to make it fully waterproof. Tomorrow is the Cirque of the Towers alternate which will be fantastically scenic...I just hope it won't leave me as sore as the Knapsack Col alternate did.

Day 69 - Back Into the Winds

August 26th

14 Miles

Some Lake

We got a ride out of town by a father and son Panama and Beth met while in town in the back of their pickup up a few thousand feet and it was a bit chilly. We got back to the trailhead and hiked back out on the same trail and then jumped onto the CDT in the winds. We ate lunch in the rain at a huge lake and by the end of lunch it tapered off. We kept hiking until we ran into Panama and Beth finishing up dinner and hiked around then before coming to a nice spot at a lake. It was new tent day and Spins and I spent a good deal of time trying to set up the tent and get everything taunt and correctly angled. By the time we were done it was dark and we ate a little bit of food and called it a night.

Day 68 - Into Pinedale

August 25th

10.5 Miles

Pinedale Lodge

I got up and going relatively earlier this morning because last night there shockingly wasn't any rain and because town was only ten or so miles away. Leaving little Seneca lake I hiked up and down some little baby s around more lakes and hiked past photographers point:

There were TONS of people heading out into the woods from the trailhead and a couple heading back to their cars. Once we got a few miles from the trailhead, the trail became nice and wide and open and we got stuck behind a three horse, four dogs, and around ten person caravan. We made it past the first horse then got stuck between the next one for a while until the person leading the horse realized we were there. We passed them and then continued to the parking lot where we got a ride from a guy who we had flip flopped back and forth with all morning. Pinedale was a nice western and populated town with a nice brewery and gear shop. We got all our town chores done and split a room with Panama and Beth and the dogs.