3 Highlights:
1. Tacos in camp: gourmet trail food at 3,400 meters—who knew tortillas could taste this good?
2. Siesta at lunch: because sometimes, a midday nap is *essential* for survival.
3. Learning about trail angel Karen and her dog, Betty, the food thief.
Daily Summary:
– Distance hiked: 22 km
– Starting point: Indian Peaks Boundary
– Ending point: A km from Saddle Junction (km 2591)
– Weather conditions: Mixed, but a special shout-out to the freezing night at 3,400 meters.
Daily Reflections (challenges, insights, musings):
Woke up at 3 AM for nature’s call—thanks, bladder. Spent the next hour trying to get back to sleep, which, fun fact, does *not* work when your brain decides to start replaying embarrassing high school moments. By the time Spirit left camp and it was a more reasonable 6:20, we were caffeinated and somewhat functional. Off to a glorious start, right?
The morning’s climb was brutal—600 meters up. Lurp’s resolve was impressive, though. She was right on the edge of a full-on meltdown but somehow managed to keep going. We hit the summit around 10:20 and paused for the oh-so-important task of checking emails. Because, priorities.
Around lunch, we met Karen, a 68-year-old trail angel who just finished the Colorado Trail. Total badass. She offered us a place to stay, but her dog Betty was far more interested in snatching my lunch. Sorry, Betty, this trail food is all mine. Karen’s generosity really drove home the idea that trail angels are lurking *everywhere*.
After tacos, we indulged in a mini siesta (because we’re all about those hiker luxuries). Then we checked the weather: thunderstorms tomorrow at 13:00, meaning our 30km hike with two 4,000-meter peaks just turned into a no-go. Smart choice, since pushing forward might have led to some “very” soggy hikers.
We opted for a shorter hike today. Lurp passed out by 6 PM—probably best not to mention the reports of a large male black bear causing a ruckus in the area. I mean, one of us should sleep, right? It’s raining, we’re cold, but hey, at least the sleeping bag is a fortress of warmth. Tomorrow: The town of Fraser by noon, “fingers crossed”. Nighty night!
Moving on up
Peak tortilla
Starry Colorado Night