September 14 – Hemingway
3 Highlights:
- Kelso Ridge to Torreys
- Mountain goat sighting
- Messi’s two goals
Daily Summary:
- Distance hiked: 20 km (1600m+ elevation)
- Starting point: I-70
- Ending point: Close to Argentine Pass trailhead
- Weather conditions: Sunny
Daily Reflections:
I woke up looking over Dillon Lake. The sun was just right. Packed up, aimed for luxury coffee. First stop was Red Buffalo—no, not it. Moved on to another, Good Vibes, that hit the mark. Wild Flower opted for a rest day. I decided to hit Greys Peak.
It took me 30 minutes of hitching before Ken, a Minnesota transplant, picked me up. We chatted Colorado 14ers. He wasn’t impressed with Greys, but dropped me off at I-70. I started hiking up and spotted James in a car up ahead. His car was full though, so I pushed on, walking 5km and climbing 500m that I could’ve done by car. Still, it felt good to be on my own terms.
At the final water source, I ran into Lip Balm and Vanessa. They were heading up Kelso Ridge to Torreys Peak, a more rugged route. I asked how long it would take? 45 minutes Vanessa answered. Lip Balm, complemented by informing me she had the official record time. I was way out of my league.
They warned me about exposure, but I took the challenge. It started easy, but midway we hit a 5.1 climb—almost vertical. Not the kind of climb where you look down. And then, the knife-edge ridge—five meters of pure steepness. But we made it to the top, greeted by Brad offering whiskey. He was camped out to watch the Northern Lights.
After pictures, we summited Greys, the highest point on the CDT, which felt like a walk compared to what we’d just done. I took photos of a guy doing a headstand. He was an acupuncturist. The descent was trickier, though. Mt. Edwards was no joke, but then, a mountain goat appeared, standing proud like it owned the place.
We hiked down as the sun set, searching for a campsite. Finally found one around 11 pm, too tired to care much about anything else. It was a long day, but a full one, packed with beauty and adventure. I’ll sleep well tonight.
Dillon Lake overview
Greys Peak in the distance
Kelso Ridge from the start
Trio of climbers
Mountain Goat on Mt Edwards
