Mick’s Miscellaneous Meanderings

Great night in the yurt – best night on the trail so far. It was exciting to meet Triple Crowners, others who understood and shared the passion for long distance hiking. Got out of bed feeling surprisingly refreshed. The twinge in my hip I’d had for the past week was gone. I ate a breakfast of Muesli cereal with Nido powdered milk and set off. Shortly before noon, I caught up to Bill and Keith at the highest point on the Colorado trail at 13,271 ft. Coming off the high point, dark clouds were already starting to form. By the time I got up and over the next 1000 ft climb 5 miles later, the weather was turning. The wind kicked up and the temps dropped 20 degrees in a matter of minutes. I stopped and donned my rain gear and put my pack cover on and continued the last mile for the day to the campsite. Got pelted with a few pieces of hail and a minute or so of light rain but I escaped the worst of it.

When I got down to the lake and campsite I looked up to the pass I’d just come over and it was white with a sheet of hail. Narrow escape. I could see it wasn’t over yet though. Storms were forming to the west and north so I quickly made camp, a supper of spaghetti (at 4pm!), cleaned up and crawled into the tent just in time for the rain.

Got up at 7am and packed up and met Keith and Bill for breakfast at the same restaurant as the night before but with even worse service. The waitress literally went out of her way to avoid us. I shit you not. Back to our hotel and our shuttle arrived right on time and up to the trail head. Hopped up on the little bit of coffee I could get from the waitress, I was ready to take off at a run but the 3 of us got into a deep conversation about the Appalachian Trail, so much so that we missed a turn 2.5 miles in and only realized it a mile later when I just happened to check my GPS. We turned around and 5 minutes later met another thru-hiker who had also missed the turn – Jacob, aka Toothpick.

We turned him around and got back to the trail. Jacob hiked with us for a while, happy to have company for once. I really liked him – he thought I was 25. We arrived at the Colorado Trail Yurt by 3:00. Jacob was already there. Storms were moving in. We talked and joked for a while, checked the register and got down to evening chores – filter water, make supper, etc.

Early in the evening, 2 more hikers rolled in – Erin (Nemo) and Chris (Pouch) – 2 Continental Divide Trail hikers with only 22 miles to go before finishing their CDT thru-hike and the Triple Crown (hiking the 2100 mile Appalachian Trail, the 2700 mile Continental Divide Trail, and the 2700 Pacific Crest Trail).

Six people and a dog in the little yurt. Things got lively. Jacob had also hiked the AT and sections of the PCT and Bill and Keith had hike the AT. So they talked about some of the fellow hikers they had in common. Soon Bill and Keith retired to their bunks and the remaining 3 talked about favorite sections of their hikes to which I listened intently and drooled. Things finally settled down around 8 after some comedy with the cots. The storm that had been brewing all day made it’s presence known at the hut shortly before midnight with some heavy hail and lightening.

The owner of the San Juan Sports, Creede’s outfitter showed up in his Land Rover at the hotel. He’d definitely be able to get us up over the rough road to the trail head in that vehicle. We said our thanks, paid our shuttle fee and said farewell to him and we were on our way – back up a 1.5 mile side trail to meet the CT at San Luis Pass. At the trail intersection we found a note on a post saying “Absolutely no slackpacking, NFS. – Mike & Austin” Funny.

Half the hike was PUDs – pointless ups and downs – with beautiful views and the other half was crossing Snow Mesa…in the rain. We got to the trailhead at the other end of the segment by 4:40, just in time for our 5:00 shuttle and who do we run into but Mike and Austin. We harassed them about doing the segment with their full pack when they could have slacked and tried to talk them into going back into Creede with us. Still the diehards, they declined and took off to get another 5 miles in.

We sat waiting for the shuttle. 5:00 came and went. 33 miles to Creede. We discussed our options and I headed out to the road to try to hitch us a ride while Keith headed over to a guy with a van in the parking area. No-go on the van guy. About a dozen cars later a truck pulled over. Trey could take us about 10 miles. We climbed in. Better than nothing. At least we’d be closer to Creede. They dropped us off at the Rio Grande Reservoir where there’s a lot of traffic coming out to the main road. Soon, 2 bright yellow jeeps and a run down pickup truck come to the intersection and all but run us off the side of the road in their haste to not have to talk to us. Keith got a ride with a couple who only had room for one person. Bill and I got a ride about 20 minutes later from a couple from Nebraska vacationing in Creede.

We were all finally back at the hotel a little after 7. I was immensely annoyed. I hadn’t eaten a thing since lunch and I had a ton of things to do yet – including finding a place to set up my tent in town since all the hotels were full. As we arrived, the hotel owner met us in the parking log, already knowing about our shuttle fiasco. I voiced my frustration and the owner offered her side yard for my tent. One problem solved. We all got showers and headed across the street for supper. Not 20 minutes later, our would-be shuttle driver showed up at our table in the restaurant and apologized profusely and explained what happened and also offered to put me up at a friend’s house. I felt a font better just knowing that she cared about the mishap. She left, promising to pick us up at 9 am the next morning.

We ate and headed back to the hotel and set up my tent in the yard by flash light and I finished the remaining things to be done – double checked food, sent emails, etc.

Hiked up San Luis with Keith. It was his first 14er. Then on to San Luis Pass and down the trail into Creede. 1.5 miles later we reached the trail head parking lot. Only one truck parked there. Guess we were walking down the forest service road a ways. There was supposed to be traffic on the road because of workers from a mine traveling it. We got to the mines. Three freaking trucks parked in the lot. And they weren’t likely to leave until the end of their work day. Grrr. It was 10 miles into Creede. I was going to be in a really bad mood if my 7.6 mile day became a 17.6 mile day.

I got my iPod out, slapped the ear buds in, cranked up the music, pulled up the hood or my rain jacket, and pushed on. Did I mention that it was also raining and my rain jacket was dead? A mile later a little ATV rolled past in the opposite direction followed by a huge SUV. We stuck our thumbs out anyway. The SUV kept rolling. We looked at the license plate. Texas. Figured. Texans were notorious snobs in Colorado. I rolled my eyes and continued fiddling with my pack. I looked over at the SUV and the break lights were on. They were stopping! They backed up and put the window down. Keith told them our situation. They offered to take us a mile or two down the road to the old town of Bachelor. They drove off to catch their nieces on the little ATV’s in front of them to tell them what was up and came back in a few minutes and we hopped in. They ended up taking us all the way into Creede to Kips where we ate lunch, a greasy spoon that serves mainly burgers but no french fries. What? We discussed the possibility of slackpacking the next segment the next day and staying in Creede the following night too.

Then off to the hotel to dump our packs, post office for my mail drop, outfitter for a new rain jacket, and the beloved grocery store. We met back at the hotel to go for supper where we ran into Mike and Austin who were just passing through – getting a shower at the hotel and resupplying. We tried to talk them into staying in town and slackpacking with us. I even offered to share my room with them. They would have none of it. They were hardcore and pushing on. We went to supper and made arrangements for our slackpack then back to my room to figure out food for the next leg then off to sleep for an early morning shuttle.

Woke up to a coating of frost on everything and the water bottles just starting to freeze. It was a bit of a surprise since I was nice and warm all night.

Spent all day hiking up a valley – fortunately a nice, gradual ascent. Very pleasant as far as ascents go. My pack was light. Water was plentiful and I saw 2 moose. The perfect hike. Set up camp with Keith, Bill, Homestead, and a section hiking jerk with a dog about a mile below a trail head to San Luis Peak – a 14er, which we all planned to do in the morning. Really ready for a zero day in Creede.

Today was the big day. 19 miles between water sources so I’d have to carry enough water to last a long walk through meadows in the hot sun. And Cassie would have to carry enough for herself too.

I drank the Coke and ate a Clif Bar while packing up camp and set off. 5 miles in 2 hours. Not bad. I stopped and made a trail shake and fed Cassie. Set off again. 4.5 miles in 2 hours. Still not bad but I was getting tired so I slapped the headphones in and cranked up the tunes and sang along as I followed a dry creek bed along a long valley. As I turned and started heading up out of the valley I saw Bill and Keith coming toward me. Uh oh. What’s wrong? They’d gotten turned around and were lost. They’d missed the second turn and ended up hiking up a mountain unnecessarily adding another mile or so to their already long day. We hiked together the rest of the day.

Coming down into the first real water we’d seen in 2 days created quite a site. Three hot, smelly people waded into the fast flowing stream and got a hiker bath – a wash and wear bath. As Bill and Keith were setting up camp Austin and Mike showed up. They’d been hiking 20+ days to catch up. I had been planning to continue on a few miles for privacy so I could get a real bath but decided to stay and enjoy the party. We chatted, joked, took pictures, and planned the next couple days of miles.

Long day. Hiking was made difficult by dirt bikes being allowed on the trail in these sections. They really chew up the trail and it becomes a gully of loose, ankle-busting rocks. Not to mention them barreling down the trail and throwing dust all over you.

Stopped for lunch about 2 pm in a valley. Got about halfway through and thunder started rumbling and it started spritzing. Packed up and by the time I got to the ridge I was being pelted with hail that turned back to rain as I descended down the other side of the ridge. Most importantly, I discovered that my rain jacket no longer repelled water. I had the hood up and rain was running down my forehead and back and I was freezing from it!

Back down in the next valley I discovered some pleasant trail magic. just as it stopped raining I turned a corner and came upon this canopy with huge containers of food and drinks. I grabbed a couple bags of Doritos and a beer. Mmmmm. A couple guys came out of the tent next to the canopy and joined me and explained that they’d been there awhile but hadn’t seen the trail angel, Apple, yet. I grabbed a couple candy bars – Twix and Snickers – and chowed down while we talked. Perry and Garrett were out on a section hike carrying 17 days worth of food with them. They weren’t planning to go into any towns to resupply. Holy $%^#!!! I thought my 7 days of was bad enough. I usually figure 1.5 lbs of food per day. That means they were carrying about 25 lbs of food on top of their base pack weight (pack and gear without food and water). My base pack weight for this trip was about 20 lbs. So they were probably carrying 45-50 lb packs. Ouch!

We chatted for a bit but apparently my reputation preceded me. They knew all about me – my bear story, that I’d been sick, that I was from PA. Geez, the trail grapevine works.

I checked out the trail register. Bill and Keith had been through only 45 minutes before. I planned to stay at the same campsite and still had several miles to go so I decided to make supper while I was taking my break. A Lipton side packet and Clif bar later, I grabbed a soda for the morning and continued on. Got to camp just in time to get set up before the lights went out.

Cows, cows, and more cows. The day was littered with cow manure that washes into the streams when it rains. Lovely. Thank goodness for a filter.

Dry day – only one water source en route. Had to carry 5 lbs of water which makes for a heavy pack. Dry camped for the first time in my life. Finally starting to get beautiful views again. Yeayy! And Nutella and Clif Bars rock – separate and together.

Up at 5:15 to finish packing and head to breakfast at a pancake restaurant at 5:45. We (Bill, Keith, and me) shared a shuttle back to the trail and started a long 8 mile uphill slog. We crested the saddle by noon and were treated to beautiful views. We continued the 2 miles down the trail as storms materialized to the south. Shotrly after we reached the only shelter on the trail (Green Creek Shelter) it started pouring down rain. Other hikers and a biker straggled in soggy. We all ate lunch and waited around for the rain to stop. An hour and a half later, I was again pushing through the last 4 miles with tired hips and legs. By 6 pm, all the hikers (not the biker) that were in the shelter were at the campsite setting up tents and making supper.

Town chores today. Resupply, post office, grocery store, lumber store for denatured alcohol for my stove (which they gave to me for free), and a haircut. Met Paul (my trail angel from Buena Vista) for a walk around the Salida Arts Festival. Then out to supper with Bill and Keith, fellow thru-hikers. Then one more chore to do – head to Walmart for Nutella. I was NOT getting back on the trail for 7 days without my Nutella. And Safeway didn’t have it. It could only be procured from the Walmart on the other side of town.

With storms brewing, I tied Cassie on the back porch of the hostel, grabbed a rickety bike the hostel made available, and headed the 2 miles to Walmart. It was worth every pedal and every raindrop.

Returned to the hostel and got a shower to get the itchiness off of me from the haircut, did wash again to get the hair off my clothes so I wouldn’t itch all week, and headed to bed for an early start in the morning.