We walked out of Salida with heavy backpacks, 8 days of food. The hitch was done in stages with 3 people driving us as far as they were going. Eventually we arrived back at Monarch Pass and the trail south. It was a sunny day but the forecast was rain for the next few days.
Confusing as it looks, this sign tells us we've completed the Collegiate West high trail and are back on the CT/CDT.
Not a lot of water sources so we're carrying water for the next 12 miles plus a dry camp, this on top of an already heavy pack.
RAIN is the reality of our life for the next 7 days. Waiting for a window of sun to dry out every item we carry with us, eventually wishing somehow we could be anywhere but here where we are wet, irritated and surly.
We did have moments of incredible beauty and gratitude. Here are a montage of pictures from the last 7 days.
Our 300 mile mark (raining of course).
The Cochetopa Hills (meaning buffalo in the Ute Indian language). This morning presented with patchy sun and the hills were so pretty with clouds adding texture to the landscape. We caught a moment to dry everything on a dead tree.
A rummage sale in the wild got great comments from our fellow hikers as they walked by.
After fording Cochetopa Creek (the bridge had been washed away) we had a window of dry weather where our tents got set up and dinner made. Then a beautiful rainbow before it rained again all night.
This is our campsite on the flank of 14K foot San Luis Peak. This camp elevation was 12,100'. After dinner we crouched in our tents as we experienced a hail storm with thunder and lightning lasting at least 15-20 minutes. Pretty incredible!
The same campsite after the hailstorm.
After breaking camp the next morning we reached the saddle of San Luis Peak and in a window of good weather we dried out our tents. Peggy decided to climb the 1,400 feet to the summit and got within 200' of the top. She said the views of mountain ranges seemed to never end. This is a panorama from the saddle where I was.
The clouds were moving in and we left the saddle for lower elevations.
We have 1 more day before our resupply in Creede, can't wait for a shower and bed.
Our last day we had staged so we could cross Snow Mesa in the morning before the storm clouds gathered. Our trail, stretching 3.3 miles across this undulating mesa, offers no shelter from lightning but we had a relatively clear morning to complete the trek.
The white area in the photo shows chalk cliffs. The patches of dead trees, which we've seen all across Colorado, were destroyed by the spruce beetle.
Hoodoos, made from consolidated volcanic ash line the ridges near Snow Mesa.
A view from Snow Mesa of the trail marker and the mountains of our next segment. Note the clouds that have moved in over the Mesa, a warning to get off as soon as possible.
We successfullly hitched into Creede, a silver mining town nestled in a tiny valley beneath rocky peaks. They have a thriving repertory theater which draws tourists now that the mining is gone.
Soon we leave for the trail after securing a ride from a Creede trail angel.
For now we are taking a zero to rest and recuperate in town.
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