Day 54: and then there were 2

6/14: mile 872.9-885.3

Miles: 12.4 (and the pedometer does say 16)

Total trip miles: 736.6

Up early waiting for decision time, I don't do well sitting twiddling my thumbs. Moist and Nightcrawler showed up around 9 with no decisions made. Folks decided to wait until the Creede intersection for the final decision. Appa had checked out and was in no rush, making for a ridiculously late almost 11 am start.  

We tried to glissade down but the snow was just too soft, but we did see a coyote which was cool. Then it was a long slow posthole filled traverse around the valley. I'm pretty sure it was the hottest I've been in the last 2 weeks of hiking. 

Then it was a nice long climb to a gorgeous ridge line. Nightcrawler and I had pulled ahead and were busy cruising. Some snow but not too much, it was the thunder that got us really going. Few trees and over 12000 ft had us moving. We made it to the Creede cutoff and huddled under a pathetic tree waiting. 

The guys finally trickled in and with the rain blowing everyone looked pretty unhappy. All three guys decided to bail for the lower route and Nightcrawler and I continued on. 

Heading off into the rain was pretty depressing. But then it got gorgeous so that helped. 

A nice climb we couldn't figure out how to traverse without hating life so we just climbed straight up the rock. 

Over the top and we had to pull out the microspikes and ice axe. Real traverse time. Short but tricky rocks underneath and unsettling. I hate traversing. 

We were starting to get engulfed by the mist but we wanted to find some dry ground so we kept going. Getting so tired just postholing down the mountain. Getting confused by all the extra creeks and snow banks and it taking extra long for us to figure out where we were because we really just wanted to camp. 

We finally got low enough to find some trees and collapsed into camp. Wet and cold I was so glad to get into my tent. This is going to be quite the section.