Miles: 20?
Total trip miles: 833.1
Nightcrawler needs to have a discussion with the snowshoe hares. They woke her up again this morning but we both slept pretty well overall and headed off down the road without much fuss.Mostly we were just enjoying the aspen and that it actually feels like springtime down here.
We had thought we might end up on a real road but it was all dirt passing houses, horses and so much pretty green.
This is the kind of group hiking I feel more comfortable with. I'm vaguely with someone but we don't actually hike together, just see each other at breaks and occasional intersections.
We found the camp trailhead and headed back up towards the CDT. 2 hours and over 2500 ft of climbing and I was back on trail. It's been awhile since I was able to just take off and climb and it was great.
The trail popped up right near a yurt, I think it's somehow related to the Colorado Trail Friends. It was a great lunch spot, it even had a logbook which was fun to see. I love seeing whose around, and around what time last year the northbounders rolled through. Hopefully I'm not as late as I feel. Nightcrawler showed up and she saw a cougar on her hike up! I'm going to pretend it wasn't there when I passed not just that I'm oblivious.
Then it was a little less than 9 miles to Spring Creek Pass and a hitch to Lake City. It was a miraculously snow free section all the way to the trailhead. I got a little cranky during La Jarosa Mesa, it was very rocky and not the speediest of walking but it was so nice to actually be able to move. I put music on and tried not to kick to many rocks.
With just a few miles to the trailhead I saw 2 day hikers heading up the trail. I stopped to chat and miraculously was offered a ride once they finished their hike. They were about to turn around and said they'd be happy to take Nightcrawler too. What amazing trail magic!
I got to the pass, took my obligatory photos and walked around a bit while I waited. The couple, Bob and Linda, reappeared with Nightcrawler and off we went.
I love meeting people on this trail. The ride was lovely, we even stopped to take a peek at Lake San Cristobel on the way down. They took us to the post office and then back to the hostel. I just can never get over some of the generosity I've encountered on trail.
The hostel is a neat spot, run by a hiker who I unfortunately didn't get to meet. He was held up in Gunnison so I guess I'll have to go back, darn.
No other hikers in this town, but there is an ultrarunner staying at the hostel so we do get one new face.
There's an old fashioned soda shop and bicycles to use at the hostel. What more could I want? The plan is to head back to the trail tomorrow but there's been mention of kayaks so we'll see.
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