CDT mile 796, miles hiked 32
Aa swollen river, note the rapid is actually a submerged bridge
Today was like walking through a fairy tale after the past weeks of snow. It started as we left camp and immediately saw a mother moose with two babies eating willows by the creek. It was so cool to watch them all and we stood in awe at their size and the little one’s cuteness. Then as we walked we felt like we had entered Narnia when we came over the saddle last night.
The valley started to open up and we were surrounded in the grass, wild iris, flowers, and spring colors the entire valley was green and lush, the warm sun and smiles were spread across all of our faces.
Practicing their English reading skills, my great German hiking partners love our kiosk and trail info
Zippy and I chatted as we strolled down trail its a real treat to be with a some one my age who is also married. We really get eachother and I’ll miss having him around once we hit Monarch Pass and he heads out on his own.
We all enjoyed the walking and then at about 10 am we came across our biggest challenge of the day, Colchetta Creek. The creek is running high with snow melt and the bridge is currently under water. Buttercup tried crossing a few times but had to turn back due to the high water, he finally listend to us and we all walked back upstream about 1/4 of a mile to where the river was braided and we saw a few beaver dams to work with. After a bit of scouting we found our way across, only one channel was swift and deep but we made it across just fine.
Wadding a swollen creek is never easy, photo by Cheezy
We kept on trail and eventually came to a trailhead with a privy and register. 6 other CDT hikers are 5 days ahead of us everyone else is behind so we all joked we better get along because this is who we have for the next few weeks or more.
Like being back in New Mexico, we road walked some
We followed the road up and down valleys, a few thunderstorms started up but we only got drizzled on. Our next challenge of the day was convincing Cheezy she could hike a 30+ mile day, her previous high mileage only being a 24.5, it took some coaxing but at 5:30 we had already gone over 25 miles and in another 6.8 miles we would make our goal.
Fueled up and ready to go we walked uphill to the crest and then dropped down a drainage and two miles later came to the highway. There was no picnic table, no privy, nothing at the trailhead but the highway. Buttercup was disappointed but we made do and are now camping about 200′ from the road, not ideal but after 32 miles who cares it’s time for chow and bed.
A recent find from winters wrath, Elk bones
