CDT mile 862, miles hiked 18.5

Hikers divided, the Atlantic crew from Germany and the Pacific crew from the PNW

We woke to POD making us homemade breakfast burritos.  I sorted and packed up my kit as we were heading out at 10 am.  One last chore we had to do was go to the post office to mail our bounce boxes off to Grand Lake where we should be in two weeks.  While there Cheezy asked about two boxes which they didn’t have.

We went back to the house and she tracked them to the hostel 20 minutes later and we were ready to go back to the trail. We all loaded up in POD’s Prius, pretty impressive to have 4 hikers and packs all loaded up and ready to go.  We wound our way back up the highway and POD dropped us off at the store right where we were on Monday.  We said our goodbyes and then the 4 of us set off on the trail.

Cheezy, Zippy Morroco, and Buttercup use the mountain sighter to name peaks

We climbed along the ridge by the ski slopes along the way we stopped and looked at the views and enjoyed the walk on a snow-free trail.  At 3 pm we had already hiked 8 miles, not bad since we started at 11:30 am.  We agreed to go another 10 miles, so Buttercup and Zippy took off leaving Cheezy and me to our own pace and remainder of the day.

The sign read bridge out but we used it just the same

The two of us walked down through the forest and by Boss Lake, we then crossed a closed bridge over the Arkansas River and then started the long ascent up to chalk pass.  The pass is at 12,300′ or so and we were at 10,500′ a pretty good haul.  We walked on a  dirt road for 3 miles before hitting the trail.  From the trailhead, it was 1.8 miles to the pass and 1000′ of elevation. Little did we know most of the elevation would come in the last 3/4 of a mile.  We ground up to the pass and then took a 5-minute break to eat a bar and catch our breath.  We scouted out our route below and set off.

Charing is caring, I share my UGO Bars with my hiking partners to keep us going up trail

The two lakes were frozen but very cool to see.  Then after a little slugging through snow and running water we came to a trailhead and there waiting was Buttercup and Zippy.  The 4 of us strolled down the trail and found a nice camp, which just happened to be a cabin being constructed in the high mountains.  since the door was unlocked and the surrounding area was covered in snow we decided to be hobo’s and crash in the place.

As we were getting settled in Buttercup had a sinking moment, his tent was gone.  Somehow it ad falling off his pack without realizing it.  He asked if either of us had seen in on the trail, but alas we had not.  He left and walked a mile or so back on the trail hoping to find it, but to no avail.  With no tent, his options for staying warm and dry going forward means he will have to share a tent with one of us until his shelter is either found by other hikers or he can replace it.