CDT Day 30 (6/17/23)

Miles 670.5 (Red line 787.5)- 685.2 (Red line 802.2) (14.7 miles)

Verbatim

Today has been a hard day. Colorado sure gives a good welcome. I camped on the trail last night around the bend from a pass. Passes make for strong wind tunnels, since it’s the earliest release point for air moving over the mountain. There was a campsite in the middle of the ledge but that was so windy. So I camped on the trail about 15 feet away. The spot I chose was slightly slanted and cupped between long grasses on either side. I put my backpack under my feet to even the slant, and the grasses acted as a good wind buffer for the open sides of my tarp. The rising hillside I camped below meant that most of the air flowed right over the tarp. No one was coming up behind me. They all stayed in town, and Mountain Goat, who I met yesterday evening, was toking and in camp by 6pm.

I slept warm and wet thanks to the emergency bivy I bought at the outfitter. It worked! My shoes were frozen this morning and it was cold. I was moving by 6:15 but the miles never came easy. It’s almost 4pm as I’m writing and I’ve gone 14.5 miles. What.

I’m writing now while tucked into my shelter to wait out a hail storm. This would be the second one of the day. But, although there was some hail and four or five strokes of booming thunder, the storm whipped by in ten minutes. Hardly time for me to set up. Around 11 this morning, however, was a different story. Clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. Soon it was light snow. I’d put my Patagonia pack in my backpack but forgot, so I went back a quarter mile to search for where I thought I’d left it in the grass while putting on my fleece because of the storm’s snow. When I got back to my pack it had started to hail. I put all my clothes on. The hail and wind worsened. Soon it was gusts of maybe 40mph(?) and whipping sideways hail (writing the word “whipping” made me hungry for whipped cream…) which stung my nose and open mouth. This went on without end for the next hour and a half. I took shelter after about a half hour. I was getting seriously concerned, especially since I had no bearing on how long the storm would last. The shelter I was able to find was pitiful, tucked up against a set of short trees. There was already snow on the ground and not enough room to do anything but sit beneath my tarp. I’d shake the snow off the tarp every 10 minutes to give myself a little more room.

I cried. I cried so hard sitting in that tarp.

I cried for my loss. I cried because all I’ve been doing is working hard to chase my dreams. I cried because I was afraid. The tears pooled in my eyes and on my sunglasses as I held my head in my hands. They were the warmest part of my body. I was so cold.

So now I’m in a pickle, because I found a great campsite for this second storm that never materialized. Great campsites are really hard to find out here. It’s got dry grass, a wind break of trees, and is mostly flat. But it’s so early and I’ve only got 14 miles… I’ll probably stay. Although I do feel anxious about low milage, because I don’t have a ton of food. I have enough. But if milage is even harder then it will be tight.

There’s blue sky right now. What the hell. There were two moments today. Ok maybe three, that were really beautiful. The first was this morning, when I sang to a Marmot. It didn’t hide, but was strongly considering it, as I approached. When I was 20ft away I started singing my Veggietales CDT song. The marmot grew curious and came further and further out of his hole. It was really beautiful. About halfway through the song a Pika came out and joined in listening. I had an audience! It’s fun to see the three sizes of alpine creatures. Marmot, Pika, and Chipmunk. All friends. :)

The second beautiful experience came after the first storm, when I could see a fresh coating of snow all along the revealed landscape beneath a horizon of retreating angry clouds.

The third beautiful experience was from getting water from snowmelt. The water tastes different and definitely looks different. This landscape is dangerous and rugged, demanding and threatening; yet at the same time provides the essence of life in a pure, gentle, and honest way. There’s so much water everywhere. Freezing feet...

And to the point of freezing feet. I’m very thankful for my VargoBot and its ability to seal. It makes a great warm water bottle. :) I can put a sock around it and drop it in my footbox.

Well, sure enough I’ve just laid in my tent for the rest of the day. I felt my emotions, had fun reading Fire and Blood and rested. It’s good to take things slow into new trail conditions and a new state. I feel safe and comfortable here at this camp spot, which is something I’m not sure I can guarantee in a few miles. It’s been good to have the time to write. I like camping. It’s nice to be outdoors without the striving of thruhiking. It’s nice to be comfortable outside. I think that’s the way to say it...

Today can be counted as a sort of zero day. If yesterday and today’s milage is combined it’s a 35. I can just think of this as the rest I couldn’t really find in Chama yesterday. I didn’t really like Chama to be honest. Beautiful part of the state, but not much in the way of a town.

Post Note

There’s one story from the day which I forgot to include. I saw an Elk, alone, at the top of a bald at 12,000ft elevation. It was the middle of the snow storm. The top of the mountain was covered in white snow. The Elk was there as I climbed towards the top. I don’t know why. As I approached it just ambled off the opposite side. Incredible. What’s an Elk doing at 12,000ft in a snow storm? What am I doing at 12,000ft in a snow storm?

The Patagonia pack I’d referenced was a gift from L before the trip. I kept my phone and sunscreen and maybe a few snacks in it. At first I had it around my waste, but didn’t really like it there. I think it participated in the discomfort I was experiencing. So, instead I slung it around my my shoulders and it rested over my heart. That wasn't really a comfortable spot either, but I guess that makes sense.