000 Anneliese’s Continental Divide Trail Pages Page Ten - Today’s Date is 25 August 2002

My CDT Hike 2002

July 8 - Back at Grand Lake to Fluff and Buff 00 Rob took me to my car and then left for Parker. He is going on a business trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma tomorrow morning. I went to pick up the package I had mailed to myself at the post office. Then I went to Rocky Mountain NP and took a shower at the place I had been to last year with the CDTA trail crew. Then I went back to Grand Lake, did laundry, went to the library, checked my E-mail, and now I need to get my pack in order for the next few days. I didn't take my camera on this trip but Rob took digital photos.

July 9 - Bowen Pass 00 I left Green Mountain area (RMNP) a little after 7:00 AM and hiked along Ridge Road to Baker-Bowen Trailhead (three miles). This is not the actual CDT route but it eliminates hiking through a development and on dusty Jeep road. I had not hiked on the Bowen Gulch trail and wanted to check it out. At Bowen Pass I picked up the CDT and continued North. The Pass is at 11,476 feet elevation and I was keeping an eye on the sky. The weather held out and so far I have not had rain today, even though it looked like we should get the usual afternoon thunderstorm. The four-mile long trail to Bowen Pass was primarily through forest but in the huge cirque before the pass there was open meadow with a patchwork of wildflowers. In most instances the vegetation in these cirques is very lush as there are usually streams winding their way through them. Flower stems here reach a height of five to seven inches, unlike on tundra where they are just an inch high or even less. Other than a few squirrels and chipmunks I did not see any wildlife. There was however this large bird I saw as I was hiking along Ridge Road and I don't know if it was a bald eagle or an osprey. I am now in Segment 7 but am not sure exactly where, except I'm north of Illinois Pass, probably at Trout Creek. It's finally cooling off now and it seems the mosquitos have settled in for the night. I'm camped at a small bench next to the creek and beyond a meadow. There is a rock with lovely wildflowers painted on it and the inscription "In Loving Memory of Dale". I almost didn't notice it at all but there was a row of root stumps placed around it in a half circle that got my attention. I cannot help but wonder about this small memorial. Probably I hiked approximately 16 miles today.

July 10 - Tough Old Parkview Mountain 00 It's been a hard day of hiking. Going up Parkview Mountain has been the toughest climb yet. Again the storm clouds have been building since noon. The peak is 12,296 feet high and what made it hard was the lack of trail. Fortunately there were cairns and many Forest Service posts after the summit to guide me across the open ridge. One problem today was the lack of water. An intermittent stream mentioned on page 76 of the guidebook had a little standing water only. After dinner I had less than one quart of water and there was no water for 12 miles. My map shows a spring just below where I am now camped and I'll check it out in the morning. I had set up my tent in a hurry because it looked like it was really going to storm. The site was directly on the road but I didn't expect anyone to be driving on it. As it turned out later the road was gated and closed to vehicle traffic. From Parkview Mountain the views are incredible. I think I saw the Tetons but I'm not sure that this is possible. This area is very dry but there are lots of deep blue lupine. The birds are singing their evening concert. I saw one deer with two fawns this morning and two more before making camp. I love how completely silent they disappear into the forest once they see you. The fawns were interesting because one went with mama to the left and the other one I noticed later took off to the right. I have not seen any hikers since I left RMNP. Yesterday I saw three ATVs on a multi-use segment.

July 11 - Today is a Little Better For Water 00 Today was another one of those days where the CDT proved to be "Continually Damn Trail or Confusing Detail Trail". I'm not sure where exactly all the roads or trails are that I have been on today. It started out pretty good because I found a spring below my campsite and was able to fill up with good water. Then, less than three minutes from my campsite, was another water source. The route I was on had plenty of running water. All in all I counted ten sources and three of those were running quite strong. At a junction of 106 and 730 I took 730 which had a post like the ones along the trail yesterday. There are no CDT signs on them. The road was really good and I counted three gates total since the beginning. Even though there were bulletin boards at these road junctions, none told you where you where and the map didn't even show the road. Instead of getting frustrated I just decided to consider it an adventure. Finally, the road I had been hiking on had a sign identifying it as 715 and shortly thereafter another road veering off to the right was identified as 715.1. I continued walking a bit further (supposedly still on 715) and there on a tree was a sign to "Grassy Run Trailhead", which was on my map. At that trailhead I picked up Trail 1135 which would take me back to the divide and actually is the CDT route for a while. As I was hiking up the trail I was looking for water and a good campsite and found both. So here I am for the night about three miles from the divide. It was a beautiful but very warm day.

July 12 - Looking for Clues, Improving the Trail Markings 00 The routine in the morning now was to heat a cup of water for cocoa while taking down the tent. Along with a Pop Tart or two this was my breakfast. By now I am getting sick of Pop Tarts but I get enough energy for an hour or two. Of course it was another beautiful day. As the trail gained elevation and gained the open ridge the wind picked up and I was comfortable in my fleece jacket. Finally, I reached a post indicating the junction with Trail Number1135 going north. There was no indication that this was the CDT route. I took it upon myself to write on the second wooden post "CDT N" and "CDT S". Someone also had made an arrow out of sticks showing south-bounders the direction of the trail. From now on I was on alert because a segment without trail was coming up in about two miles. Sure enough, a thoughtful hiker had put a note under a rock telling me to follow an old jeep road across the small stream. It took me a while to identify and find the road but I was able to follow it. I also saw footprints on parts of that route and this gave me a certain comfort level. The description of the trail through that area in the guidebook is a bit vague (page 72, first and second paragraphs), particularly when going south to north. I did find my way, probably adding at least a mile looking for clues and the route. Once I reached FR 104 it was clear sailing. The road was not too bad but it was very hot and waterless. Earlier there was good water but then I didn't need any; now I wish I had just topped off. The views were magnificent but there was the sure sign of another forest fire to the northwest - not a good omen. This was the fourth day since RMNP and I had not seen any human, except those ATV riders on day one. The road and beyond was covered with deep blue lupine and there were pine trees, but these really don't provide a lot of shade unless you sit right under them. At about 12:30 PM I decided to take a long lunch break and I cooked up a batch of pasta. I was a bit nervous using the Esbit stove because of the wind, but I gathered some rocks for a good base to put it on. As the road started to descend more it became increasingly more rocky and rough. There were a few trees across it occasionally but vehicles broke through around those. The only water I saw was standing water and even though I was out, I didn't feel that desperate yet to pump from that kind of source. I came out on US 14 pretty late and hiked about two miles before I got a ride from someone who had passed me earlier but decided to turn around and give me a lift. I found out that this was a big weekend for Steamboat Springs - Balloon festival, etc. - and all motels were booked. I had my driver (I did not even get his name) drop me off at a point on the West side of Rabbit Ears Pass. It happened to be the same place where last Christmas my son Keven and his wife Becky and I had cut down our Charlie Brown Christmas tree to decorate at the Condo we were staying at for a week over the Christmas Holiday. I walked in for a short distance and found a stream in a meadow to pump water. It was a real relief to have good water and to re-hydrate. At this point it was getting dark and the next thing was to find a campsite. I was hoping to get far enough to get away from the noise of the highway. After days of total silence, except for the birds or the sound of the wind and an occasional stream, the noise of cars was annoying. I should have selected a better spot as it turned out to be rather uncomfortable. Of course I was exhausted - I had probably hiked around 25 or so miles, and without enough water - but still I was grateful to be able to do this hike.

July 13 - The Forest Fires Have Temporarily Taken Me Off the CDT 00 I was able to get a ride into Steamboat Springs with a young couple, their six-months old daughter, and a protective Shetlander. The balloons in the air were very colorful but I could also see the haze from a distant forest fire as a backdrop. First I was going to get a big breakfast but the line was so long I went to a convenience store and bought OJ, a breakfast burrito, and an apple turnover. The next stop was the post office. I had my re-supply package sent back home. In the local paper was an article about a new fire in the Routt National Forest north of Steamboat. This again would prevent me from continuing my hike northward. There also was a fire in the Medicine Bow NF in Wyoming which would prevent me from connecting with the segment I had already hiked. I guess it "wasn't meant to be" for this year! Now the challenge - how to get back to my car in RMNP! 00 I spent an hour at Visitor Information in an attempt to get a ride, but all those people were just coming into town. At the gas station next door I found out about a daily Greyhound bus to Denver with a stop in Granby. Since the bus didn't leave until almost 5:00 PM I had time to go to the Recreation Center for a swim. I also indulged and treated myself to a massage. Getting around town is easy because there's a free shuttle bus service. I was clean and refreshed when I left Steamboat on the cool and comfortable ride on the Greyhound. In Granby I walked to Leevers (the local grocery store) and called for taxi service. By 8:00 PM the friendly driver, who is also owner of Mountain Goat Tours of Grand Lake, had me at my car. Hurrah! I made it! I decided to drive home that evening and enjoy the luxury of my own bed.

July 14 - Post-Climb Depression 00 I unloaded the car and cleaned all my gear. I had dinner with Darlene at La Dolce Vita and watched part of "A Beautiful Mind". I couldn't stay up for the whole movie so I went to bed.

July 15 - Already New Plans 00 Today I did more cleaning and also some gardening in the back of my house. I called to find out if it was possible to join the trail crew in Wyoming. It is OK to go, so I'll pack up again and leave again. I had a letter from John Myonczynski, the goat man, inviting me to come and visit at Atlantic City. After the trail crew work trip I shall try and hook up with John.

August 15 - Re-start at Wolf Creek Pass 00 Much to my surprise I was offered the position I applied for with Douglas County. For the time being this ends my long distance hiking. Since I don't start my new job until the 21st of August I decided to do a few more miles on the CDT. From Wolf Creek Pass to Cumbres Pass is 76.3 miles and it should take me five days to hike. So I packed up again and left for Wolf Creek Pass at 6:45 AM. It's an easy drive south on I-25 to Walsenburg and then west on 160 toward Pagosa Springs. I reached Wolf Creek Pass and started hiking at 12:30 PM. From where I parked the car, on the northeast side, I hiked along the Highway to the CDT kiosk where I left the Highway and picked up a trail across a meadow. There were no CDT signs and the ranger had told me that there were numerous social trails making it difficult to know exactly which of these trails was the actual CDT. There were lots of gentians blooming and I considered it a good sign. Eventually I connected to the actual CDT which skirts the Wolf Creek Ski area for quite a while. As I got higher and higher the views in all directions got better and better. Besides gentian there were harebells, alpine sunflowers, yarrow and many other flowers whose names I do not know. This segment would be difficult to hike early in the season because the terrain is wooded and very steep. I found a lovely sheltered camp spot. I was tucked in among some small evergreens on a ridge. There were cows in the meadow below but I did not hear them during the night. The best I could figure I hiked 11 miles.

August 16 - Majestic Mountains, Huge Cirues, Rocky Slopes, Forests, Meadows, Dry Creek Beds 00 As I am packing up this morning I see elk grazing on the two slopes near me. Some look in my direction occasionally and then continue grazing. Others choose to disappear to the safety of the forest. Temperature during the day around 80 degrees and at night probably in the high 40s. The terrain yesterday was described as moderate, the landscape is just splendid. Majestic mountains with huge cirques, rocky slopes, large expanses of forest, meadows, dry creek beds. The trail is well marked with rough wooden posts emblazed "Cont Div Tr 813" or just "813". Often the trail disappears in the uneven clumpy vegetation of a meadow but a cairn or post will guide the hiker along. In all I only encountered three streams that were running enough to get water from. My last source of water was a murky looking lake at the north end of Summit Peak. At the south end of Summit Peak I started looking for a campsite and finally settled on a sandy flat spot in what had earlier been a small tarn. I saw a beautiful elk with a good size rack and a smaller one, evidently much younger. They both looked at me for a minute before they charged off into the woods. Many birds flew out and away in front of my path. I also saw a pair of hawks gliding high up with the wind. I probably hiked about 16 miles.

August 17 - San Juan Wilderness 00 The days are getting noticeably shorter now. Sunset is around 8 PM and sunrise around 6 AM. This morning I watched the sunrise from the first faint red until the sun became a golden ball and bathed everything with it's soft light. During the night an elk or deer passed near my tent and although it was windy when I set up my tent it was pretty calm during the night. Within a mile or so of hiking the trail started a descent and followed the Adams Creek drainage for about two miles. Before crossing a stream the trail changed direction and now headed south again, instead of east. At this point I thought it wise to fill up with water, particularly since this stream was running pretty good. Again I can only say the scenery is simply splendid. Huge valleys, enormous canyons, massive rock formations and large forested areas. Today's trail entered South San Juan Wilderness and as I was hiking along and looking up at the ridge line I noticed sheep, lots of them. Later I met the shepherd, I think he was Mexican or South American. He did not speak very good English. From there the trail climbed for almost a mile up to a pass. Then the terrain became a bit easier and there was a long downhill traverse to the head of a valley. After crossing a stream I noticed three hikers had made camp in a small wooded area near the stream. I stopped just opposite and decided to cook an early dinner. The day had been pretty hot and I enjoy hiking as it cools down a bit before making camp. At 5:30 PM I resumed hiking and passed what appeared to be a trail crew camp. There were a number of horses and men but they said they were not with the Forest Service. I didn't ask but my guess is they were a contract crew. Further on I met two hikers that had already made camp but were doing some exploring. We chatted briefly and they were curious about my trek. The trail now went seemingly endlessly up and up before it finally topped out above an idyllic lake. It was getting late and I needed to start looking for a campsite. Typically, at this time of day the wind seems to pick up and I was looking for a flat, sheltered spot among the gnarled trees. The spot I settled on had a nice view and I secured the tent well in case the wind decided to pick up during the night. I probably hiked at least 16 miles today.

August 18 - Enjoying and Capturing the Moment 00 It is another beautiful morning and I treated myself to a hot cup of tea while packing up my gear. As the trail started descending off the ridge I got a spectacular view of Blue Lake. Before I knew it I was at the edge of the lake. It was so beautiful I took off my pack to enjoy the scenery and have a little snack. After all - that is what it is all about - enjoy and capture the moment. A couple was going up the trail and I asked them to take a picture of me by the lake. I questioned the presence of the sheep and the man said that it was necessary to have them graze to reduce the fire danger. That made sense except that so many sheep also leave a lot of feces but I suppose that acts as fertilizer. At the south end of the lake is a campground and I had a chat with two different campers about my hike, the beautiful weather and the lack of water. There were several horses tied up near the campground. I had hoped to get rid of my trash and perhaps buy a cold drink but I didn't see anything as far as amenities and just continued my hike. From Blue Lake to Cumbres Pass only 30.1 miles to go. Now the terrain became somewhat different. The elevation is still above 11,000 feet but the hills are flatter, more like a Mesa. There are many lakes which in many cases were completely dry. At a CDT post past Trail Lake there is a view of a Lake which I mistakenly assume to be part of the Dipping Lakes. After about two or so miles on the trail I decided that I must be on the wrong trail and went back to the trail junction. For the 100th time I studied the map and guidebook and looked for a trail to the lake I could see. I found cairns going in that direction and faint trail but it would always end near a rocky escarpment. Finally, I managed to find a way around it but ultimately decided it could not be right and went back to the CDT post. Right near that post I ended up making camp and spending the night. At that point I also made the decision to follow the trail in the morning and keep a close eye on my watch to judge the distance more accurately. In trail miles I did not get far that day, but I probably hiked at least 16 or more miles. The problem was now I had 22 miles to hike the next day.

August 19 - It's Been an Interesting Summer 00 I woke up at 6:30 AM and quickly packed up to hit the trail. I stuffed a power bar in my pocket and off I went. I don't know why I didn't trust the directional sign the day before but it was a very obvious trail and there was not only the "813" post but also a sign pointing in that direction reading "Dipping Lakes". Sure enough once I hiked far enough Dipping Lake came into view and I had no problem, except a long day ahead of me. There are actually two lakes and they are surrounded by forest. The trail descends to the lakes and then of course ascends. For the most part the trail is graded well or there are switchbacks. Yesterday there were thunderstorms and lightning all around. There even was a very brief hail storm (under five minutes). Today it looked like there would be a repeat performance. Fortunately, I was already down from the summit of12,187-foot Flat Peak when it started to storm. It really never storms hard, there is hail or something like it for about five or so minutes, perhaps rain and lightening and then it is over. It's enough to put on rain gear and a pack cover but not enough to get the vegetation really soaked. In fact the raindrops are individually visible in the dust on the trail. At one point I was mislead by a cow trail for about 20 minutes, but when I realized it was not the actual trail. I backtracked and found the trail had made a 180-degree turn and continued on the other side of the mountain. As I was hiking along I saw a bright yellow ribbon and a card from Campy. Hallelujah, he is at the end of the trail at Cumbres Pass. I figured I had probably another 3 hours or so to go to get to the pass. 00 Overall, it had been a beautiful hike but I was exhausted, particularly because I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do the 22 miles today. Now it seemed possible and I was encouraged enough to just plug along. Occasionally, I would stop and take a look at the scenery. Now the trail frequently was in forest and I was glad because it was a little cooler and made for pleasant hiking. I did hike all the way to the road at Cumbres Pass and then found Campy in his burgundy Passat waiting. I was sure glad to see that California license plate. So the journey ended at the NM border. There are still a little under 200 miles left to do in CO and I hope to be able to do those as time permits. 00 It's been an interesting summer. Nothing turned out the way it was planned. I want to thank Campy for making it possible to do the miles I was able to do and for putting up with me, Ron for starting it all, Curly for being great company, my family, Phil, Rob, Shirley and Ron, and anyone I might have forgotten for their encouragement and interest in this adventure. [ Anneliese: Your journey isn't over; it's only put on hold. These are your pages, which you will continue filling with your beautiful journal prose and photos as you enjoy your future hikes along the CDT. I hope you choose me to help you. -Campy ] There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So -- work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching. 000000000000000000 --Unknown author, found on the Internet.

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