Woke at 0200 on September 23rd to freezing rain pelting my tent. I decided to bury my head and go back to sleep for another 45 minutes. I finally gave up and made coffee and get moving by 0325. It's super cold and I've got all my layers on. I make the climb up to an unnamed pass (12,312 feet) and the wind is whipping! Get down as fast as I can and then hike through some rolling terrain before heading back up to Chalk creek pass (12,146 feet). I'm super hungry at this point and decide to skip the pud. I eat breakfast at an abandoned building, spilling my first pot of boiling water everywhere. After breakfast I hike on to Boss lake parking area. Push another 1.6 miles off trail to the Butterfly Hostel. There's no one here so I call the owner and check myself in. Walk down to the highway and hitch in to Poncha Springs. I buy enough for a resupply and to cook myself something good as well. My friend Dave swings by and takes me back to the hostel. I cook breakfast, do laundry, clean the hostel, shower, cook steak, smoke the bong and drink some Modelo. Decide to build a fire in the stove and camp on the floor right beside it.
Sleep decently well for being inside and awake at 0530. Use the pit toilet and brew some bad ass Caribou coffee. Download some extra shows to the phone and roll out by 0700. I decide to walk the .3 miles to the Monarch Mountain Lodge for a nice big breakfast. Eggs, potatoes, sausage, toast and French toast! After filling up I roadwalk the 4.3 miles back to the redline and arrive at Monarch pass by 1005. There's a little store and I buy some fudge and a Pepsi. The next section of trail is mountain biker hell, where people on death machines come flying down the mountain at crazy speeds. I had to dive out of the way on more than a couple occasions. Towards the end of the day I found myself helping a stranded cyclist with a mattress patch and duck tape to patch his flat tire...🧐. I ended up walking past one of the heavier cyclists that had just flown past me on the downhill.. small victories. Push to mile 1930.3 for a full marathon distance.
Up early with the sun and it was pretty to watch rise. It's a cooler day and I'm glad for the suns rays. There was a 20 mile water carry and I only managed to see one hiker today, an oddity in Colorado. The craziest part is that I met this same dude on the AT in 2020, and last year on the PCT as well. Small world. Made a 30 mile day and am at 1960.5.
Woke up around 0530 realizing that all my shit was either damp or frozen. I slept by water and out in the open, 2 big No-No's if at all possible when camping in a single walled tent. Pack up and hike on. There's some gradual climbing and lots of intermittent road and trail mix. Ran into Recharge around lunchtime and again during dinner. I saw 2 massive moose towards the end of the day. Think I'll try cowboy camping tonight. I'm up under a flat ish spot with a nice pine tree above me. There's definitely been animals sleeping here before me. I hope the spiders leave me alone. Pushed 28 miles to mile 1988.5. Tomorrow I'll be forced to decide on either the San Juans or the Creede cutoff.
Sleeping under a tree went well last night. Only a mildly damp bag and no additional condensation. Moving by 0725. I make the long, slow climb up to a saddle that is 7 miles up and sits around 12,618 feet. I hike on to the Creede Alternate junction for lunch. It starts to rain and hail with some lightning and thunder to mix in. I was looking for a sign and the world gave me one. Deciding on the Creede cutoff, I head down the trail. 10 miles finds me in the town of Creede, Colorado. I find a bar that happens to do bbq and order a half rack of ribs, chips and a few Coors banquets. I find a sports store to get a can of fuel from and then head to the grocery store to resupply and buy a pizza for dinner. Walk to a hostel and do the regular. Laundry, pizza, shower, Netflix. I'm the only one here again, so I just crash on the couch. Took forever to fall asleep.
Days on the trail: 93
Miles completed: 1,997
Location: Creede, CO
Zero days: 6 (4 of those with Galaxy)