I’m pooped. Last night was the absolute worst camp selection of my hiking career. When you show up under duress and a headlamp, the pickings are slim. Fearless didn’t do much better. We both had rocks to negotiate, creeks and marsh areas around us and tons of condensation in the morning. Jen couldn’t get out of her rain poncho/tent fast enough. We packed up all our wet gear and carried on.

We are hiking in the South San Juan Mountain Range so we seldom go below 11,000’. The air is thin, it’s hard to catch your wind, and all I really want is to take a deep cleansing breath. Both Jen and I were lethargic, light headed with a mild grade headache. After thinking about our symptoms, and the fact that we both were having the same issues, I diagnosed us with Hypoxia. Whether we actually have hypoxia or not, I’m not a doctor. But it sure seems like we do. Jen’s appetite has been lacking, I feel like a drunken sailor and we haven’t been below 11,000’ for four days. It seems to me that this could explain our lackluster performance of late, or we could just be plain tired!

So my sights were low today. Let’s do our minimal amount of miles, get over the passes and find camp early. Our first pass was named Pass at 12,021’. Very little creativity on this trail when it comes to naming peaks and passes. It was a slugfest getting up and over it but once again, the views were tremendous.

Our second pass was Mountain Pass 12150’. Both of our climbs were a bit over 1000’ which isn’t much. Except for the fact, that we are not able to replenish our lungs with enough oxygen to account for the mass amount of effort we are exuding. But a big plus, today we did not get rained upon. We heard thunder all afternoon, saw black nasty clouds, but they never showered on us.

Around 3:30pm, I announced that I was ready to find camp. We were heading down to a valley and there were a few trees. But after scouting around, there really wasn’t anything flat that wasn’t completely covered by cow pies. Fearless checked FarOut and there was a comment regarding nice camping in a mile or so, up on a plateau.

We headed onward, crossed several creeks and climbed up, up and more up. As we crossed a rocky shale slide, we both noticed a stand of pine trees off the trail. That’s our home for the night. We crossed over a rock bed, and be-lined to the trees. It was perfect. Tucked away from the trail, fairly protected from the wind and flat with plenty of choice trees to hang a hammock. The only non-negotiable, we were sleeping at 11,595’ but that’s pretty much how it goes in the San Juan’s. Well God, all of my boxes were checked and we were in camp just after 5pm. Thank you Jesus.

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a day I had! First of all, I slept much too late. It was after 7am when I woke up! I’m usually on the trail by then. Even Fearless was out of camp before me. Good gracious! Around 8:30am I was packed and hitting the ribbon of dirt.

It started out as a beautiful blue sky day. I even had a chance to dry my tent out at our second breakfast. We always have a stop about 3-5 miles in. We drink the rest of our coffee, typically read Our Daily Bread and eat a snack. This usually covers us till lunchtime.

The climbing was mild as this entire section to Chama is manageable, so I thought. The ups are reasonable and the downs are tame. We are in the South San Juan’s which many hikers love. I second it. Mountains are plentiful and they are all so different. You have jagged peaks, table tops, there are rounded mountains and ones that you would think you’re in Switzerland. They are all so unique and beautiful.

There were two peaks in particular that we have been watching. One is Summit Peak and the other has no name, which really bothers me. It’s so spectacular and it needs a name so I’m calling it the Triple Matterhorn. As we approached Summit Peak, there was lightning, then the loudest thunder I’ve heard in quite awhile. And it just started hailing. Big chunks of ice falling from heaven above.

We were well over 12,500’ and there are no trees for shelter. That’s when I told Fearless, I’m pitching my tent! This is downright ridiculous to be hiking in an ice storm with thunder and lightning overhead. I had my tent pitched in less than two minutes. We were tucked inside watching the storm from the safety of my single walled home, which only provides protection from the impending elements. Not much more than that. But we were warm and dry, and I felt safe.

The storm moved north and we continued on. We went around Summit Peak and continued towards Triple Matterhorn. I honestly didn’t think we’d be right in front of it, but that’s exactly where the trail took us. The thunder kept thundering and we had snow flurries most of the afternoon.

Fearless wanted to hike till 6:30 which would’ve been fine last month. But it’s getting darker much earlier. We fished around for our headlamps, just in case. And we needed them. We started downhill and there was no suitable landing spot to be found.

The meadows were wet, and the hillsides were sloped. We walked, then we split up trying to find anything suitable. After hiking in the dark, I finally found a quasi flattish area and called it camp. We are smack dab between two tributaries and that’s where we landed. Definitely one of the worst camping sites of this trail!

New rule imposed as of today. We find camp no later than 6pm and that may even change the farther south we get. The days are shorter and it’s getting colder by the week.

“Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The wedding and reception were so nice. Imagine all the hikers you have met in the past three months convening for an overnighter. We all had our sleeping pads stretched out on the floor with a few of us on this huge sectional. I commandeered a corner and slept pretty darn well.

I was the first to wake up as I wanted to catch up with Fearless. As quietly as possible, I obtained my stuff, saying goodbye to the family. Then I headed out and walked the roadway back to 160. There was little traffic on a Sunday morning and no one was interested in picking me up. My walkabout was four miles, but once I stuck out my thumb on the highway, Karen and Corrine pulled over and picked me up. Do you want to guess what kind of car they were driving? Yep, an orange Subaru Crosstrek. Imagine that.

Because of my four mile walk, and the hitch to the pass, I didn’t get on trail till 11am. Fearless was dilly dallying around so I was only four miles behind. This helped me as I’m not the fastest hiker and neither is she. This is one of the many reasons we are such great hiking partners. As soon as I got on trail, a couple walked down the hill towards me. They asked if I was a thru-hiker and I told them I was. Then they shared with me that there was another hiker ahead who gave them stickers! That’s Fearless. She is so good at sharing her MS Story with everyone she meets and blesses them with stickers. Who doesn’t like a sticker?

The scenery today was amazingly beautiful again. The trail hugged Wolf Creek Ski Area, then turned towards Mt. Alberta. This is a popular hike and being fall was in the air, people were coming out. I must’ve seen close to twenty hikers heading up and down the trail.

Mt. Alberta is a bit of a rock scramble but very doable. It tops out at 11,800’ and has commanding views of all the surrounding peaks, valleys and every fall colored aspen for miles and miles. The trail skirted around the mountain and that, I don’t like. And what I don’t like even more is thinking about the trail maintenance crew that built this section. How or more importantly, who does this? Don’t get me wrong, I’m super grateful but I wouldn’t build this section for all the tea in China! It’s terrifying walking it, let alone carving it out of the mountain side. Thank you CDTA and all the hands that build these trails!

The day was so nice with the small exception of a thunder storm as I hiked over Silver Pass. The clouds had been building all day and sure enough, they clamored and made quite the ruckus as I summited the pass. That gave me good incentive to get down lickidy split. And I still had no sight of Fearless.

My plan was to stop at the last creek before the next nine mile water carry. Fearless found a campsite just a mile south of the creek. Perfect, I’ll be camping with her tonight. Caddy Shack had passed me and I told him we were camping up ahead, if he wanted to join us. He also was diagnosed with MS close to twenty years ago. Fearless has been wanting to talk with him so this was perfect.

We all setup our homes for the night. Caddy Shack and Fearless had dinner together and watched the sunset. I find it so inspiring that these two are both hiking this very long and difficult trail, sharing much of the same issues and concerns. Yet here they are, hiking thousands of miles! It really makes me wonder how much harder it is for them than me? God is so faithful. It really doesn’t matter what diagnosis or disease you have, but how you respond. Granite, not everyone with MS can hike long distant trails, but these two certainly do. And to think, I have the privilege to have them both camping with me tonight. How cool is that?

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Oh my. The stars last night were something out of this world! By 8pm, it was pitch black and every star, constellation and galaxy was shining. There is zero light pollution up on top of the mountain so the Milky Way, in all its glory, was brilliant. But it was cold. Bone chilling cold! We both woke up to frost on the tent, vestibule and hammock and underfoot.

All we could think about was hooking up with the Redline. It has been a month since Fearless has walked on the CDT and by golly, it was going to happen today. Less than a mile from camp, Jen sat her pack down to take off some layers and within ten feet, there it was. The CDT Redline, we did it.

We had a little coffee break and then, once again, walked the Redline. It was a nice gentle climb up the ridge until we hit a meadow. Before long, we emptied our packs and started drying out all our gear from the prior icy cold night. Jen had actual snowballs in her hammock tarp which were promptly thrown. And soon ensued a snowball fight. Kids will be kids and hikers are nothing more than grown up kids.

The rest of our day was spent hiking and taking numerous breaks. As we got closer to the pass, we looked for a lunch spot. With nothing really worthy, we found ourselves sitting directly on the trail. No problem since we hadn’t seen anyone for a couple of days.

We took out our waffle pads, layed out our lunch and stretched out on the trail. And of course, within a few minutes, John and his bride came strolling by. Well, neither Fearless nor I were in any shape to get up and move, but the two were gracious and stepped over us. Then they proceeded to ask all sorts of questions about our hike. And we were able to gather much needed intel regarding Pagosa Springs. Win, win for all of us.

After lunch we pushed towards Wolf Creek Pass and before long, we were hitching to town. I had told Jen that we would get picked up by someone driving a Subaru. They seem to be outdoorsy people and just about every ride I’ve had has either been a Subaru or a Truck. Ten minutes later, Amanda and Brock in a fancy Outback stopped and gave us a ride to town. Imagine that.

Pagosa Springs is a great place. It is a mountain community with a ski hill and natural hot springs in the river that runs through town. It has a downtown and an uptown, which is where most the residents live. And we had a great recommendation for both a hotel and restaurant. Alpine Inn at Pagosa Springs and Coyote Moon Bar & Grill. We stayed at the inn and ate at the bar.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to head into Pagosa is the fact that Coyote and Radio were getting married. They are the couple that I started the CDT with. When I arrived at East Glacier Looking Glass Hostel, we pulled a permit together for the first week of hiking the CDT. I hadn’t seen them since leaving Glacier NP being they are extremely fast hikers but we’ve stayed in contact during the past few months. Now they are getting married on the trail.

Jen and I had a great evening, met some nice people at the bar, listened to a band playing country music and walked back to our hotel. The next morning, my son Billy drove to town and we were able to spend the day together. He recently moved to Durango which is a short one hour drive to Pagosa Springs. I was getting my cup filled in more ways than I could imagine.

Billy drove Fearless and I back to Wolf Creek Pass and we got a ride up to Lobo Lookout for the wedding. The day was perfect, clear blue skies and no wind. There was close to thirty hikers that all came to celebrate the union of these sweet young people, Coyote and Radio. Coyote’s Dad officiated the wedding and as they were sharing their vows, two doves flew overhead and landed near them. How absolutely meaningful was that!

Afterwards, Jen went back to the trail and I drive down with Radio’s family and spent the evening at the reception. It was such a great celebration with burgers, cakes and dancing. It was absolutely an amazing evening. This will be a weekend that I will never forget. May God bless the union of these two and give them never ending love for the remainder of their lives.

“And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”” Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God places such beautiful people in my life. Lauren is a local from the town of South Fork. When she gave us a ride, she said she’d be available to take us to the trail in the morning. Sure to her word, she picked me and Jen up this morning and drove us to Archuleta Trailhead. It saved us from walking Highway 160 which is a shoulder less roadway. On top of that, she presented us with OWLS patches. We are now honorary members of the Old Wise Loving Souls Club which means we must keep moving throughout life, and we must share the outdoors with everyone we surround ourselves with. I think I can do that Lauren! She hugged us and sent us on our way. She is leaving for her own journey, to walk The Primativa- a Pilgrimage in Spain. Buen Camino Lauren.

The day was gorgeous. The whispery clouds were floating above the mountains, and blanketing the lakes and riverbeds. As we were walking up the road to hook up with the trail, we saw Scott. He’s from the LA Area and we met him yesterday after navigating the crazy train trestle. His grandparents have a cabin in South Fork that he inherited and visits a couple weeks a year. He was headed to the Big Meadows Reservoir to go fishing with his family.

Fearless and I made it to Archuleta Trailhead and followed the edge of the lake. Scott, his wife Hallie and their sweet little boy Coleman were casting their lines into the lake. We talked for a bit, and little Coleman came over and gave me the biggest hug. Just out of the blue, he wrapped his little arms around my legs. Coleman, you have no idea how much I needed that hug! I hope you catch the biggest fish of the day.

After my sweet little hug, we headed up the hill. Our plan today is to hook back up with the CDT Redline. It’s less than ten miles and that seemed quite doable. Jen is still trying to take it slow and easy for the first week back on trail, so no big expectations. The trail was nice, well groomed and manicured. Except for the Rio Grande. It was flowing like no one’s business. Even Lauren commented on it as we were driving to the trailhead this morning.

And sure enough, we had to cross this enormous river. I am deathly afraid of heights, but Jen is terrified of fast moving rivers. She had quite the scare back in the Bob Wilderness and hasn’t been able to past it. So when we came to our river crossing, this was frightening. It was, in fact flowing well over 1000 cubic feet per second but the saving grace was the section we needed to cross was fairly narrow. Maybe twenty feet, more or less.

Jen put her sandals on. They are substantial and this saves her trail runners from getting submerged. I took my socks and inserts out as my trail runners, as my sandals are not my go-to for river crossings. I went first to test the depth. If I could get across, Jen would have no problem. There was only one section that was rolling white water but very shortly lived. Before I knew it, I was on the other side, and so was Jen.

We had another river crossing but much calmer. All was good and we headed up to the pass. I was up ahead and as I reached the top, there was the biggest moose I’ve ever seen. At first I thought it was a horse but there’s no wild horses up here. I must have spooked him because he bolted before I could get any closer!

We stopped for lunch and decided we would keep hiking towards the Redline. Well, we had no idea that our trail would disappear. That ended our dreams of ridge lines and sunsets! Our trail had been so good for the first half of the day, but the trail helpers must have been called away to other areas west. We went over a few fallen trees, and no more trail was found. This leaves us to our own devices and bushwhacking is all we could do.

For the remainder of the day, we covered one mile per hour, climbing over rocks, boulders, fallen trees and walking through soggy meadows. Needless to say we never made it to the redline. Around 5pm, we found a nice knoll, looked for a flat enough spot for a tent and a couple of trees to hang a hammock. And we hunkered down for the evening. As I thought about the day, it’s easy to get discouraged. But we are still walking, we are enjoying our time in this beautiful country and we are getting stronger! There is always tomorrow to connect with the CDT Redline.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The storm of the century fizzled out! And that is a big hallelujah and praise to God Almighty. There was a bit of rain last night and some off and on showers but nothing like this torrential downpour that was forecasted.

Fearless and I had a short day today. The plan is to hike into South Fork, dry out our gear and carryon. So no big rush this morning. We made coffee and actually drank it before we left. I relaxed in my tent and Jen swung from her hammock. The rain pidder pattered on my tent and I had a small amount of water that seeped in at the bottom of my tent. Poor construction on my part, but nothing a little terry cloth couldn’t absorb.

We packed up and prior to leaving Fearless mentioned a train trestle we could cross. That sounds a bit scary but let’s see what this is all about. The tracks have been our mode of trail since yesterday. A much better option than walking the highway. So we headed southerly and within a short distance, there it was. An old dilapidated trestle. Oh my! This is much more than I had signed up for.

Train Trestles are used to maneuver trains over rivers, marshes, uneven terrain by way of steel bridges. The issue is this train trestle is not maintained and has many soft and decaying pieces of wood that we are to skirt across. And it’s about 20-30’ above the Rio Grande River which is flowing pretty darn quickly. Hmm, now I get to decide should I go or should I turn around and walk back to Canada?

I, with a lot of trepidation took one foot forward and started walking across this steel bridge. It took nearly two minutes to get from one end to the other and as Jen said, she could hear my heart beating. That’s not a good thing! Somehow, someway, with God’s grace, I made it. Then Fearless, an appropriate name for her, followed afterwards.

That was our morning wake up call. After that, we were on solid ground and followed the train tracks all the way to South Fork. The rain sprinkled off and on, but no downpours and I think I deployed my umbrella for a mile or two. But most the day, we were dancing between the raindrops.

The closer we got to South Fork, the more homes we saw. But what we didn’t expect was a Rail Buggy. There were two of them, and they were attached to the rails as people peddled down the track. What a hoot! Once again, why didn’t we do this?

As we entered town, Lauren from South Fork stopped and asked us if we needed a ride. I had told Fearless that I wouldn’t hitch, but if someone offered a ride, I’d take it. We had less than a mile to the hotel so, sure we’d love a ride! And before we knew it, we were dropped off at our very nice hotel for the night, Wolf Creek Lodge.

Jen and I headed to the room, changed and went straight for the Redwood Hot Tub and Sauna. This is glamping, that’s all there is to it. But we earned it and Fearless definitely did her part. What a great reward for hiking in the rain, across train trestles and road walking. All in a days work! Maybe our little alternate wasn’t so bad after all.

Jen and I talked about how we got here today. Never in our wildest imagination did we plan to take this path. But God did. The importance of being able to accept His will and His ways is trust.

“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We had an extra day and night in Creede which was a good call. After Uncle Joe and Aunt Ellen got us all situated in our lodge, they traveled back to Denver. We, being Sabine, Jen and I made quick time of organizing our stuff, picking up boxes from the post office and catching up. The three of us have been on different paths as of late, with Jen making the most of her time working and developing contacts. She should be a politician!

We all headed to town in the rain, and ran into a Sobo named Blast. She is from Montreal and started in Glacier after us. She is another young and very fast hiker. But she was close to hypothermia when we ran into her on the street. We all ducked into the Post Office and she nearly cried. Her entire body was soaking wet from head to toe. She left early this morning and walked all day without stopping. No food, no warming up, just head down and straight to town. After picking up her box, I brought her back to our room for a warm shower and hot cocoa. I hung up her wet clothes, made her some hot food, and she spent the night with us.

This trail has been brutal at times, especially with the extreme weather. All the locals remind us that it’s not usually like this. But it has rained more the month of September than the entire year. Well aren’t we the lucky ones. For Coloradans, it’s a welcome relief as they have been in a severe drought. and it appears that it’s not stopping any time soon. With the recent hurricane in Mexico, we will get one last punch. The most amount of rain since 2023 is coming in a couple of days.

So now what? We can’t just hide inside until the sun shines or we’ll never finish this trail! So Jen and I decided to get some miles in while we can. After a great breakfast, Jen, Blast and I left for the Blue Line. Instead of fording the rivers that have over extended their banks, we are road walking to South Fork. Needless to say, this is not my favorite way to hike but it is the smartest way to keep from being swept away down some unstable ravine. And so we walked. Sabine decided to stay in town for a couple more days, waiting out the storm and going rock hounding! This is her happy place and true love, geology.

Fearless and I walked down the road and honestly, I am as happy as a pig in the mud! My hiking partner Fearless is back, and life is grand! Fortunately the road walk has a shoulder and all the drivers were giving us a wide birth. As we looked back on the town of Creede, the mountains were covered by snow.

Our original plan was to keep the miles low being this was Fearless’ first day back on trail. The route was flat and we stopped at Cottonwood Cove. It was the lodge we stayed with Jen’s Uncle Joe snd Aunt Ellen. It’s a cute place with cabins that line the Rio Grande. We had lunch at a picnic table, watched the Big Horned Sheep graze and stopped for a Latte. One of the perks to road walking.

Once we left, the road became much more narrow and we moved over to the decommissioned railroad tracks, following them for the remainder of the day. Walking on railroad ties takes a lot of concentration. The ties are old and sometimes rotten, some are overgrown with grass while others have lava stones between the ties. Not sure why lava stone is thrown all over, being it’s not native to this area. Between the creosote on the railroad ties and the lava rocks, you definitely don’t want to fall or have a misstep! After another five miles or so, we found a flat area with big tall trees. This will be our perfect home for the night.

We walked around for a bit and finally found a little hobbit area that was protected by big fir trees. With the storm of the year on its way, this would be our little sanctuary for the night. Fearless secured her hammock and I pitched my tent for the night. Now all we have to do is wait for the rain, or not. As I went to sleep last night, I was so grateful to have my hiking partner camped right next to me. What a blessing to share this journey, with all its ups and downs, together with another believer. Fearless is a true gift and friend. Thank you Lord.

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” ‭‭1Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬

Here we go again. For many of you who have followed my blog for over ten years, you know that I have hiked the Colorado Trail CT, not once but twice. When I began this journey I had considered jumping the miles that I have already completed. And the time has come with the weathering changing ever-so-quickly, I am making it official. I will continue Sobo from where the CT leaves and the CDT begins anew.

In 2018, I met up with my friends Just Sally, and Bear Bait my PCT hiking companion, and we set off on the CT. We started at Frisco and Just Sally hiked for the first weeks, exiting at Buena Vista. Bear Bait and I continued onward, but just as circumstances arise, Bear Bait severely injured her ankle. I, on the other hand, ended up with Giardia which was something I hope to never ever repeat.

As luck would have it, we found the one and only park volunteer who happened to be cleaning a pit toilet, in the middle of nowhere Colorado. I pleaded with him that we needed a ride off the trail to the nearest hospital, which was a mere two hour drive to Gunnison. After deep thought and contemplation, he agreed that he could, in fact, violate volunteer policy, and give us a hitch to the nearest clinic. While talking on our very long and bumpy ride out of the wilderness, we found out that he drives to this pit toilet for its monthly cleaning! Yep, you read that correctly. God provides time after time, and brought this angel to get us the help, on the one day, that we desperately needed assistance.

Once in Gunnison, Bear Bait was evaluated and released with crutches and orders to stay off her foot for at least six to eight weeks. I was given a healthy dose of antibiotics to combat my intestinal distress and that ended our journey on the CT. With 150 more miles to cover, we decided to rent a car. We toured the areas where we had resupply’s to pick up and then visited Mesa Verde NP. Talk about making lemons into lemonade.

Two years later in 2020, I met up with Triple Z and started the CT from the beginning. I wanted a continuous foot path from Denver to Durango. After thirty-one days of hiking, Triple Z and I completed the Colorado Trail in its entirety. We had bear encounters, moose sightings and saw elk migrating through the meadows we traversed. Almost everyday like clockwork, we would watch and wait for our afternoon thunderstorms and evening rain.

When people ask me if I can name one trail I prefer out of all the others, I always say the Colorado Trail. I love the diversity of it. The topography and landscape is ever changing, the chance encounters of big game and small critters come daily, and the sheer fact that you feel miles away from the rest of the world. But I do warn, watch out for the cows! They are everywhere and this is one place that you always, and I mean always, filter your water!

So here I am back in Frisco, and making the big jump to Creede. I feel a bit sad that I will not walk through this area for the third time. And honestly if the weather was better and I had another month, I would actually hike it once again. It is truly, that beautiful and by far, my personal favorite trail of all time!

But on another note, I am sitting in Denver with Fearless, my dearest friend and hiking partner on the CDT. We are doing laundry, repacking our packs, planning meals and heading to Creede with Aunt Ellen and Uncle Joe. We will pick up Hogged Up and the trio will be back! Mexico or bust, here we come!

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a day! I think I can say that today was my biggest climb and descent ever, in one solitary day. (Well, with the exception of Mt. Rainier). This was only done by the strength of my Lord with much perseverance and determination. And motivated by the fact that my food bag is empty and I’m hungry.

The route I was following is the Silverthorne Alternate. It follows Bobtail Creek and then climbs up and over several peaks and ridges. The path is part trail, part route finding and much scratching my head as to what way I should go.

Like many days, I appear to be the only soul out here. I didn’t see another hiker all day, but I did see a foot print, which I followed. This gave me assurance that I was, in fact, on some course and hopefully, it was going where I intended.

My first climb was through a cirque, that was marked with rock cairns. I had a few route finding roadblocks but after some time, I found my way up to my first peak. I’ll just call it Peak 1. When I made it to the marker, a wooden stick in the ground, I was relieved for only a moment. Where is the trail? It was nothing short of loose sand and marbles that I was to navigate. Oh, my joy ended as soon as it came!

Downhill is my nemesis. I don’t like looking down, hiking downhill, or running in a downward projection. Nope, not one little bit. It was stupid steep and a very narrow ledge that resembled an animal trail. Needless to say, I went very, very slowly until I could regain my composure and breathe again.

Peak 2 was a bit better being there was a trail and no route finding. It switched back and forth for quite awhile and ended up on Alpine Tundra which I enjoy. It’s one of my favorite places to walk.

Then there was Peak 3. It seemed fine and dandy until I noticed the huge rock outcropping. This is never going to end well. The route was typical, steep and slippery. But when I had to climb around the rocky terrain, I was a bit over my pay grade. I really don’t like this part of hiking! No pictures were snapped while hiking, as I was glued to the trail, if you can even call it that.

Peak 4, 5 and 6 were unexpected but much friendlier. The entire day I was above tree line, on mountain tops that were higher than any other peaks I had hiked in recent memory. It was clearly a day, not for an amateur, but a thru-hiker who has God to lead her! I was way out of my comfort zone. Yet, I felt at peace with my choice to be here, hiking in God’s splendor and majesty. Backcountry travel has its rewards, but it should be done with a partner! I’ll be picking up Fearless when I get off this mountain.

Once I reached Ptarmigan Trail, Breckenridge, Dillion and Frisco were visible. You have no idea what a relief it was to see civilization rather than endless mountain ranges! I called George and cried with relief to hear his voice. There is something about talking to the one person in this world who understands my heart, who supports this endeavor and who somehow, always answers the phone when I call. Especially when I’m on top of who knows where! I love you more than you’ll ever know, sweetheart!

The route down was littered with fallen trees, like a tangled up jungle gym. But that was a welcome sight. It was obvious that I wasn’t the first one hiking through, as there were workarounds throughout the forest. Chipmunks were chirping, birds were singing and I was on my way to a warm bed and a hot bath! Once I exited the trail, I followed a dirt trail that took me through a neighborhood. I put my sticks away and within a few minutes, a nice couple stopped and gave me a ride to the Super 8 Hotel. Thank you 🙏

Today was, indeed, a culmination of many months of preparation and a bit of grit. I depended on the Lord to guide my every step, give me confidence and wisdom to find the best path and felt his constant ever presence. What an incredible gift that I have , in Christ Jesus!

“Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the LORD. Search for the LORD and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given,”. ‭‭ 1Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is something wonderful about a good nights sleep. It was so quiet last night. Not an owl hooting, nor an elk buggling. Or maybe there was but I was so sound asleep, that I never heard a thing.

Day two of hiking solo and month three of being on trail! I hadn’t even considered it until I started writing tonight. I could have done all sorts of celebrating on the tops of peaks today. But I was joyful to get over them without any mishaps.

Today I spent the vast amount of time above 11000’, more-so than any previous day. My camp was pretty close to that, but once I made my right turn to Vasquez Peak, it was nothing but sucking air and breathing hard. Oh how I love being above tree line, just me and the Pikas.

Every time I hit a boulder field, I could hear them chirping. Some chirp warning the others that a giant is coming. Others just like to chirp perched on the highest rock, singing a song. A few even poised for me, like they were going to be made famous! They are the cutest of the smallest creatures that I run across. And they like elevation. Nothing below 11,000’ will do. I guess we have that in common.

The clouds were overhead, not sure if they wanted to unload or me, or just tease me from above. Knowing that the chance of rain was eminent, I decided to hike a bit faster and with more purpose. What I didn’t know was that part of my climb today involved a rock scramble. Oh joy! Well if the teeny tiny pika can do it, so can I. It was precarious, to say the least, but it was heading me in the right direction. Once atop of the rock, then I could feel my heart pounding!

The next climb was over Vasquez Peak which lucky for me, was a nice groomed trail that only skirted the peak. No ledges, no scrambles, no loose rocks, just a climb to 12,600’ and down. On my way off the cliff, I saw a couple hiking ahead of me. With the weather as it is, I was quite surprised. We were the only ones out here. But once I met them, I knew they were as bat-crazy as me!

Hugh and Magda are locals from Denver. Hugh is 80yo and Magda is 79yo. They drive to the mountains every week, and take no notice if the weather is inclement. “If we worried about the rain, we would never be in the mountains!” As I was talking with them, I found out that Magdalene is from Barcelona, and she is a true alpinist. Not just any mountaineer but one of the first females to climb over 8000 meters. In February 1989, Magda and another gal summited Cho Oyu, in the Himalayas between Tibet and Nepal. I truly me a legend! What a day I had.

After bidding farewell to Hugh and Magda, I decided to take the Silverthorne Alternate. Honestly, I had all intentions of going this route, and with the clouds looming overhead, it was solidified. There was a huge drop in altitude, which really frustrates me because I know, what goes down, goes right back up!

The roadwalk was close to three miles, all switchbacks and bloody steep! Once I reached the meadow, the trail returned and I started southbound once again. I knew it had to climb being I lost 2500’ in elevation. Yet it was gentle for the remainder of my day. I ran into two day hikers who were out for a ten mile stroll. These locals are hearty! They mentioned a nice campsite a couple of miles down trail. Yep, it’s pretty close to perfect. Up on a knoll, protected by giant firs and fairly flat. I think I’ll just stay put and get ready for my grueling climb out of here tomorrow. But tonight will be a long restful evening, knowing that our mighty and wonderful God has provided all that I need in this beautiful place which He created.

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” ‭‭ 2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬