Before I started the CDT, I bought a new Garmin Enduro 3. It has lots of bells and whistles, but my biggest reason I purchased it was the tracking of distance and it is solar powered. What I wasn’t aware of is it tracks my sleep too. So when I woke up this morning after a fitful night of sleep, it immediately told me my sleep score was 10. 10?!?! Out of 100! That’s not going to help my hiking and it also reminded me that I may be irritable today. You think? And so my day started.

We had a good climb out of the gate and it was quite challenging. We were headed to the ridge line so it’s high altitude and we’re going up for the next six miles. We are in the Arapaho National Park headed towards Sheep Mountain. The views were stunning, as they are at 11,000’. I could see the fall colors of the Aspens and Willows in the valleys below, along with many of the small flowers and ground covering next to my feet.

As the morning went on, Hogged Up discovered a lower route that would keep us off the ridge line during the incoming thunderstorm. That sounded like a brilliant idea and being I had little energy to climb much more, was happy to oblige. We had lunch and grabbed some water at Troublesome Pass. First of all, if you name a pass troublesome, that doesn’t suggest clear sailing!

After lunch, the thunder rolled in and our decision was cemented. Let’s get off this mountain and take the lower route. This added another four miles to our day but it was warranted and a wise choice. And so we dropped in elevation, were rained and hailed on, had thunder and lightning all around us but instead of being up at 12,000 above tree-line, we were at 9,000’ with Aspens and Willows. And we lived to hike another day.

Sometimes, well I can honestly say, almost everyday on this trail we have big goals, grand plans and before long, we are adapting, changing and rerouting! It’s the nature of this trail. I have come to enjoy the nuances of the CDT. And this is why there is never a singular route that everyone follows. You can talk to ten hikers and seldom, if ever, will they follow the same path.

We made it to Willow Creek, which as the crow flys is close to five miles north of where we had planned to camp tonight. So tomorrow, if I dare to say, we will head back to the redline and continue our Sobo trek. But then, who knows? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see where God directs our steps.

“Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Steamboat Springs is such a cute town. It’s quite boujee with the fancy retail stores, gourmet foods and fine dining. I’ve done none of that, but have enjoyed walking the riverfront and indulged in the Sherpa Spice Restaurant that had some of the best tasting Nepalese cuisine in quite some time! And found ourselves soaking at Strawberry Hot Springs. By far, the nicest natural hot springs.

Jen went to PT today and after the full Monty, the therapist is certain that she has a high ankle sprain, which is great news! Within a couple of weeks, Fearless will be back on trail. So Hogged Up and I are heading back to the mountains, rain or shine we are going south!

The day of reckoning had light rain in the morning which is something new for me. But I am in Colorado where all things are possible. After stopping at the Post Office and Gear Shop, we are back to doing what we came here for, hiking. Jen dropped us off, but not before we picked up Long Story. I met him as I entered the Bob Wilderness. Long Story and Bumbleberry are the hikers that had the two dogs follow them 15 miles from East Glacier Lodge. I haven’t seen him since late June.

The day was pretty close to perfect. We had a good uphill that seemed to go on forever. The hunters are still out and I’m wearing my orange cap. I feel much safer with that knitted hat on. It’s funny what makes you feel invincible. There’s plenty of signs around reminding hunters to “make sure you know what’s in your scope before you fire!” Well that’s reassuring.

The views were magnificent today. Between the aspens changing colors to the high mountain ranges, it doesn’t seem to hurt as much, when hiking uphill. Even though our packs are plum full of food! The water situation is a bit sketchy but we camped next to Cross Creek and it had a strong flow. Long Story showed up within a few minutes and pitched his tent for the evening. We all had dinner and then jumped into our shelters. It is cold up at 10,500’ and there’s no sitting around after 7pm. Everyone is tucked away.

Jen is staying in Keystone at a friends’ condo. This is such a Godsend as it gives her a home base to recover and do some much needed PT. With the countless ski towns of Colorado, Keystone has much to offer. Jen is in luck being the Sports Therapists are well versed on all sorts of overuse injury’s. I suppose if there’s ever a good time to get injured, this was it! Jen has a lovely condo to stay in, with countless therapists to choose from, a hot tub and a place to land. God is so good!

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water…”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a sunrise we had this morning! It was one of the reddest, pinkish, orangiest sky I have seen in sometime. But it also was a warning of the weather we were about to inherit. The rain is a coming.

Today is a special day being we are crossing into our fourth state. Colorado, here we come! Our plan is to hike with Fearless to the border, hand in hand, step by step. Jen hasn’t been on trail for a week. It’s was time to see how her recovering plan is working.

We drove to the trailhead, packs in the car and off we went. It wasn’t too far to the border, about a mile or two. Fearless led the way and we followed close behind. I could tell she was still hurting and she definitely didn’t have her typical gait, but she was determined to cross over the Wyoming/Colorado Border.

As we came around the bend, there it was. The license plates of both states displayed on the ground with a makeshift border made of rocks. We did it. Three states down with only two to go! Colorado, we are glad to see you!

As we were celebrating, a large deer was spotted on the Wyoming side of the trail. Big and bold, yet all she was paying attention to was the chirping squirrel. And then it started to rain. With the sky so red this morning, I was sure we’d have a few sprinkles.

We headed down the trail and promptly returned back to the car. Well, now we had to make a decision. Should we, meaning me and Hogged Up head back to the trail, or stay with Fearless and drive to town? So we chose, drum roll please…. Head to town.

The drive welcomed us to the state of quaking aspens, fall colors and all its grandeur. Oh such tall, glooming peaks! The mountain in Colorado are something to behold. I believe that Colorado may win over my affection. And I love fall! It is, hands down, no questions asked, my favorite season of the year.

So now what? We made our way to Steamboat Springs, found a nice hotel near downtown and checked out what Steamboat had to offer. We swung by the Post Office, and Jen found a Sports Therapist that specializes in overuse injuries. The Physical Therapist listened to her limitations and had a fairly good assessment of her leg. He believes that Jen may be suffering from anterior tibialis tendinitis, a common but painful, overuse injury. His first available appointment would be early Monday morning. This was an answer to prayer as the Urgent Care Doctor she saw in Rock Springs, did little to acknowledge or access her injury. Now Jen is hopeful that she can receive physical therapy along with an exercise regimen, and should be back on trail in no time.

It seems that this trail has been nothing but pain, suffering and misery, yet we are still here. Unlike other treks that I have been on, the CDT truly has given me a run for my money. Everything that I thought I had planned for, is thrown by the wayside. And Fearless is a big part of my hike. She has been there with me through all the good days and the not-so good days. And I pray that she will finish this journey with me.

I know I need to prepare myself for what may or may not come, but for now, all I can think about is crossing that border, hand in hand with both, Fearless and Hogged Up. We are already planning what we will be wearing on that celebratory day! And of course, what champagne should we pop? Yes indeed, we will finish what we started!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We had such a nice night of sleep at the Agape House. When we met the lady in charge, she tied a purple ribbon on the front door knob to ensure that no one would walk in on us during our stay. We removed it this morning and headed back to the trail.

Today we were walking the Red Mountain Trail. I had no idea what that entailed but it would be a little up and a little down. I felt great this morning and was averaging 2.5 miles per hour, which isn’t breaking any speed records. But I knocked out eight miles in about three hours.

Sabine took off and that’s pretty much the way it goes. Without Fearless hiking, I’m on my own. My first encounter was three hunters with two llamas. They were looking for Elk but had no luck at all. Didn’t even see one from afar. But they had two full-sized llamas who were each carrying a 75 pound load! I think we need llamas! Sure would make my pack feel like a feather. Oh, if only!

I walked through plenty of meadows with small creeks and streams. Most were dry but occasionally I’d find some water trickling. I had filled up this morning so no need to hunt for water today. Around 11am, I understood why the trail was named the red mountain. It is part of the CDT but rather than creating a new extension, many times it uses existing trails. No point of developing a new one when there already is a fine piece of quality maintained dirt!

Red rocks must have fallen from the sky or pushed up from the earth below. Most likely the latter. Suddenly I was walking among these colorful stones. They were scattered all about, big huge boulders and smaller rocks. It went on for miles. Around the eight mile marker, I sat down, had lunch and just leaned against the biggest red boulder protruding from the earth! It was so massive that it provided shade for me, Norman and my pack.

The red rocks continued for another couple of miles, then veered towards the road where Fearless was awaiting. The trail took an abrupt turn with many brief, yet steep climbs. Just when I thought I was done, I would find one more climb up a hill and through the forest. Finally, after a nice descent, I found my friends. Hogged Up was slumbering on her mat and Fearless greeted me with an icy cold sparkling water. This has been bittersweet having Fearless meeting us at the end of the day, rather than hiking with us. But we sure do appreciate all she is doing!

Jen found Hog Lake Reservoir and drove us to our evening campsite. It’s a large lake that was absolutely deserted. I can only imagine that during the summer, people would flock to it. But today, we were the only souls for miles. We set up camp and Fearless started collecting firewood. She has been dreaming of the day she could have a fire, and her dream came true!

It was so relaxing sitting around a fire, with a picnic table and all the amenities of a campground. At this point, I’m thinking, maybe Jen requires another week of rehab. I could surely get used to this glamping from place to place, getting cold beverages, good food and an occasional hot springs sprinkled in. This has definitely been one of the nicest week on trail! And our Holy Heavenly Father has made it clear that He is slowly healing Jen with his love and grace. Sometimes fire can show us His presence in ways we just didn’t even expect.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬

Back up and out at o’dark thirty. I really don’t like getting up at 5am but it’s the only way to get the miles done before the elks start bugling. It’s that time of the season. And the deers are crying too. Not sure what that was all about? Maybe they know it’s hunting season!

Today was a good climb straight away. It’s nice when the trail goes up once and down once, rather than up and down countless times. As I took off, Hogged Up went up the trail and was gone. She’s back and in-charge! Well at least I had one day of keeping up Hog Style.

I met several hunters this morning in their side by sides. Some were scouting, others were hunting for grouse, and there was a couple who were sighting in their rifle. As I came around the corner, I heard two loud gunshots and within seconds, could smell the gun powder. That’s much too close. I yelled at them, announcing my presence. So today, I bought a shiny orange knitted cap!

At the top of the hill was a radio tower, with some great views. Most of the scenery today were tall trees with occasional side routes that would opened up to the basin below. It was pretty darn nice to see how far we’ve come in just a few days.

Fearless was driving around, checking out possible entryways to our upcoming campsites. She drove into Colorado and determined that she could meet us at each one of our destinations. When we finished the day, she greeted us with Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Fresh Salad and Sparking Water. A hikers delight!

But what was even better than all that, was Jen drove us into town. There is a Hot Springs in Saratoga and we were on our way. This is such a luxury having a personal Trail Angel, who scouts out all the cool places, and drives us to and fro. Saratoga is where we went, and the Hot Springs was our afternoon delight!

Next stop was the Agape House is in Saratoga. It is owned by the Bernard Episcopal Church. They offer a free/donation based house that provides shelter for hikers and bikers. We were given the run of the place for the evening. The kitchen was stocked with everything you could imagine. Even laundry, a beautifully renovated bathroom and shower with three bedrooms. We haven’t experienced anything like this on trail. What a true blessing that the local church shares this wonderful home with us!

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is the first day since Lincoln, Montana that I haven’t hiked with Fearless. She went to Urgent Care and received the news, no stress fracture which is a huge praise! But she has a tendon/ligament that has been pulled or stretched and she is sidelined for a bit. We all went to Enterprise, picked up Jen’s new wheels and headed back to the trail.

The Great Basin has received a bad rap this year. But for good reason. There was little to no snow last season, and they are experiencing a massive drop in their reservoirs. Without water caches, it’s not safe to walk the Basin this year. This is a section that I gave a lot of thought to, and after the many locals that have warned us not to go, my husband who is not excited about me hiking without water for days on end, I decided to skip the Basin.

Fearless, Hogged Up and I drove through much of the Great Basin and it truly is a dry and barren desert. But even the desert has its rare beauty. We stopped along the way to check out the rock formations and mountains that surround this region.

Once we arrived on trail, we packed up and headed Sobo, just me and Hogged Up. Fearless plans to meet us along the way and hopefully she can drive the rental car to our designated spots. She plans to camp along side us! And as a caveat, she’ll provide icy cold beverages, grilled cheese sandwiches, along with fruits and fresh vegetables whenever possible. This is a win-win for us all.

Our hike today was heading up and out of the Basin and into the Aspen Groves, Pines and Sage. We had a few miles of saying goodbye to the Basin with all its grasses, rocks and pokey sage brush. The best route we could find was navigated by cairns, once again. The trail was a bit overgrown with thick ground covering.

Once we climbed above 9,000’, it was much more trail and less route finding. There were tons of hunters out scouting for their trophy deer and elk. Archery Season opened the first of September and rifle season begins soon. I saw more Trucks, ATV and Side-By-Sides than you’d find in a dealership. In fact, one of the Archers told me he’d been coming up here for years and has never seen so many hunters. I saw one big whitetail deer as I was walking through the aspens, but once he got wind of me, he scooted through the trees in a single bound! He must know it’s deer season too!

Hogged Up and I made it to camp close to 7:00pm just as Fearless was pulling in. She found her way and had cold sparkling waters and four gallons of water. Water is sparse and I didn’t see a stream, creek or spring flowing today! Even in the mountain areas, it is dry!

We set up camp, heated up dinner and pretty quickly, we all were retiring to our tents and hammock. I was pooped after our little walk today, and so was Hogged Up. She’s been off trail for over a week and the first day back is always the hardest. I’m sure she’ll be back to her normal hiking speed in no time! And I’ll be miles behind her but I’m going to relish in the meantime that I stayed up with her for the better part of the afternoon. And that’s something I can boast about for one day! Thank you Lord for giving me the strength to continue on and for answering our prayers for Fearless. You are my joy and my God.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭28‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After a few days to contemplate our next move, Fearless has begrudgingly, accepted her promotion to Trail Angel. Jen’s right leg is still sore and rather than causing any further harm, she is renting a car and following Hogged Up and I, as we tackle the Great Basin.

We managed to use our much needed time to gather supplies from Atlantic City and Lander. Hogged Up and I made our way to the Outpost of Atlantic City. I believe the population is not quite 37, give or take a few miners, geologists and tourists. It boasted close to 3,000 people back in the day when the gold rush was at its height and men flocked to the town for riches and fame. Now it’s nothing more than a walking tour with the Miners Grub; a welcome oasis for hikers.

Lander is a bustling town of 7,400 residents with just as many men as women. The city has pretty much anything you could imagine except for car rentals! But their claim to fame is NOLS -National Outdoor Learning School. Its core mission is to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. Just about everyone we talked to has work or is working for NOLS, or knows someone who has been to their hundreds of courses. They are the heart and soul of this community and contribute a wealth of knowledge to many who love and respect the outdoors. We had the fortunate opportunity to stay at their facility for the night. What a treat that was.

So after a couple of days in Lander, we made our way to Rock Springs in search of a rental car for Fearless. Being it was Labor Day weekend, we found out that this holiday is revered by rental car agencies! Nothing is open until Tuesday so we are making the best of these rest days. An exuberant amount of calories are being consumed. Pizza, Salad, Chicken Tenders and Fries, Fish and Chips, Flakey Croissants with Cortado, followed up by Street Tacos with Chips and Salsa. I feel much like a bear getting ready for hibernation! Hiker Hunger has finally kicked in!

Yet, we still have many hundreds of miles to hike so Hogged Up and I are hitting the trail together. Fearless will support us with nourishing water, which is unavailable on the Great Basin. What precious little water there is, is held back for cattle. The Sweetwater Creek is at its lowest level throughout the Basin, the aquifer’s are drying up if not bone dry, and what water may be found in puddles is contaminated with sulfur and other minerals that don’t serve a hiker in anyway.

Fearless has questioned why this happened, but it seems abundantly clear. The Lord always is in charge even when we feel we are. What foolishness that I would ever believe that He will not change my plans. This Great Basin has been a concern for Fearless. With MS, heat is her nemesis. This area is exposed and has little, if any shade. She uses a hammock and there are no trees to support her sleeping arrangement. And honestly, He just knows better than I. It could be His way of allowing Fearless to rest and restore.

This upcoming State of Colorado is a doozy. It has incredibly high summits, massive climbs, cold temperatures and much different terrain than we have encountered. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus provided us with time to prepare, take a breath and tackle this upcoming challenge with exuberance and vitality! There is always a lesson in our derailed plans but possibly this is how we heal, grow stronger and finish well.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Last night was the first evening in which I could touch the stars in the sky. The Milky Way and all its galaxies were ablaze. Truly a beautiful night sky. After a quasi good night of sleep, and a late start, today should be a glorious day!

Our first bit of business was tracking down the trail. This is starting to be the story of our journey on the CDT. But truth be told, we still have not hooked up with the Redline, so hunting, pecking and scratching we will go!

The cut through (dotted redline) was billed as half-mile shorter than hiking the Blueline. And honestly, I really don’t like going backwards, so forward we went. There was an old rock dam wall that seemed reasonable to walk a top. At this point, I have become one with rocks and boulders so why not?

Once on the opposite side of the dam, we found stacked cairns. This was our one and only indication of a trail. It was more like a game trail, but it was all we had. At first it seemed benign but as the morning wore on, it was not a trail but another rock climbing adventure.

Little Sandy Lake is 9300’ give or take, and the intersection to the Redline is close to 10,000’. Not that bad, unless there is no trail! We were on our hands and knees climbing, pulling and prying our way to something that resembled our route.

After over an hour, we made it to the top of the world. Well, at least that’s what it seemed like. There was no one else on this goose chase. No other hikers anywhere to be found! Just me and Fearless, the only thru-hikers that decided that this was a bonafide way to reach the Redline. But now we have something to write home about and tell our kids. We have, most certainly, lost our minds!

What a joyous celebration to know we are back on the official CDT. Never ever again will I stray off. Well at least not until… next time. We literally skipped down the worn path, like reuniting with an old dear friend. .

The upcoming section is quite gentle and should have been done in little time. But my partner in crime was having a harder time with walking. We had wrapped up her leg like a mummy. She had so much discomfort when she walked, especially flats and downhills. It seemed to do with flexing her ankle and she was not a happy camper.

I noticed an upcoming Picnic Area on the Sweetwater River. This might be a well-deserved place to stop and take a break. Being it was Friday, the beginning of Labor Day Weekend, there were tons of RV’s, Trucks and Trailers. We found a shady tree and had a snack. On top of that, there was a dumpster with a Porta-Potty so we could make two deposits.

As we were getting ready to head back on trail, we met up with a local from Rock Springs. He was here for an annual family reunion and pig roast. After talking for awhile, he asked his friend Mike to access Fearless’ leg. He is a Flight Medic and felt that she should go to a clinic and get an X-ray to rule out anything like a stress fracture. Before we could say no, we were in a truck heading towards Lander.

I have noticed that people are more concerned about our well-being, and truly want to help in any possible manner. The ride out to the road was close to an hour one-way, yet the Cederburg’s were more than happy to be part of the solution. Jen needed help, obviously was having a hard time hiking and they were determined to get her where she needed to be.

We were dropped off at the Rest Area and within 20-30 minutes, we met Mark and Leona from Salt Lake City. They were on a road trip, celebrating their 29th anniversary. After rearranging their car, they made ample room for Jen and I to get in the backseat. They drove us close to an hour to Lander, dropped us off at the Rodeway Lodge, and made sure we were inside our room before they left. This is compassion for your fellow human beings! Happy Anniversary and many thanks to you both.

So now we are regrouping. Hogged Up met up with us in Lander and our trio is back intact. All we need to do is come up with a plan, get Fearless back on the trail when she’s able and continue our southbound journey. I know that many of you who read my blog are true prayer warriors. I am asking you to pray fervently for Jen. I trust and believe that Fearless will continue to finish what has been placed on her heart, and we will cross the finish line together, praising God for what He has done!

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” James‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Hogged Up hasn’t been feeling so great. She was up, packed and I thought ready to head southbound with me and Fearless. But she planned to hike out and seek some medical attention. She’s been so tired and after sleeping basically all day yesterday, she still is under the weather. Prayers that she will regain her strength, and complete the quest for her Triple Crown!

Fearless and I continued onward. Today’s big climb was the infamous Temple Pass. It will be the highest pass we’ve attempted to this point, 11,526’. It was a steep climb, which turned into a boulder scramble for the last 750’. I did not like that, not one little bit! And did I say it was steep? I never looked down. The entire time I was focused on the next boulder ahead of me and watching Fearless’ line. Just before noon, we made it to the saddle.

Both Fearless and I were spent. We negotiated the pass, and started looking for the trail which was non-existent. Finally we found a rock to shelter us from the wind. We had lunch and began the hunt for the trail. Why can’t they make this route more obvious?

Finally after searching for a good ten minutes, Eureka, we found it. Now was the downhill slog. Fearless’ right shin had been giving her problems, so we had it all wrapped up. But anytime she flexed her foot, it was terribly painful. Second walking wounded!

We made it down safely and entered what reminded me of Evolution Basin on the John Muir Trail. There was a beautiful meadow with a creek running through it. The ground was similar to tundra that you find in Alaska, with granite mountains surrounding the area. For the first day in over a week, the sun was shining. It was magical!

As we marched down the trail, I hit a rock that didn’t move, and down I went. When I fell, my glasses smacked my eyebrow and cut my brow, just above my eye. Well, now I was added to the list of the walking wounded. The entire crew has some sort of illness, injury or gash. We are a sight for sore eyes!

Fearless got me all cleaned up, surgical strip onboard and off we went sauntering down the trail. What a day! We were hoping to get back to the CDT Redline today. Honestly we should have, but we hit a roadblock!

We were closing in on the one mile mark from the official CDT, when we were confronted with a massive blowdown. Not one or two trees, but an entire forest! There was no way around it without some sort of massive injury on a tree, branch or limb. So I pulled out my trusty CalTopo to find a workaround.

Sure enough, it looked like we could climb up and over the ridge, then drop down towards Little Sandy Lake. The walk around was easier said then done. The first mile was negotiable, but the last two miles were nothing short of a boulder field. There was no easy peasy way on sandy shores, but a huge rockfall that lined the entire western edge. Over an hour of climbing and bouldering, feeling somewhat defeated, we arrived at the southern terminus of Little Sandy Lake.

What a day we had. When I leave in the morning, I have a good idea of what the day will entail. Some elevation or big descents, meadows and bogs, river crossings, with or without bridges, but I had no idea that we’d be tackling boulder fields for half a day! That was certainly not on the agenda. Yet through it all, the sweet Lord protected us and was our strength, in our very weakness.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭73‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You won’t believe this? It rained last night! We talked to a local and he told us that we are in-store for a warm fall but the caveat is, it’ll rain a lot. Well, good thing I have a proper rain jacket but I may need to invest in some gills!

Today was a bit different than other days on the trail. After walking four miles, we stopped at Big Sandy Lake and pitched our tents. The plan is to slackpack to Jack Ass Pass (yep, that’s its real name) and Lonesome Lake, then head back to camp. Just an out and back kind of day.

Once we got everything set, Fearless and I took off for the Cirque of the Towers. Hogged Up chose to stay in camp and keep a watchful eye on the food bags while she took a long slumber. This worked for all of us. 

As all thru-hikers know, this is a must see and the favorite part of the CDT. We left Base Camp just before 10am and headed on the Blue Line north. Yes, this is the wrong way but being we entered at Big Sandy TH, we needed to back track a bit. The weather was not cooperating with us so I had all layers of clothing on except for my down jacket. Hogged Up loaned me her poncho so that gave me an extra layer of protection. And good thing because we had rain, sleet, hail and winds, which just about blew us off the trail.

With our current conditions, I had a turnaround time at 1pm with a fudge factor of 1:30pm. We headed up the trail and encountered rain and hail within thirty minutes. The clouds were covering the tops of the peaks but were moving quickly so we would get a peek of the mountains from time to time.

We came to our rock scramble and somehow got a bit misplaced. After scaling a near-sheer granite wall, that slid down to Arrowhead Lake, Fearless advised me that we were off trail. Well that makes perfect sense because this was about the sketchiest thing I have done on the CDT since Goat Flat Pass! We turned around and found a much less sketchier version of bouldering than we attempted minutes prior.

When we reached a fork in the road, I checked my map and found the lower route would be shorter. Well we’re just past noon and if we wanted to reach the pass, shorter would be better. Unbeknownst to me, it was also known as the “Mountaineers Route” which we realized when a few others mentioned to us that if we could do it, then they should be able to also. Oh no, more bouldering but this time it was reminiscent of the Appalachian Trail, with an obscene amount of climbing, again.

And of course, it started to hail when we made it to the big boulders. After scaling twenty football fields of rocks and boulders, we found an overhang and waited for the final cell to pass. Our time was running out so we took one last chance to get up and over the pass. One of the climbers told us to take the steep route to the pass as it was much faster. So we put on our big girl pants and climbed straight up.

Just after 1pm, we arrived at the top of Jack Ass Pass and saw it, the Cirque of the Towers. Oh my gosh, there are no words to describe it. In every direction we looked, we were surrounded by the most incredible peaks, mountains, spires and cathedrals! The glacier filled lakes were bluer than blue even with the cloudy skies. It was magnificent, and nothing can prepares you to see such beauty!

We took a handful of pictures and turned ourselves around and started the hardest part of all, getting off this mountain pass. There was a trail we had not taken prior. In theory, I thought it might be a better option than what we did on the way up. As soon as we reached the proper trail, the wind was so powerful, it about knocked us off our feet. All Fearless could say is “Get me off this mountain!” So we made our own trail, straight down towards the boulder fields. This was the most direct and efficient way back.

Once on the boulder field, we found a lower route with some butt sliding and within a half an hour, we were well on our way. It always seems the return trip is faster and for us, it was. We knew the route this time and made it back to camp just after 3pm. Hogged Up was fast asleep in her tent. All Fearless and I wanted to do was eat! We hadn’t had anything since breakfast and with the crazy weather and time constraints, we had zero chance to eat. So we grabbed our food bags and munched down whatever we could! Then we retired to our tents. Thank you God for getting us back safely.

This was, hands down the most epic adventure we have had on trail. It pushed our limits, we were lazer focused and without a doubt, this was the hardest day so far. But it also was, one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. Fearless and I are great partners. We watch over one another, we push each other and by the end of the day, we know that we did the best that we could. As we say in Law Enforcement, we had each others six! I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to share this story with. Thank you Fearless!

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬