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
