The Final 9 Days

Night #22--"Camping" in Segment 27 in a YURT! (hiked 8.7 miles)
Back on the trail, but it feels like a bonus rest day because after only about 9 miles up we found a backcountry yurt! Don't even feel like it's cheating because...well, because it's a yurt. So cool.

 The Sublime Uncompahgre Peak (kind of shark-finny in the distance)

 This yurt isn't mentioned in any of the guidebooks that I know of, making it an extra special surprise when you see it in the distance.

 Plus the forecast was rain/snow for the night, so we were feeling pretty happy to know our things would be dry in the morning.

 My camp cup found its long lost baby!

We shared the yurt with two really nice Colorado Springians, John and Ron, who were working on completing the whole trail segment by segment. John completed it this year (congratulations!). These guys proved to be such compassionate and fun trail mates, and they will pop up in our story a time or two before Durango.

Night #23--Camping in Segment 23 at 12,222 feet (above treeline) near Cataract Lake (hiked 14.2 miles)
Today was one of those days where you look back to the morning and can't believe it's the same day.

 Our day started with our only snow on the trail. We hiked over the highest point (13,271 feet) of the whole Colorado Trail today, but we couldn't see very far!

 If I were more tech-savvy I would give you background music for this day...

the theme song to the Lord of the Rings

 "Do you think we'll ever make it back to the Shire, Mr. Froto?"

 Luckily the wind was low this morning, so even though there was snow we weren't too cold. Actually felt very peaceful, and every once in a while the clouds (fog?) would shift and the sun would break through.

 Saw an ermine up here today...completely in its element skipping across the snowy rocks light as air

 Today's epiphany: our whole lives are spent between the ground and the sky. Not sure if this thought matters at all, but I sure felt it to be true today.

 Old mining ruins

 John and Ron enter our story again tonight because once we got to our campsite we realized something that probably should have been obvious...there are no trees above treeline! There was no way to do a bear hang and keep our food safe. They were camping near by and helped us out by sharing their bear canisters with us. So kind!

No alpine wind is gonna get us tonight!

Night #24--Camping in Segment 24 near Elk Creek (hiked 19 miles)

 7:00 am to 7:00 pm hike today (including short breaks). Here's us when we're still fresh!

 Saw a herd of elk this morning, but knew a photo wouldn't do it justice. Man they can move when they want to though; they looked like they were flying!

 Letting the sun dry out my icy sleeping bag

 These foolproof trail markers were all along the trail in this segment, which allowed us to know exactly what we would be doing with our time for hours in advance (walking there, then there...)

 We got pretty close to mimicking the cover of our data book...right down to the white hat with neck cape!

 Headwaters of the Rio Grande

 The Grenadiers in the distance...some of the last mountains to be climbed by mountaineers in Colorado 

 Sheep way up here?! We stopped to chat with the rancher for a bit, total bad ass. Stayed by himself for 90 days with a horse, four dogs, and 1,000 sheep.

 Still above treeline....

 We are now entering Peter's favorite landscape of the whole trip

 We followed Elk Creek down, down, down below treeline 

Set up camp then soup and fudge in the dark, time for bed.

Night #25--Camping in Segment 24 at the Molas Lake Campground--Last Resupply! (hiked 9.7 miles)

 Followed the trail down into the valley where the Durango-Silverton Narrow gauge runs, even hiking along the tracks for a short while

 Tempting to hop on and ride on in to Durango in style!

 The Animas River

 My dad sent this drawing for us in our last resupply box...thanks you guys! Glad we had our food sent to us because a girl we met on the trail told us that a box of Cheez-Its cost $6.98 in Silverton!

 Our water filter was having issues so we hitched into Silverton to get iodine tablets for the rest of the trip...and of course grabbed a couple beers while we were here

Here's where we slept for the night (thanks John & Margo!). Hard to tell it's an RV campground from the picture, but it is...still really nice though. And the $5 shower was worth it!

Night #26--Camping in Segment 25 at Cascade Creek (hiked 16.3 miles)

 Today started off rough but turned out to be great. The beginning of the trail was super crowded today since it's Labor Day weekend, but the crowds fizzled out after a few miles.

 It was SO windy today, and the wind felt like it was clogging my brain...or distracting me...like overhearing a conversation while you're trying to read. Still beautiful though.

I had to insert a picture from Taiwan for comparison here...aren't we a good lookin' couple? Always have been...

One of our top 5 campsites today for sure. Cooking rock, great tent spot, huge log to sit on, and giant, protective trees all around. Also short after-dinner walk to the cliff overlooking a  waterfall!

Night #27--Camping in Segment 26 (hiked 15.9 miles)

 Our first truly bluebird day, Colorado how you shine. Red rocks and wildflowers.

Celebration Lake!

 Lizard Head Peak in the distance...

 Up and over Blackhawk Pass

Night #28--Camping in Segment 27 just before Indian Trail Ridge (hiked and hauled water for 13.3 miles)

 John and Ron pull through again--they hid this 9 liters of water for us in the bushes at the beginning of Segment 27. So nice to drink regular water for a couple days (instead of iodine).

 As you can see, we carried a whole bunch of water through this dry part of the trail, reminding me over and over again of a question my grandma asked me in Salida:
"Why did God make water so heavy?"

 This is what Peter looked like for most of the trip...the ever-dependable navigator

The panoramic I tried to take from this rock ledge didn't quite turn out, but you can imagine pretty much the same view as this photo in your left periphery and your right periphery...in other words it goes on forever! Peter and I sat out here to finish our second book of the trip, How I Became a Nun by Cesar Aira. Not perhaps the most fitting book for the scenery, but a great moment regardless.

 

Expert bear-hang, if I do say so myself

Night #29--Camping in Segment 28 at an "excellent dry campsite" 13.5 miles from Durango
Ya casi llegamos!

 Our final journey over the tundra today...Indian Trail Ridge. Beautiful hike kept me motivated but really all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball in my sleeping bag and sleep all day

 The wildflowers were past their prime up here, but still lovely

 This was one of the sketchiest parts of the trail...windy and steep drops to both sides.

 Taylor Lake! We stopped here and took a two hour break. When I woke up from my coffee + nap I was feeling strong again!

 Here's what happens when Peter gets ahold of the camera while I'm asleep...

 Woke up ready for the second half of the day (9 miles)!

 Should we turn around and head back?

Morning #30--Zero Day!
That means no alarm, no packing up camp, just hanging out at the same campsite all day and relaxing. Only tasks today are: morning fire (check) make breakfast (check) get water from nearby stream, write and draw, drink EXTRA coffee, nap, make night fire and dinner with hot cocoa...you get the picture. Reminded me how much I like good old-fashioned camping.

We had a girl, Lauren, and her dog Margot join our camp today. It was a great way to wrap up the trip, swapping stories with her about all our adventures. She told us that she can tell we like each other, that "it really shines." Feeling so thankful for this adventure and for my love/ adventure partner! Tomorrow 13 miles out and BURRITOS in Durango!

Night #31--Hotel in Durango (360 miles completed in one month!)

 Eating up the last of the rations

 Gudy's Rest..I realize I've failed to mention Gudy in this blog. She was a constant source of inspiration for us throughout our hikes, as the "Mother of the Colorado Trail" Super Stud Lady!

 Our rescuer at the end of the trail (thanks Susan and Charlie!)

Thanks for reading, everyone. We feel so lucky to have had so much support on our little (grand) quest. Now it's off to our new adventures in Colorado and, dare I say, adulthood?

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." --Edward Abbey