Lake City to Silverton 412 miles traveled from Denver

Well friends we have made it to our last stop over in Silverton. The San Juan Mountains are just the most epic range we have ever explored in Colorado, everyday has been so rewarding. They are beyond gigantic, jagged and sharp, most often they are dark in color with very little vegetation above tree line. A range that looks almost uninviting, yet there is something about them that draws you in deeper and deeper, like a Siren calling out to a man at sea. The wildlife is truly “wild” out here and we are the ones who feel out of place; we encountered a Bull moose and a Cow on separate days, both a little closer than what felt comfortable but we admired and kept moving, we saw a migration of Elk at least 200 head which brought me to tears it was so astonishing and we heard the males in rut bugling to the females throughout the cold nights and early mornings around dawn. Another Cow moose slept just below our camp one night and we got to observe her all evening. The sightings have been bountiful, but sadly so have the hunters. I am not here to get political, I know hunting brings a lot to these small communities and hunters know how to spend money I tell you what. I am personally torn about the whole thing. Most local hunters we meet are sustenance hunting for the winter for them and their families, but the vast majority we meet are out of state trophy guys from Texas and Oklahoma… it just feels different somehow. We have fished along the way which was hard for us at first so I feel I have no room to get on a soap box. It just makes me feel deeply sad every time we hear a gun shot out there or see a beautiful herd in the distance knowing not all of them will get to see the snow fall this year. Bleeding heart I know I know!

Over the course of the last week we spent over 4 days above tree line in some of the harshest conditions we have experienced yet. No lightning, but a lot of wind and misty spit rain, the kind you don’t really realize is soaking you until it is too late. The dogs don’t seem to care much for the change in weather, but they are still truckin’ right along with us, every step of the way and wagging those adorable tail and nubbin’.

Out of Lake City we took a “short cut” via another trail that intersects with the CT, ideally this would have cut maybe 6 miles off our first day back out there, but the trails weren’t marked and we got a little turned around, only lost an hour or so over all, but I’d say due to the condition a steepness of the trail we didn’t save any time that day at all. It was nice because we hiked up to a yurt for CT and CDT thru hikers, Mike paid for us to stay a night. I think he was a little disappointed with the condition other hikers and the volunteers who manage it left the yurt in for us, but it was nice not sleeping in the tent and having the wood stove was fun too! We had been bunked up with a bunch of other people (dudes, bros, and hairy stinky men everywhere I look in these towns for the past three weeks) in Lake City at the hostel, so it was nice having the place just to ourselves, it was quiet and we watched the sunset from the rickety old deck. That night the stars were just gorgeous and I actually stayed up late enough to see them. I really appreciated that Mike took the time and the forethought to book it for us, it was a nice little change up. PS yurts are super cool!

The next day while hiking Joey and Lil Britches caught a lil chipmunk, he was scared and in shock, I think disoriented and in an attempt to find coverage he ran up my leg. I wish I would have just frozen on the spot, maybe he still would have had a chance, but no, my natural reaction was to shake my leg vigorously. I threw the poor thing right back to the wolves and it was Little Britches who went in for the final blow around its neck. I couldn’t believe my eyes, she killed a chipmunk, I never thought in a million years that would ever happen. Of course I cried about it as we continued down the trail. That same day we reached the highest point on the CT, something like 13,200 feet and some change. All the while making our way to Carson Saddle. So much of this section was high up and desolate with little mining ruins scattered throughout the landscapes. We saw a coyote the next day while taking a snack and water break, he was sneaking up on us. I really think at first he just saw Joey and Lil B and that his plan was to eat her. Lucky for us Mike saw his huge head a red back and so he stood up so the coyote could see us, it dashed away quickly. But I was paranoid the rest of the day that he was nearby just waiting for his chance to pounce and eat her up. We called it early that day and Mike fished at Cataract Lake and we feasted on Brook Trout both that evening and the next morning for breakfast, a real treat since all of our food is not as appetizing as it was on day one. The next day was seriously the longest 11 miles of my life. The trail was like a roller coaster just up and down and back up, up, up again. We met a large group of 10 mountain bikers that day and when we finally reached the top of Stony Pass that night we saw that they had left us two beers at our trail head. They were still cold, yum Modelo! That is what you call trail magic!

Speaking of trail magic and trial culture, some of you may have been wondering if we have trail names out here, all of the folks on the long hikes (CDT, PCT, AT) use them to help keep track of one another because there are lots of Johns and Mikes out there. The trail names are richly ingrained in the AT thru hiking culture and that is where I am told it all started. So we began this journey as Wook and Dimples and will continue using those names in registries along the way, but those names were chosen prematurely because we thought we had to have them, before the trail really had a chance to name us… This section the true trail names found us and in the future we will be known out on the trail as Pack Wolf (Mike) and Lights Out (Erika). Little Britches is Carhart and Joey is Culture Shock. I like this part of the thru hiking culture and want to adopt it in to my personal backpacking lifestyle. Other parts of thru hiking culture I can live without. They are all so hardcore, I guess if you have 3100 miles to cover you’d have to be. But they are up at dawn and will often hike well into the night, they rarely use tents and go as ultra-light as they can with gear and food, lots of cold oatmeal and cold Ramen out of a Nalgene bottles...no thanks!!! They do at least 20 miles a day and because they are all on such rigid schedules they end up hiking together a lot of the time. Groups will band together and it seems it gets really clique-ish, people will join in and get kicked out of different groups along the way and lots of talk seems to go around and around. Love blooms and goes down in flames out there. Plus many of them know each other from previous long hikes so stories a rumors follow people from trail to trail.  In Lake City we met a couple (they gave all the inside info I just mentioned) getting ready to Triple Crown, that is when you complete the CDT, AT, and the PCT. It is a huge accomplishment, but not really one Mike or myself are looking for personally. It is just like any other sub or counter culture, thru hiking is a lifestyle that many people are drawn to, but I just don’t see myself getting too sucked in.

The last couple days to Silverton were slow going, we didn’t have a ton of miles to cover but the terrain and the weather was tough and both Mike and I are starting to get bored with the trail life routine. Don’t get me wrong, we love it out here and everyday there are new surprises and beauties that we look forward to, it is just that hiking these miles day in and day out and being on a tighter and tighter schedule as Durango approaches makes the hiking feel more and more like a job. And camp life is hard too, setting up, cooking, cleaning, and then tearing down… day after day after day. Let’s just say this is no day hike and we are really excited to finish this trail!

In our last days we continued and climbed over a mountain through a gigantic rain cloud that we rode to the precipice of Elk Creek Canyon, the most beautiful place I have ever been in Colorado. We began hiking down into the canyon just as the cloud we had been riding lifted, and before us was the most gorgeous red quartzite and green limestone rock out cropping’s as far as the eye could see. Against the grey sky and the inverted clouds still lingering among us, there were just the most beautiful red and pink and every shade of turquoise shiny rocks towering above us and resting below us. The rocks are so smooth and you could see the rain gliding off of them giving them and extra sheen in the emerging sunlight. We dropped down further and further and the canyon walls grew taller all around us. The streams were so clear and pristine running off from all sides of the canyon walls all joining Elk Creek at the bottom. The exposed geology was a billion year old timeline just laid out before our eyes. It was almost too much beauty to fully take in. I have never seen anything like it. That night we camped just near the train tracks for the Durango to Silverton rail and it was fun to see the trains pass that afternoon as we settled ourselves at camp. People loved it, waving at us and taking pictures. The next day was just a 5 mile hike out to Molas Pass but it was a doozy. Miles of switchbacks and when you get to the top of them you can see and hear the cars, but you are still 1.5 miles from the top and it is mentally tough getting up there. It is like, “really, I’m not there yet?” But I made it up eventually and within 15 minutes of thumbing it a nice older couple from Indiana picked us up and took us into town, and boy do they just love Silverton we heard about it the whole way down the pass. The hostel here is weird, it is really nice and inviting but the people working here leave something to be desired and it could be a little cleaner feeling. Let’s just say this place could be a lot better than it is, but we are grateful for the hot shower, the kitchen, and a private room with a really good sized bed for the four of us to share. Tomorrow we will head back out and are set to arrive in Durango on Thursday the 24^th. Mike’s other awesome auntie is gonna meet us here tomorrow to have lunch and then take us back up to the trail head.

7 more days!!!! 

We didn’t have time to upload our pics from this epic section so you will just have to wait until next week for those.

As always thanks for reading and thanks for the love and support.

Buena Vista to North Pass 8 days 304 miles traveled from Denver

Well folks we are still out here and all things are a go for finishing in Durango on the 24^th of September assuming nothing too unexpected pops up for us or the dogs.

I am sure you felt my downer vibes in the last blog as we prepared for leaving Buena Vista and heading into this next 2 week long section. For all of you concerned about my mental well fair, just know I am better than the first day we set out and am feeling stronger every day! Things are really good, not getting easier by any means, on the contrary, but I am good and that makes all difference out here. Maintaining a positive outlook is key and I believe this applies outside of trail life too.

Our last night in Buena Vista our friend Van came and met us so he could join us on the hike for the first three days of this push from Chalk Bluffs to HWY 50. I had been so looking forward to having him join us since about 2 days out from Leadville, just knowing someone else was out there coming to meet us and would inevitably change up our dynamics for a few days was a thrilling prospect, out here you crave diversity in many ways, food, people etc. He arrived early that evening and we packed our bags with new fresh foods (because the site of dehydrated potatoes was and still is now enough to make a woman sick) and set off for HWY 50.  Van was with us to celebrate our ½ way point in both days and miles, man what a feeling knowing I had made it over the “hump” and was still willing to put my boots on every morning and give it a go. In those days with Van the topography really changed for us, we had our first meadows in what seemed like weeks. Long sections of flat and exposed areas, hot for sure, but such a nice respite from the endless climbing we were experiencing in the Collegiate Peaks. This section with its wide open areas began offering us better and better views than our previous six day trek nestled under gigantic peaks like Massive, Elbert, and Harvard. We gradually climbed around Shavano and Tabauguche Peaks and had to the opportunity to see them in all their glory from multiple faces. Stunning these two mountains are, this is the stuff that can take your breath away, why not try and see of much of it as you can? Van brought his dog Eddie and I think our dogs were happy to have him also join the pack. Eddie was as fun, if not more fun to watch enjoying the hike as Joey and B. He leaped and bounded over everything and at camp still had so much energy it was incredible. I just love watching the dogs, and Eddie really heightened the experience in that regard. 

We arrived to HWY 50 on Saturday the 29^th of August, where we were set to separate from Van and continue on to Fooses Creek. I still was not feeling amazing and I was still discouraged about my mileage abilities and I was feeling more drained than usual because of “lady times”. So when we got to the HWY crossing it was a real treat to see our friend Katie (Van’s wife) pull up. I squeezed her so tight. I needed female energy in a bad bad way, I just cried, it was a natural release (thanks girl #blessed). And despite them having the chance to slip away for a romantic night at the hot springs they decided to stay with Mike and in all of our bickering and my sickly glory and car camp with us. They drove into town and brought back ice cream and twizlers and gallons of clean water. They sent us off the next morning with eggs, fresh water and a whole new vibe. I felt strong and empowered after my Katie and Van time as we walked away from their car toward the creek, and since that moment each day has been more fun for me.

From here it was just 5 more days to North Pass, where mike’s mom and aunt were driving out to meet us with a resupply box. We pushed hard and got there in 4 days instead allowing us just one day “off” to camp and not bag miles. A nice unplanned treat to say the least. This was the first time I did more than 11 miles per day and was still able to continue each new day with as much vigor as the day before. Over this stretch it became more and more apparent that Little Britches has reached her full confidence level here on the trial. She no longer needs to follow Joey around, she is breaking her own trail. This makes me a little nervous, but I don’t have the heart to leash her, she has never been so wild and free and at ease since the day we adopted her. Watching your shelter dog become free of fears and anxieties that they have been burdened with since you adopted them is a beautiful gift as a “rescue parent”. As her confidence grows, I can see myself paralleling with her. We are now two strong empowered women heading toward Durango, and together with our boys we are unstoppable! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, she is my inspiration! Every person that is lucky enough to meet her on the trail is also inspired by her abilities and tenacity. We’ve given her the trail name of “Carhart”, since they are the toughest britches you can find.

Since leaving Van the climbs really intensified again as we left one major mountain range and began ascending into another. We climbed over 3,000 feet to Sergeant’s Mesa which gave us spectacular views of where we’d been and where we were going, and areas we won’t have a chance to go to on this trail (the Sangre de Cristo’s). The view was 360 degrees of magnificent; seeing the Sawatch Mountains behind us, the San Juan’s in front and the Sangre’s towering out in the distance; as far as the eye could see it was mountains and it gave me that similar feeling as when I’m standing next to the ocean, an obvious reminder of how small we actually are, that humbling feeling of insignificance (in a good way), and that feeling like “I am standing exactly where I am supposed to be at this very moment on Earth”. Feeling insignificant individually, but so connected to everything bigger than you at the same time. Is this called inner peace? Maybe it is.

Connectedness is a major theme on this journey for me. I’ve been feeling for years in the “real world” like I don’t really fit anywhere, whether that be places we’ve lived or jobs I’ve had, but mostly in terms of what I view as success for my life seems so counter to what most of my friends and family have done and are doing. It makes you question yourself, when you compare yourself to the way other people choose to live. But out here I belong everywhere I am. I feel part of the circle of life as cheesy as it sounds, but I’m serious here, I feel powerfully connected to both the micro and the macro and everything in between. The ants and spiders and millions of little micro lives existing beneath our shoes, the breeze rushing through the huge single organism Aspen groves, and the gigantic mountains, calderas, and ancient volcanic ash hoodoos over 27 million years old. We all exist because of what and who came before us and therefore we are connected to everything that has come and will come. Again I know this is a little cheesy, but you can’t help asking yourself while you are out here, “what are we doing to protect each other and our lands, what are we leaving for the future world? What is my responsibility as a member of the human race?”

Just a side note… I’m becoming a geology nut out here, I just can’t get enough information to satisfy all questions I have about what I am seeing day in and day out.

As we approached North Pass we saw two Moose, our first big wildlife sighting. There was a female and a male, Mike and I assumed they were a young couple just like us, just trying to make it in this crazy world. What a sight! This was also the first and only day on the trail so far we have not seen another living soul, at detail I made sure to appreciate.

This section was vital to my survival out here, I had to break down in order to build myself up, and up I am!

North Pass to Lake City 4 days 358 miles from Denver  

What a beautiful stretch. We made it to North Pass a day early and got to have an extra day just camping with no miles to walk. What a great feeling. Sara and Lynne brought us our resupply box and drove us up to Saguache Park where we had some great food, wine, and conversation while car camping. It is always nice to see new faces, it is rejuvenating. We pressed on the next day and climbed climbed again. We made it to the fishing spot on the CT, Cochatopa Creek. Mike caught 2 Brook Trout and we shared one for dinner and had one for breakfast. September 5, 2015 is our one month “hikeaversary” crazy to think we have spent the last month living in the wilderness. I am finding my personal stride, my spirits are way up and Mike and I finally have a great schedule going for ourselves and I have worked out my nutrition so no more vomit and my weight has leveled out.

We pushed over Snow Mesa, which was a crazy huge mesa well over 12,000 ft. There are no words to describe this section. You will have to look at the pictures below, and even those don’t do it justice. I guess ya’all will have to just come out next year and see it for yourself ;)

The changing of the seasons is upon us and every day we can taste fall in the air and can feel it in the air, Days are shorter and so are the nights. A new “crispness” in the air. The leaves are just starting to change and we are getting more excited to push on. 

The kindness of strangers and other hikers we have met here in the last few days on our layover in both Creede and Lake City. We arrived a day early and had trouble hitching to Lake City so we hopped over to the other side of the road and the first car picked us up and took us to Creede, what a strange beautiful gem of a mountain town. It was not as easy as we thought it would be to find a hotel in town. I talked to many locals who sent me to bars and pizza shops to ask random people for rooms and nothing was available for us AND our dogs. We were feeling pretty low knowing we'd have to pack up and find a place to camp and a man stopped us and asked us if were hikers and if we were doing ok. I of course cried and said "until now..." He didn't hesitate for a moment. He loaded us up and took us to his deceased mother's house where we camped and he opened the doors to us for facility use. Such a nice guy, who just wanted to help some hikers, he admired what were doing. As he left us for the night he gave me his card, he turned out to be the county commissioner for Mineral County and local staple in the community. Thanks Scott, if you are reading this just know that is the greatest gift one can receive on a journey like ours and we will never forget you. Next day we got a rides back over the pass to Lake City where we have had the most restful and amazing stay at the Raven's Rest Hostel. For the owner Lucky you can tell that this is so much a labor of love. He loves the hiking and adventure culture and chose to bring us all into his home. One of the best hostels I have ever stayed in, I feel at home and will miss the comforts and good company when we hit the trail again tomorrow.

Next is eight days to Silverton and then just six more days to Durango.

As always thanks for your support and thanks for reading. We love and miss you all.

Leadville to Buena Vista (from the last blog)

Buena Vista To North Pass

North Pass To Lake City