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