Bad Ass Day!

Day 54

Date: 24.06.2022

CDT Mile: Mile 1'134.5

Miles hiked: 21.5 miles / 34.4 km

Elevation: 4'357 feet ascent (Aufstieg 1'329 m) / 6'122 feet descent (Abstieg 1'867 m)

Camping at: 9'383 feet / 2'862 m

We want to reach Twin Lakes today as early as possible. Twin Lakes is a super small place, couple of houses only, but it has a food truck, a grocery store and a diner. That's all we need😁 we get up and start hiking shortly before 6am. First we climb Lake Ann Pass, with gorgeous views once we pass the tree line. On top of the pass, one hour later, we have to traverse a sketchy snow field. As it is still early in the morning, the snow is still icy. I can't even kick footsteps in the snow, it's too hard. There are a couple of footprints there already, however they are icy. I watch my steps carefully but make it through to the other side. Bex puts on her microspikes and traverses with the ice axe (we have send them away already two weeks ago), which is for sure not a bad idea. Boss is scared to traverse the snow field, but there is no other way. I can see is fear. I ask Bex for her microspikes and ice axe, hike back up the snow field, hand them both to Boss, pick up his poles, traverse the snow field back and make a video of Boss traversing this sketchy section for his youtube blog (Rod Clemen on youtube). The view to the other side of the valley is beautiful too with the Ann Lake. We hike down to the bottom of the valley and stop for an early lunch around 10.30am, already hiked 12 miles by then. The sun is out but dark clouds are popping up and we have to dry out our tent and sleepingbag before it starts to rain. Plus, the second pass is awaiting us and we want to refill our bodies with energy. I just manage to dry out everything and put them back in my backpack when it starts to rain. Good timing! Hope Pass is 2.3 miles and more than 2500 feet in elevation. Within the first 0.8 miles we climb 1'000 feet (+300 meter within 1.2 km). This is the steepest uphill hike we had so far. The trail doesn't fuck around with switchbacks at all, just goes straight up the mountain. I take one tiny step at a time, walking slow like the men at the moon, but consistent and manage the first 0.8 miles in 38 minutes and just keep on hiking till the top. This Pass is quite popular in the area and there are other day hikers here too, also it is a saturday. It rained and a thunderstorm rolled over us while climbing up, but then when I finally reach the top the sun is out again and the thunderstorm at the other side of the valley. My legs are burning and the downhill is very steep too. This pass is not giving us a break! Reaching Twin Lakes a couple of hours later, I am drained. This section from Monarch Pass to Twin Lakes has been the hardest so far for me. Many steep climbs, uphill and downhill, the weather and also we hike more miles a day now, my body can definitely feel it. Another thunderstorm with rain rolls over, we hide in the grocery store, before we get a hitch to the campground where we stay tonight. A friend of Kite's parents is visiting us tonight, and we enjoy a nice sunny evening (after the rain has passed) with beer and wine. We definitely have earned it!

Post note: 2 days later I get to know that many hikers take two days to hike Lake Ann Pass and Hope Pass. So we were pretty bad ass doing both Passes in one day and even reaching Twin Lakes at 2pm!