On trail recovery day

Day 64

Date: 04.07.2022

CDT Mile: Mile 1'298.7

Miles hiked: 16.3 miles / 26 km

Elevation: 3'825 feet ascent (1'168 m Aufstieg) / 5'594 feet descent (Abstieg 1'706 m)

Camping at: 10'141 feet / 3'093 m

We got up and suprisingly my tent was not super wet. But my shoes, socks and hiking pants were. Putting on wet socks and shoes before 6am, when even the sun is still hiding behind the mountains, ain't no fun. Luckily I still carry the waterproof socks. That does feel awesome, I can't feel the cold and wet shoes at all. I leave camp at 6am and start my day. I didn't sleep very well, the ground was very uneven and had many wholes. I haven't slept well for a couple of nights now. It worries me a little, I do need my sleep and rest out here very much! The first 3 miles were easy, mostly downhill in the forest and I even saw three deer's next to the trail. On the last water source for 11 miles I breaked, cameled up (drink as much water as I can) and filtered 1.5 liters to carry. There are two steep mountain summit climbs in between the next water source. But already 1.5 liters is heavy, next to my foodbag for 4 days. And the first uphill is very steep up to Stanley Mountain at 12'499 feet (3'813 m). It takes me forever, cause I have to stop every couple of steps! 1'100 feet in 1.2 miles. I didn't know that 1.2 miles can take that long! 🙈 But also my legs burn and they are super tired. I do fine on downhills or obviously straight trails, but on uphills they just don't wanna moved anymore. And the extra water carry doesn't help at all. All I want is to rest and sleep! I consider taking a hitch into town in 5 miles at the Berthoud Pass parking lot. But I have just left town yesterday. Colorado is beautiful but also hard. The steep up/and downhills, the weather, the high elevation change, the high altitude, etc. I am currently quite done and can't wait for Wyoming. New state, new luck!

The last 2 miles before reaching the Berthoud parking lot many day hikers pass me. It's only 8am, they must have gotten up super early! It's 4th of July today too, so no one is working and everyone seems to be up in the mountains.

Reaching Berthoud Pass the second uphill starts up to Mount Flora, 13'123 feet (4'002.5 m). This is also a very popular Summit for many day hikers, as from the parking lot it's only 3 miles to the top, but 1'800 feet in elevation gain in between. The trail has some very steep sections and the last 0.4 miles seem not to end. This can't go one like this. But what can I do for my legs? They have worked hard lately and are very musculous, so I should be very strong now. On the top of Mount Flora I see Boss, who must have passed me while I eat a snickers and chatting to some folks down at the parking lot. We dry out all our gear, and as also Boss is feeling very tired lately, we decide to only hike on 6 more miles down to a river. And just as we have pitched our tents, it starts to rain. We could hear and see the rain and thunder a while ago and hurried down to our camp site. SwissChris passes us, he will still hike on 6 more miles. The next 4.4 miles are being very hard, as we have to climb James Peak with 13'309 feet (4'059 m), our last 13-er however on the CDT. That's a climb of 3'166 feet, around 1'000 m. I kinda wish to get this done today as well, but now in the thunder and with my tired legs I don't want to do this hell of a climb. I could consider taking a 1 or 2 hours break, pitching the tent, taking a nap and be safe from the rain, and then hike it later in the evening. But Boss doesn't want to hike on, once his tent is pitched... and may the Girls, Vista and Ducky, catch up with us if we camp here tonight, as we lost them yesterday during the thunderstorms.

At 4.30pm the thunder and rain is gone and blue sky and sun is welocmeing us again. Feeling a little better after having napped, I could imagine hiking James Peak today, just to get it done. But it is probably better to rest more, take it easy today and do it tomorrow. I just get a little bored now in my tent, not having anything to read, to watch or some yummy food to eat😁 I hope Vista and Ducky make it here tonight, the sooner the better!

Ducky made it to camp at 6pm. They have hiked 22 miles today, as they didn't hike that far as we did yesterday due to the thunderstorms. I am so happy to see her! Just as we get ready to cook dinner together outside our tents, the second thunder and rain of the day rolls over. Vista made it by 7.30pm, I am so glad to see her here too!

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