The Window

Day 37

Date: 07.06.2022

CDT Mile: 904.6 Mile

Miles hiked: 15.9 miles / 25.5 km

Elevations: ascent 4'386 feet (Aufstieg 1'337 m) / descent 3'320 feet (Abstieg 1'112 m)

Camping at: 12'274 feet / 3'742 m

Camping in a meadow next to a stream is beautiful, but not very clever. The next morning all my gear (tent and sleeping bags) were moist. We hoped for the sun to reach us soon and dry out the gear before hiking out, but the sun was hidden behind a mountain and then behind some clouds. So I decided to not wait any longer, pack up and dry out the gear during lunch break.

The day started with a big and long uphill climb. I was already worried last night but it turned out to be quite a pleasant uphill hike with beautiful views. I hiked out of camp earlier and was all alone, I couldn't see anyone for hours. I often start a little earlier as the rest of the group. Still not super early. Something between 7am and 7.45am. I love the morning hours, even hiking out at 6am, but then I just wait a long time for the group to catch up. First, I enjoy hiking on my own. I can take my time, don't feel stressed and can listen to music. But also some of the group don't like getting up early. Of course I do also enjoy hiking with someone, but it doesn't need to be all the time. And it is a special feeling hiking all alone in this wilderness. Obviously, I know that the others are behind me, may be 30 minutes, may be 2+ hours. And often we hike closer together after lunch.

On the last uphill in the morning I pass a group of 12 scouts girls. That was a very fun and unexpected encounterment! I have lost my lighter yesterday and as it is their last day out on trail, they hiked a section of a couple of days, they are more than willing to give me one lighter. The trail provides! And continuous to be very beautiful. I stop at a meadow for lunch, waiting 2 hrs for my group to catch up! I was already a little worried where they might be but they turned up. While breaking for lunch, 3 hikers pass us. That is the first time nearly since Champ, where we have seen other hikers! We know that Patches, Longstride, Plusone and Dogbite are behind us. And there is also a couple out - 'Dustman' and 'The Piper' with whom we leapfrogged since Wolfs Creek Pass but that was it. There are not many hikers out. Either they are all still behind us, or - and this is what I believe - a lot of hikers choose a much shorter and easier alternate, which cuts off more than 100 miles of the trail and doesn't go up high in elevation. The CDT follows along the San Juan's and they don't go up straight north direction Canada. They turn like a snake west, than a little north and back east before going up more north again. So it makes a big loop. But missing the San Juan's wasn't an option for me. Even if that means more struggles, more snow and slowdowns, longer stretches, much more uphills (sometimes I do hate them I admit!) but also many more beautiful views, plus it is the official CDT. Life ain't always easy and that also applies to the trail.

While at lunch 'Mountain Goat' tries to fix my broken zipper of my sleeping back. The zipper would always open up, even if all zipped up. The trick is to give a little puncture with a ZANGE to both sides of the zipper sledge, so it combines and closes the zipper teeth properly again. But Mountain Goat punctured a little too much, and on of the two zippers fell apart. Oh No! 🙈 also the second zipper broke, so I now can only close the zipper inside the sleeping back. And because of the first zipper broke, the second zipper falls out of the zipper line. Mountain Goat wouldn't give up. So first he put a special glue at the end of the zipper, so the zipper sledge can't fall off again. Then he used some hot glue to put over the broken front zipper, where an iron part sticked out sharply, to prevent it from scratching up the whole sleepingback. Let's see how this works. I am not quite sure if Mountain Goat really helped me or just made things worse! But he did what he could and Id am glad for this. Let's hope for the best!

We hiked down a beautiful meadow before the yet steepest and longest uphill climb was awaiting us. I had no clue but it was hard AF! In no time we climbed many high meters up to 12'245 feet, where we camped, just below a beautiful mountain window. I am done with today! It is beautiful but also challenging and demanding. Also, I seem to need more calories up in that altitude, and I have to ration my food a little. However, the views and the wilderness and the lonlyness (hardly anyone up here) make up for a lot of it again.