Day 4: 8/19/18, 19.5mi, 2900ft elevation
Headwaters of Craig Creek mi 45 to Rock Creek mi 64.4
Trail lessons
The woods are lovely dark and deep…We immediately climbed up a fairly steep climb for the first two miles this morning. It was a steep, dark, narrow, wooded, and silent on the trail; and I was alone for the first part of the day. I was inclined to be creeped out. So, today I worked on appreciating dark woods, and not as viewing them as scary or intimidating. Lovely is better.
Today was cool, partly cloudy, windy, and I was cold a lot of the time. I bundled every time I stopped – which was as little as I could stand.
Most thankful for ….the fact that my feet and legs are feeling better today at least this afternoon! I feel like I am over the hump but still sitting on the camel’s butt today.
I saw God today….. I saw a moose!!! A bull moose! And he saw me!! It was a tense moment as I came upon him suddenly and he was not but 10-15 yards off- so naturally I have some REALLY really awful photos…. I should have had some amazing ones but I was literally hiding behind a tree watching to see when he looked my way. He watched me closely every time I moved. He finally put his head down to browse and I skedaddled. Of Course, no one else saw him.
What I ate for supper…broccoli cheese soup with hamburger and olive oil thrown in there. Hot ovaltine with creamer.
Quote of the day….I’m so sorry! (Nae)
Fun Story….So Nae lead us on a wild goose chase today all the way to rock creek! That is about 2-4 miles than we had planned. We were all gonna meet for lunch at the begining of Seg 5. We all thought this was straight forward. But alas no. Rouge and Calem took the side trail to the parking area, I stopped at the trail junction.2 from the parking area. We ate lunch independently and all thought the others were ahead. I hiked on and never saw anyone. They were hiking fast, so I assumed they were way ahead. One couple I passed coming from the other direction told me that there were two women ahead of me. So I figured it was Rogue and another hiker. I got to our meeting place at 4:19, nobody. No notes. I just knew they had gone on. So I hiked two more miles to popular rock creek. Nobody! But I did find the two women Betsi and Stephani. They were hiking together from Ft Collins. And one of them was suffering from altitude sickness making her nauseous. Ugh! I did leave notes at the noon meeting place and the evening meeting place. Then about 20-30 min after I got to rock creek I saw Calem coming down. He said that Rouge was behind him! So about 20 min after him she came down! I couldn’t believe it! Yay!! Reunited! THEN about an hour later Donut!!! Hiked his longest day ever to come camp with us. He got a Snickers for that!!
What I learned today…don’t panic, leave notes. If they haven’t passed that way there won’t be a note! I can hike 20 miles in a day with sore feet if I have proper motivation…
Most favorite part of the day…when Rouge showed up at Rock Creek
Least favorite part of the day…when I got to out pre arranged spot and found no one there.
Most useful gear of the day… beanie- wore it all day as the day was pretty chilly a lot of the time.
Food of the day…the hot coffees this morning in the high alpine meadow of Lost Creek Wilderness was pretty welcome. It was COLD up there!!!
Song of the day…Was singing ‘This is the day’ as I went up the mountain this morning