Sunday, August 13, 2017
Start: Cloud Pond Lean-to
End: Carl Newhall Lean-to
Miles: 17.0 (+0.4 trail to shelter, +0.2 view of waterfall)
Elevation gained/lost: 3642‘/4160’
Listening to: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #2)
I was asleep last night by around 8:30pm; I fell asleep while blogging about the day. I was up at 6am and on trail by 7am.
Today I went over Fourth Mountain (2380′), Mt Three and a Half (1958′), Monument Cliff (2097′), Columbus Mountain (2325′), and Chairback Mountain (2180′). I forded West Branch Pleasant River (rock hopping wasn’t an option) and passed by the Gulf Hagas trail (taking a short detour to see one of the falls). I’d originally been thinking I’d add on the Gulf Hagas loop but the beginning of my day was much slower than anticipated. So instead I checked out the first waterfall, Screw Augur Falls.
The day started out nice, with a thunderstorm rolling in around noon, and then cleared up within an hour or so. The rest of the day was quite nice weather, though much of the terrain was very challenging. I also found it hard to keep up with my water needs; the exercise/electrolyte salt I brought has helped immensely.
Tomorrow I climb the last set of giant mountains.
Transcending Mountains 