July 31, 2024
26.3 miles, 4580′ gain/3983′ loss
I slept in today, drowsing until 8am. I couldn’t keep myself still, so I was out waiting for the bus by 9:05am after a 3rd shower. I was hiking by 9:30am.
Today’s long climb out of Copper Mountain past downhill MTB trails was totally worth it for some JMT-like views, with an epic alpine hike around the mountain range’s basin. I saw 2 marmots, and cruised over Searle Pass and Kokomo Pass! On the descent, I stopped for a lunch break and water at a cold creek with a waterfall. After that highlight, my later miles were mostly woods walking on a smooth grade for some fast miles. I was going to stop earlier to set up camp, but from the point I decided to stop, it took 3+ miles to find a spot with campsites. I checked out the two cabins nearby the trail, but the porches had been freshly stained, so cowboy camping there wasn’t an option.
I met Robert and Chloe (Bearbait and Bear) at the Wurts Ditch campsite at dusk. They let me know there’s currently a live shooter situation in Breckenridge, though none of us could get enough cell service to see how things were developing. There’s one other hiker set up here at the campsite, already in their tent, and we’re a bit squeezed for flat space but tried to be as respectful as possible with my noise as I set up my tent. I was in bed by 9:30pm.
Transcending Mountains 