The experiment of monkey blogging about our trek before we hiked it did not turn out to be totally accurate. In fact the prediction was completely wrong. Instead of the carefully configured loop hike of 36 miles, we surrendered that plan after only 0.3 miles of hiking uphill to the trailhead. Packs too heavy!
The culprit was the load of food, an overcompensation from last year when we exhausted the food supply a day early. So we saw no fish, we used no ropes, we tracked no cougars, and we sat by big campfires every night.
The first day we went 1.5 miles mostly in rain. The next day we walked uphill 2.5 miles. There, in a meadow at just above 10,000 feet, we set up camp and did not move our tents for another 4 days.
Glorious!
We day hiked to the Continental Divide amid all the wildflowers.
After resting a day, we hiked to Vestal Basin, bushwhacking one mountain because we did not obey the Sign of the Cairn.
Most of the equipment held up. There were no falling incidents involving water crossings. Blisters were kept to a minimum. And we walked out of the wilderness, looking good in our still-heavy packs.
The cinder-pouring narrow gauge railway engine tooted its approach.
Arrived alive
from the Continental Divide.
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