[Day 45] Monarch Pass

My tent was an icicle. Sharp droplets and flakes needled my numb hands as I attempt to pack up my tent on this foggy morning. Most everything — gear, the ground, plants — was damp, and if it wasn’t damp, it was frozen. It was an odd point of temperature and dew point. Many times, I gave up on packing my tent — my hands became too cold to manipulate. Eventually, I strapped my tent loosely with shock cord and went on my way.

I knew I had a day ahead of me. I’d be entering significant snow country again as I approached the start of the Sawatch range, home to many renowned 14,000-foot mountains apart of the Collegiate Peaks. Prior to hiking, I ate a significant breakfast, a rare event of my hiking style.

I was on my way down the frigid valley. The sun struggled to break through the early morning cloud coverage. From the morning clouds preventing unhindered solar exposure, I made the presumption that today’s afternoon thunderstorm would be delayed a few hours.

The terrain was rolling hills with a few thousand foot climbs. I pushed my hydration and lunch break out to 13 miles at Marshall Pass Trailhead. A small cabin at Marshall Pass open for public use was my original destination, but I was well ahead of schedule from extra miles over the prior days. I ate and drank, evaluating the skies. The clouds had not particularly gathered yet, and I pushed another four miles to a three-walled shelter. Again, I evaluated. The thunderstorm initiated with flurries of snow, and I sat out an hour, considering the route ahead was an exposed ridge walk to the highway.

Soon enough, I wanted to move. My feet get frigid from wet shoes, and they needed blood flow. Lightning struck a couple miles within radius. I saw clear skies on the divide ridge, which promised clearing of the storm. I continued upon the ridge line, which provided a stellar view of the Collegiates ahead.

After navigating around a cornice or two, I hit the split of the Colorado Trail between the Collegiate East and the Collegiate West routes. The east route stays lower with less snow, provides better access to the Ivy League peaks (Mt. Harvard, Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale), passes a hot spring, and presents greater opportunity for resupply. This is a tempting alternate. The Collegiate West, which the CDT follows as it is much closer for the watershed divide, is described as higher elevation, more rugged, more exposed, more remote, but provides a more impressive terrain and access to Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert (the second highest in the lower 48 states). I figure I’ll follow the Collegiate West high route, unless some information in Salida convinces me otherwise.

Soon enough, after some late day post holing and snow plowing, I hit Colorado Highway 50. Traffic was limited, but I threw up the thumb. I didn’t notice, but a van from westward traffic turned around to pick me up. Neal, a middle aged Denver resident on his way to do some 14er’s around Silverton, picked me up and drove me opposite his desired heading to Salida. Neal was an aspiring long distance hiker, so we exchanged a ride for a 30-minute chat on the topic. Of course, I talked with elation on the matter, even after the 24-mile day.

He dropped me at the Walmart in Salida at 8pm. I decided I’d resupply tomorrow; I needed a place to stay. I called the local hostel to find them full, but the owner, Audrey, graciously offered me a cot in her private residence. I gratefully accepted, and she picked me up from Sonic after I chowed down two burgers.

I predict I will take a day off in Salida, along with many of the other Colorado towns ahead. It’s not that I am particularly tired. Being the tip of the spear on the divide line requires some grunt work in terms of planning for the unknown and prepping my gear. As far as I know, nobody has entered the Collegiate West route, so I might be picking up the torch of trailblazing yet again.

Signing off,

Zeppelin / fReaK (ON a leash)