Will hold packages indefinitely.

Subject: 6/3, day 38, 0 mi, 7800'
Still in Pagosa Springs. We found an Internet connection today and updated the itinerary page of our web site. It now shows ETA and actual arrival. We are still almost a week ahead.

Going back up this morning and I'm sure that snow patches have been melting! Packs are heavy with 7 days' food. We are psyched!

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/4, Day 39, 12,500, 13 mi.
Snowstorm!

We got a 23 mi. ride with a highway patrolman from Pagosa Springs to Wolf Creek Pass. We got the scenic tour including trailheads and overlooks. All 3 of us really enjoyed the ride (he knew we were CDT hikers before he stopped.)

On the trail we had a wonderful day: sun, clouds, breeze, views, water. Lunch even had mosquitoes. When we went 100 feet up the trail we passed ponds, which explained the pests.

We watched the clouds, walking fast but not so fast so we would catch the clouds that were blowing ahead and turning black. Climbing higher we went over a pass and then caught up with the clouds and thunder. Then we hiked fast to get lower, but lost the race at 5:00 when the snow started. We kept rushing on, pausing only to put on rain gear. In 45 minutes we could barely see and put up the tent, scrunched under a snag and a small tree, glad of any shelter in a hollow on the side of the hill.

We slept warm and well (clothes on our thermals that we use for pj's) except when Ken woke to pound accumulating snow off the tent. Thus, it was a short day with few miles.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/5, day 40, 14 mi., 12,710
We got a very late start because we waited to see if the snowstorm was over and for the mist to clear. Packing the tent and gear in snow slowed us down and it was 9:30 by the time we got on the trail to very slow hiking. Total snowfall was probably 4 inches but the wind piled it up in places.

I also took lots of pictures including a elk calf on the trail a few feet from me. At first I thought it was dead, then noticed it breathe. But it never moved a muscle as we approached.

Saw a herd of 30 elk circling around the mountain in front of us. Wondered if the elk calf belonged to the herd.

Climbing was hard, we didn't cook dinner the night before and neither of us had energy.

Camp was on the shoulder of Palomino Mtn (white lava ash). 

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/6, day 41, 19 mi., 12,499'
Our campsite is at Squaw Pass in the pines with a carpet of tiny yellow lilies as far as we can see. The evening is so calm that we are dining out on a big log, drinking hot chocolate and eating chex mix while black beans, brown rice and corn salsa simmer. We need showers but we're civilized.

We are due west and slightly south of our lunch spot due to the convolutions of the divide.

Hiking was so great today. We went up ridge after ridge. It was fun cruising, looking ahead to the next ridge.

I like morning hiking because the snow has solidified enough for safe steps and melt water isn't running in the bogs. Mud freezes and I can walk right over it. The morning sky is clear until afternoon and if there is wind it is merely a breeze.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/7, day 42, 19 mi., 12,780
The most notable fact from today is that we were at our lowest trail elevation since we climbed into CO: 10,750! Of course we then huffed and puffed right back up to over 12,300. And that is where are camped. We are looking down at Weminuche Pass, our lowest point.

Out the other way we see impressive Rio Grande Pyramid and The Window. Both are landmarks in the area.

Another notable fact is we saw 5 people and 3 dogs today. That is more than the total of either we have seen on the trail to date. Four were 20 year-olds with their 3 dogs. The 4th was a CDT hiker, Pappy, who has flipped his direction due to snow conditions.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/8, day 43, 19.5 mi., 12,700'
Weminuche Wilderness is behind and ahead of us because we are camped at Beartown Road. A wilderness area doesn't have roads so a thorn is carved out of the side of the wilderness. We will re-enter tomorrow and turn north.

Today consisted of hiking up over 3 passes: Ute Mtn, Nebo and Hunchback Passes. At each one we looked back to say goodbye to the spectacular area that we had just gone through and then turned forward to even better sights. I shot a 36 ex. roll of film today.

I finally figured out why hiking is so difficult besides the altitude and navigation. There are no switchbacks. Up is much steeper than what we are used to. Many trails seem to be watercourses. The largest number of trail users, by far, is elk. Hooves dig channels up to thigh deep and then the elk will start additional parallel trails. I'm not complaining. It seems to me that I'm the visitor on their turf. We saw 2 small groups of elk today. That’s not uncommon. But we still cannot get close enough to get a picture.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/9, day 44, 21.5 miles, 12,700 ft
Last night was quite windy. We were tired so it didn't bother us.

As we started up the hill this morning we found the Colorado Trail. We followed it up the hill. At the top the Colorado Trail kept the trail, we started cross-country on a broad crest at 12,500 feet. We also had strong winds for the crest walk. Great views without a lot of climbing.

We ate lunch at Stony Pass. There were even 4WD pickups parked there. As we left 3 more pickups came slowly up the steep dirt road, Marcia asked one for a Pepsi - and got it.

A bit later we met 2 hikers with their 5 dogs. They told us of a short cut trail that kept us on the Divide and save us dropping and re-climbing 1000 feet. We decided to try it. We did okay, but underestimated how far we had hiked and dropped into the wrong side of the next valley. We spent some extra time trying to figure out where we were and where the trail was.

This afternoon as we sat down to drink our Gatorade, we noticed the sky was getting dark and we could smell smoke. The rest of the day we watched the smoke wishing we knew where it was coming from. It seems to be south of us.

Two milestones for today: we are on the Colorado Trail (again). We will follow it most of the way to Rocky Mtn Park.

Second is that we completed our westward trend, started north, then started east. Soon we will start north again for good.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 6/10, day 45, 13,334', 24.7 mi.
Today was a fantastic hiking day: easy trail, the highest point on the CDT and Lake City at the end of the day. Also we climbed to 12,800.

We rolled along the divide after hard climbing to get there. The divide for miles looked like a farmer's pasture with clumps of grass and a few rocks and elk rather than cattle. It looked like it should have been fenced.

The sky was clear blue when we got up. It stayed that way until late afternoon. Then the sky turned brown with smoke again. We heard from a camper at Spring Creek Pass that the fire is a big one, but 50-100 miles east of us. We just hope this doesn't start another rash of closed forests.

... Gottawalk