Ever since hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2008, I have had many “Springer Fever” spells (the need to leave for Springer Mountain, the start point of the AT) that can only be quenched by more hiking, preferably on a long trail. Being from Wyoming, the Rockies always call to me, even though I do love Appalachia. 2009 was a good year for short hiking trips for me, having made it up to the Adirondacks for the first time and summiting Mt. Marcy. But it was a trip to the Wind River Range in Wyoming with my dad last summer that was a wakeup call to me that I have left my beloved Rocky Mountains neglected and largely unexplored. I grew up haunting the Big Horn Mountains near Sheridan, WY and know them well, having made good use of the many campgrounds and day hike loops, as well as a handful of trips into the pristine Cloud Peak Wilderness area. But because I did not start seriously hiking until after moving out of Wyoming, and for reasons that remain a mystery to me I never before had visited the glorious Wind River Range, and the only parts of the Colorado back country I have visited are those near I-70. It is time to change all of that!
So I will be setting out August 6th for another adventure of a lifetime. I have learned much since my early days as a young blood thru-hiker huffing up the many peaks of Georgia, my pack has grown lighter and I bought a hat. (as I will be hiking much of the time above treeline, the hat is as important a development as any other, I think.) I am looking forward to the daily challenge, adventure, wonder and awe that is the life of a thru hiker, if only for a few weeks. I also look forward to writing a journal again, which I had a lot of fun writing on the AT. For anybody who will be on the CT this August, I hope to see you out there!
Powder River
