Buena Vista

Day 17

Miles hiked today: 9.3
Miles from Denver: 226
Elevation: 9,600 ft
Segment 13
Landmarks: San Isabel National Forest, Buena Vista, Middle Cottonwood Creek, South Cottonwood Creek, Dry Creek

VIEW MAP

I didn't sleep well in the hotel bed last night. Actually there were 3 beds, as I got the only vacant room in all of Buena Vista, due to a cancellation, and it was a "suite." (This saved me from stealth camping in the city park). I realized once I woke up in the morning that part of the problem was there was just no circulation or ventilation whatsoever. The other problem was that I'm now used to sleeping in my tent.

This being Sunday, I had plans to make it to a church while I'm in town. I was hoping to do that up in Breckenridge as well, but it just didn't work out. So I found Cornerstone Church on google, and figured out the service was at 10:30. This gave me plenty of time to walk next door and get some breakfast, then walk to the north end of town to the outfitter, and finally back south to where the church was.

I devoured a monster breakfast burrito smothered in chili and sour cream, as well as a side of biscuits and gravy from Ponchos, the same place I ate last night. It barely phased me. I was very glad that the outfitter was open at 9, as I had sent a package there. This is the best outfitter I've seen yet on the trail, and I bought one particular item that I have been in great need of. Finally, I made my way back in to town.

This church was really incredible, and several people there took me in like family. I went to services a couple of times when I was on the AT, and you certainly draw a lot of attention to yourself when you have a backpack strapped on and two pointy poles sticking above your head. Thankfully, I had showered and done laundry last night so the congregation was spared the true thru-hiker experience.

I ended up sitting by a couple named Gary and Lucy, who turned out to be real good people. They invited me to lunch after the service, and pretty soon I was at the Red Rooster seated with 4 generations of this one family, from 5 years old up to 90. We had a great time, and I felt like I had been adopted for the afternoon. Finally it was time for everyone to go, and Gary was nice enough to drive me the 10 miles out to the trail, even though they had to get to Denver. Thank you Gary and Lucy, and to all the rest of the people I met today for your hospitality. What a wonderful stop this was in Buena Vista. (Before I forget, it seems that Buena Vista, CO has the same controversy as Buena Vista, VA. It seems that if you're a local, you pronounce it Boo-ena Vista. If you learned any Spanish, its Buena Vista.)

Very soon I was on trail, with 37 miles to get to Salida. I've decided that I'm not going to do this section as fast as I possibly can, which is one reason why I spent a half day in Buena Vista. There is a place called Mt. Princeton Hot Springs that I will encounter tomorrow, which I hear has pools and hot tubs and even hot springs in the middle of the river. Seems like a must stop to me. For tonight, it was a very pleasant couple hours of hiking. I am still wrapping around all the foothills, overlooking the vast valley on my left of the Arkansas River below. US 285 has taken the place of US 24 down there, and if I wanted I could take 285 north all the way to Jefferson, where I was on day 5 or so of this hike.

I found a beautiful campsite near the roaring, and badly named Dry Creek. I'm excited because I discovered another subtlety of this tent, which allows me to pitch it more taught. I may need that, because it is threatening rain for tonight, and possibly tomorrow as well.

Mt. Harvard and Mt. Yale

Day 16

Miles hiked today: 18.7
Miles from Denver: 216.7
Elevation: 9,360 ft
Segments 12,13
Landmarks: San Isabel National Forest, Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, Mt. Harvard, Mt. Yale, Buena Vista

VIEW MAP

I woke up this morning with the goal in mind of getting to CR-306, nearly 19 miles away. If I got there, I would be able to hitch to Buena Vista, my next resupply stop and a much needed shower and laundry. My decision last night to stop before the second climb of Mt. Harvard would make this a difficult proposition. Just looking up the Pine Creek corridor of monster mountains made me feel small, much less thinking of climbing over them.

I got going about 8 am; I still can't get out of camp any faster than about an hour after I wake up. Segment 12 included climbing the shoulder of Mt. Harvard at 11,800 ft, again to the east of the 14,420 ft peak. After that the trail starts a long 9 mile descent to the North Cottonwood Creek. I hoped to complete this by noon or 1 pm, because the next section involved a 2,400 ft climb up Mt. Yale. This was to be a big day.

In the end I was glad that I didn't climb Mt Harvard yesterday, because I never saw the side trail I would have been looking for for the campsite. I could only get oblique views of Mt. Harvard; the problem with climbing a mountain is it is a poor way to take a picture of it. Looking back I thought I could see all the way to Twin Lakes.

The nine mile descent took me past stream after stream, and there was a vast valley to the east which contained Buena Vista and US 24. I truly was on the edge of the Sawatch range, looking down on a vast plain, with another mountain range growing up from the far side.

When I got down to the road it was decision time. I had lunch and got some water, and it was already past 2 pm. I was already tired, but a night in a hotel room and some town food sounded mighty good. So I started to climb. Mt. Yale is 14,196 ft, and the trail crosses at a saddle at 11,880. There is a 2 mile side trail that will take you to the top, but this is not the regular trail to the peak, which approaches from the south, and requires a lot of rock scrambling. I am still not in full thru-hiker shape. I remember hearing somewhere that after about 6 weeks of hiking, you'll be in the best shape possible. On the AT, that means once you get into Virginia. Here on the CT, that means once you're done. So I struggle up the climbs, stopping every 30 feet or so to catch my breath.

Climbing up Mt. Yale

From a distance it looks as if the trail might go over the saddle above tree line, however it didn't. So when I got to the top, I couldn't see the peaks that loomed right over my head. However, the vantage point did provide a great view of the next mountain to the south. The descent was very steep, and there were several spots where they had cut the trail right into the side of a gravel slope.

Mt. Princeton to the south

I got to the road before 6 pm, which was pretty good. I crossed the road, stuck out my thumb, and the very first vehicle pulled over. This is a personal record. The guy's name was Duane, and he hiked the CT a few years ago. More trail magic! He wasn't even planning on going into town, but he was willing to drive me in and drop me at the grocery store. Within a short amount of time I was clean, fed and watching Denver news, which seems so irrelevant to me on so many levels right now.

The climb down