CDT – Day 61 – Creekside Camp to North Swan River

6/24/15 Day 61, M1756.4 Creekside Camp to North Swan River M1778.8, 10,346′

Tent – Nights Spent Alone: 7

22, 1123.1 Trip Miles

Cloudy, WINDY then turning Sunny w/ late thunder storms and rain

Day’s of Snow: 7 – Day’s of Rain: 19 – Days of Hail: 11

# of Zero days: 6

6:36 am to 6:45 pm

Gila Crossings Final Total: 221

Tick Count: 4 (4 more crawling on me)

Wanted List

Mountain Goat

Grizzly Bear

Sasquatch

Black Bear

Bighorn Sheep

Velociraptor

Mountain Lion

Beaver

Unicorn

Critter Count

1 Marmots

1 Chipmunk

1 Deer

1 Squirrel

Totals

1) 530 Pronghorn*

2) 167 Elk

3) 119 Lizards

4) 116 Wild Horses

5) 108 Chipmunks

6) 73 Deer**

7) 38 Cotton Tail Rabbits

8) 35 Ground Squirrels

9) 28 Squirrels

10) 27 Marmot****

11) 26 Prairie Dogs

12) 22 Horny Roads

13) 17 Jack Rabbit***

14) 11 Moose

15) 8 Snakes

16) 8 Pika

17) 4 Coyotes

18) 4 Moles

19) 2 Rattle Snakes

20) 2 Toads

21) 1 Mouse

22) 1 Skunk

23) 1 Weasel

24) 1 Porcupine

25) 1 Fox

*181 from car, **3 from car, ***1 from car, ****2 from car

7:15 pm and I’m in my tent and it’s raining. Thunder is crashing all around from time to time. This wonderful scene is what interrupted my dinner.

I woke up very tired this morning. I turned off both alarms and didn’t move until 6am. It was also pretty chilly too. We packed up and started the climb we started the night before. On the way up we saw a pair of White Tail Ptarmigans.

The pass we had to get over had a cornice so we went slightly around it. It was steep! We then walked on the divide for the next 12 miles or so. We went over Sullivan Mountain, Geneva Peak, crossed Webster Pass, Whale Peak, and Glacier Peak. After all that which included a shit ton of wind and sun we finally descended to the Middle Fork Swan River.

He descent seemed to take forever as neither I or Rafiki had any water. I really have to start carrying more. Because of the lack of water I’m wiped out tonight. I’ll be turning in shortly.

One thing I haven’t mentioned is the wild flowers. I see them every where so I don’t even think about it any more. There are so many kinds and so many colors. They cover the grassy fields or rock gardens along the entire divide. It’s so beautiful.

Scatman

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Get out there!