Day 4 – 8/21/2021
Mile 65.8 to Mile 87.5, (10623’)
21.7, Total 87.5
4100’ up, 3100’ down
6:30 am to 6:53 pm
Mostly Sunning 60’s / rain / hail / thunderstorms
Days of Rain: 2
Days Camped Alone: 2
Critter Count
4 Squirrel
2 Chipmunks
I left my cleaning sponge outside my tent on a log and a critter stole it in the night! I had to get a new one in Jefferson when I got my resupply box. I told myself if was not wise to leave it there but I did anyways.
During the night I heard a pack of coyotes howling back toward where we had gotten water last night. There was also a great horned owl off in the distance. Then as we woke up around 5:30 am the old starting calling again. I really love hearing owls hoot.
I slept pretty good I didn’t have to get up during the night to go to the bathroom. I was on a bit of an angle falling to my right side, but I managed. The day started with fairly smooth and easy hiking. It didn’t take very long at all to get to Kenosha Pass.
As I approached the pass I saw my first trail magic. There was a small Rubbermaid storage box next to a sign. As I approached I could see there was goodies inside. Once to the box I saw it was a bag of peanuts in their shells, some sort of dirt mix, and a bunch of Starburst candy. I reached for the Starburst and when I picked up a few of the candies, I found they were all wet and water logged. Sticky juice from the Starburst got all over my fingers and hands. I tossed them back into the box and proceeded to attempt to wash my hands. I was greatly disappointed.
Once to the pass it took me at least 35 minutes to catch a ride trying to hitch. I even had a sign which another hiker (who I actually met on the morning of day 2) gave me that said “Jefferson” on it. Just as I got a hitch a girl who I saw yesterday, who is also going to town just walked up to the road, and got a ride with me.
Once in town I had about 2 1/2 hours to kill before the post office opened. So I had a burrito smothered with green chili and a Mountain Dew for breakfast. It looked amazing but it wasn’t that great. I eat most of it but just wasn’t feeling it.
We hung out until noon, when I got my box and I quickly went through my resupply. I also bought a new sponge, nail clippers because my nails are growing like crazy, and during all this I charged my phone. It didn’t take us long to find another ride back to the pass.
Once back to the pass I hit the trail around 12:45 pm, which was much faster than I expect. I stopped at the campground to dump my trash from my packs secret pocket as I forgot to in town and hit the pooh shed.
I totally did not remember the trail as it was from the CTR. I had completely forgotten about at least two climbs between Kenosha and Georgia pass and so much more. In my mind it was just going to be all uphill from the Kenosha Pass to Georgia Pass.
I stopped at Jefferson Creek for water and it was the most beautiful little creek I had seen so far. It was wide and swallow, and the way it flowed through the area was just picturesque. While at the creek I met two bikepackers for what would turn out to be the first many times over the course of the day and the next few.
As I started up Georgia Pass I heard some thunder but I kept going cause it was behind me. Then as I got closer to tree line it started to come from in front of me. Finally it started to hail a little, then quickly turn to rain. I ducked for cover under a group of trees for about five or 10 minutes and then the sun came out. I figured this was my window to make it to the top before the next storm rolled in.
When I got going another storm looked like it was coming up from the other side, so I worked harder than I have all hike, and also at the highest elevation I’ve been on the whole hike. Despite these factors I double timed it to the top. As I did I started to catch the two bikepackers.
The storm never hit but when I g0t to the top, the two bikers were taking pictures in my direction. When I got to them I turned around, and there was the most incredible incredible rainbow. It was a full end to end one at that. We all marveled at it for a bit, then I got going so I could get back into the trees and get to a lower elevation before camping.
My plan was the camp maybe just over the top but with multiple storms in the area and it being pretty chilly I did not want to camp at 11,700’. It turned out a thru-hiker named sunrise was already camped there anyways. I pushed on and the goal was to make it a mile 87.5 but when I got there I wasn’t impressed and it was quite windy so I kept moving. As usual I kept going further and further until finally, I actually found a really great spot.
I just got the tent set up before a sprinkle was about to get me wet. I cooked, cleaned, brushed my teeth, and because there was supposedly a bear in the area last week, just a few miles lower than me at the next river, I put up a bunch of branches up to make it hard for him to get at my tent without making noise. I have never done this in my life but this bear sounds like he’s quite determined. I’m also camping by myself tonight, so I figured it couldn’t hurt.
Overall the day way good. The tread was great and the hiking wasn’t that hard. Going up Georgia Pass wasn’t very hard, just long and drawn out. The possibility of getting really rained on and having to deal with some thunder storms diffidently soured my mood for a bit but in the end I barely got wet.
That’s it for tonight I’m out.