Day 42 - it’s important to eat when hiking (33.9 miles)

June 20, 2021

Miles: 33.9 miles

Steps: 75,447

Woke up later than I wanted, but what’s new.

I started with an uphill climb on very rocky trail. At times it was very steep. I felt like I had no energy. Then I remembered I skipped dinner last night as I was still kind of full from lunch also I didn’t want to stop and just wanted to get to camp before dark.

I ended up doing about 3,000 ft of climbing which I didn’t realize this morning.

After 4 hours and finally at a good rest spot I saw I only hiked 10 miles which was a lot slower that I normally hike. So while at this stream I was resting at I ate as much food as I could leaving just what I needed to get me to Frisco.

After all that eating I got into the stream for a very cold soak in hopes that would help my achilles, which is seemed to help for a little awhile.

From there it was a very easy hike to Tennessee Pass, a popular trailhead for outdoors people and the road into Leadville. I had decided back in Twin Lakes I didn’t need to go into Leadville to resupply.

Right before the road I really had to go to the bathroom and prayed that there would be a pit toilet as there sometimes are in places like that. Also I really wanted something cold to drink, maybe a nice person would offer.

I rolled into the pass and saw the toilet so I ran over to use it. Right after getting out of the pit toilet, a lady just finished up a bike ride and saw me. She asked if I was a thru hiker and if I wanted a cold drink. I said yes and she gave me a Mt Dew. We chatted for awhile then I was off.

The next part of the trail was on an old railroad bed so it was very nice to hike on. It didn’t last too long until I crossed the highway and back on a normal trail

Coming down the mountain I saw what looked to be an old mine. Right before I got there I see a sign that says explosive hazard, no not touch. This was right next to the water source I was going to fill up at but saw there was another one 2 miles down trail, plus this area had no shade. I found out later it was an old WW2 fallout shelter.

I got to that next water source and it’s a very cool waterfall. I hung around for an hour as I had about a 2,500 foot climb over 4.5 miles. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but I had seen worse.

The hike up wasn’t too bad, it had its steep sections but also some flats to where I could take it easy. Then once I got above tree line it was a much more enjoyable hike. Hiking always seems to be easier when you have views.

On my way up to Kokomo Pass I noticed everything looked hazy and thought I smelled smoke. Clearly there had to be a fire somewhere south as that’s where the wind was blowing.

After the pass I had a nice ridge walk to Searle Pass. All the clouds and smoke made for an interesting sunset.

After the pass it was downhill all the way to camp. I hiked next to a creek almost the whole way and camped right after I crossed it at a low point.

My achilles wasn’t feeling all that great on the way up and down the passes, plus I had a bad blister on my foot which at first seemed like it was on the bottom of my heal which made me think of possibly a stress fracture or something like that. When I got my shoes off it was just a blister that had formed inside an old blister. I treated it and hoped by morning it would be better.

Going to try to wake up real early as it’s only 17 miles into town.