Pagosa or busT

With my face buried in my sleeping bag, twisted and turned around my body, I poked my eyeballs out for a second and realized it was quite bright out. Nervous I slept in I looked at my watch and realized it was only 5:45a. Happily waking up without rain, but frozen hail stuck to the top of my tent, I got up and started to get my goods sorted. 

It was a cold morning but I was happy there weren’t storm clouds around. After a night of shaking wind and thunderstorms, I couldn’t have been happier that they all passed in my sleep (even if I did wake up to cracks of thunder all night). With the extra little 5 mile bump from Clint last night (the fella who gave me a ride to “town”), but no one around to drive me back to slack pack, I decided it was a gift from the trail gods, putting the road to Pagosa Springs within reasonable distance to reach today, about 32-33 miles. Knowing I had to meet up with the CDT high route at nearly 12,000 feet, I knew I had to get rolling quickly. But my body and mind went slow as I packed up, secretly wishing for the “cafe” sign at the desolate RV park to switch on for some hot food and coffee. Lauren had sent me some hot cocoa (with marshmallows!) which I packed out and made “camp drink” with (that plus instant coffee). It definitely warmed up my soul in the chill of the morning, and I was happy for the extra calories. 

Finally, by 7a I was off. I wound up the road and soon passed a “road closed” sign. Obviously it didn’t affect me, so I continued onwards. What a beautiful scene all around. Huge mountains with snowy peaks in the distance, red rocks and scree falling from others nearby. Eventually I pass a little information sign that shares tales of dangerous journeys from pagosa Springs and army roads being built (which were the original purpose of the roads I now walked on). The metals in the mountain are what caused the redness, and the resulting acidity in the waters below apparently will melt an iron nail in about 8 months (luckily I had enough water to get me through the day). 

Eventually I got to the low point of the day (9700 feet) and began to wind up to the pass (11,800). The road was clear and smooth, and I had my headphones on as The road was closed and I didn’t have to fear for cars hitting me. Or so I thought. 

Sneakily pulling up right next to me, and quite visually startling me as I saw the occupants giggle when I looked over, was a small little Geo Tracker. A two door off road vehicle with a wheel base of about 6 feet, if that.  The couple, Don and Sue, were out and about enjoying the newly opened roads. At the low point of my hike, there was another road that met in with mine which I guess opened up two days ago. They were seeing how far up they could drive before the snow put them at a half. 

Going over a few bumps of snow, they were quickly at the end of the road for their journey. The nice thing about the Geo Tracker is Don was able to expertly pull a 3 point turn on a single lane road on the side of the mountain, with a big ol’ drop on one side, and a ditch of running water from snow melt on the other. 

We parted ways, and they rolled down the road, and I continued on into the snow. The start of a six mile journey. 

Thankfully (I guess?), unlike the snow at the end of New Mexico, this was full on mountaineering status. Big open bowls of mountains with 6-8 feet of snow spanned the horizons. The positive is that since it was open, high elevations, and cold, the snow remained crunchy even as I came up on it around 11am. This means I could more confidently cross it without (as much) post holing. The down fall is that at times I’d be confident It would hold my weight, but then I’d rocket down a few feet and have to climb myself out. 

With two maybe three sets of older foot prints ahead, I didn’t need to worry much about the route as it seemed true to the map. It still did slow me down quite a bit though. It also made me realize I had made the correct decision by not doing the high route to this point. I would have definitely needed snow shoes, started early in the morning to get the frozen snow, and plan for less miles — which I didn’t exactly want to do. 

Eventually, I got to the junction of the high route and low route. The original plan was to take the high route the remainder of the way to Pagosa (16 miles or so). However, with my slowness through the snow, it was now about 12:30-1, and the snow was already softening at a quick rate and the post holing was becoming more and more frequent, crashing down through footprints which appeared to do it at a more appropriate time that had held their weight up. 

With pagosa on the mind, I decided to relinquish the high route to Pagosa and continued down the low route. This still had about 3 miles of big ol snow drifts with only a few dry patches. Now post holing almost every step, I knew I would have been done with the high route in only about 5-6 miles, and wouldn’t have had any chance of making it to Pagosa. 

Eventually the snow melted and the road cleared, and off I went. With another 14-15 miles to go to get to the road. I was definitely happy to have my new boots. They kept my feet much more dry, but I made the mistake of forgetting to synch the bungee on my pant ankles under my boots, and eventually the snow crept in from the top getting my feet wet. The downfall to boots, are once you’re in dry conditions, they don’t care. Locking in the moisture and making my foot a white pruney mess. I changed my socks after I got to the dry land, but eventually those too got wet.

Even though it was only 6 miles of snow, the exertion was more than the rest of the miles combined. And having to finish another 14 or so was exhausting. It was a smooth gradual descent, but I was pooped. Visions of a warm bed and hot food kept me going though. 

Toward the end of the road I met a fella named Carter who had come up for the summer from Texas to guide backpacking trips. We chatted for a bit, and he offered a ride, but was going to Two Forks (the opposite direction of Pagosa). He did, however, give me a Topo Chico which was much appreciated, especially since I was only carrying 2.5 liters of water for the day. 

As I hobbled to the road after nearly 30 miles of hiking, I was happy to have the end in sight. 

Around 6:45, a PCTer picked me up! He had moved to Boulder recently and was off to Durango to go on a rafting trip with his friends. He actually had passed me, but turned around up the road to come back, a rarity in the hitching world. Most the time, folks will hesitate for a second, but make a quick decision and pull in behind you, but almost never do people turn around to come back. I have a CDT patch on my pack which I try to hoist up when I’m hitching so folks can recognize it and know I’m not a bum, and it seems to occasionally work!

Once in Pagosa, I strip my boots off, take a hot shower, get some food and beer, then collapse in bed. 60+ miles in two days, over a big pass, crazy thunder storms and snow pack. I was dead. But now able to rejuvenate in a warm, dry bed. I’m taking tomorrow off.