I got a late start today – didn’t hit the trail until 2:00pm. In the morning Patti, Gary and I hit the pancake breakfast which was part of the 1st annual “Covered Wagon Days” weekend in Del Norte. While there I ran into Matt, a Colorado Conservation Corps trail worker I met at the hostel in Salida.
Then back at Gary and Patti’s house I went through all my gear and ended up mailing home 5 lbs. of stuff to lighten my trailer load. Gary and Patti are ultra light mountain bikers…no trailer…no racks…just a few minimalist packs on their bikes with lots of lightweight gear. No stoves, pots or utensils – they eat “cold.” No tent – they sleep under a 10oz. tarp. Well, I’m not traveling ultra light, but at least I left Del Norte 5 lbs. lighter…
Although not ridiculously steep, the climb to Indiana pass was long…and since I got a late start I didn’t crest the 11,910ft/3,630m pass until 8:00pm. I took the first campsite after the pass, a sweet little number nestled among conifers with lots of firewood and a wilderness toilet someone had constructed back in the trees. The moon was half full and the sky was clear – with my nice little fire I had an enchanting evening, camped at the highest elevation along the entire Great Divide Route.
