Out of the Snow

• Day:  52
• Start:  1559
• End:  1586
• Miles:  27
• Hours:  14
• High temp:  84
• Low temp:  35
• People met:  2

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Kept me warm and dry

Thunder storms came through last night. I hardly felt a thing thanks to the protection of these trees. It did not freeze everywhere last night. Some snow was crusty and supported me other areas the snow was still moist allowing me to sink in. 

Two more miles 

I follow my GPS this morning as I did last night. The trail is a dirt road but when covered with snow it is not always easy to follow like the picture above is. After 2 miles I finally am on a trail that has just a tiny amount of drifts. The trail is wonderful, it cuts through the forest at a nice grade. My spirits lift and my pace quickens as I enjoy the splendor. 

Some places in the forest the undergrowth is a short spring green shrub. The fingers of sunlight create a beautiful mixture of colors on the forest floor. 

Other parts of the forest have a yellow daisy as the forest carpet, creating a welcoming feel. 

I stop at a mountain stream to gather water. This will be the first stream I've seen in a long while. The water is cold right off the snow pack, so delicious and refreshing. 

The forest changes into rolling hills with islands of forest here and there. The hills are still green with a multitude of flowers. Locals say this green pairie is unusual, everything is brown by now during a normal year. While the mountains have too much snow the pairie has beautiful green grass and spring flowers. Really the perfect time to visit this section of the CDT. 

The afternoon breeze is not as refreshing as the morning one. The temperature is climbing into the low 80s making my afternoon walk a little more challenging. I'm carrying 4.5 litters of water to get me through to the good water spots. The 9 lbs of water make a big difference in the feel of my pack. Glad it's only in the 80s.