Humidity

• Day:  56
• Start:  2139
• End:  2159
• Miles:  20
• Hours:  13
• High temp:  85
• Low temp:  48
• People met:  3

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Columbine 

I come upon the trail head to Aldous Lake, there are a couple of picnic tables and bear boxes. The trail becomes nicely maintained all the way to the lake. 

Nice way to cross a marshy section

Aldous Lake

I breakfast here with only a few misquotes. Now when there are only a few insects I can deal with it, the swarms have given me a different perspective. 

I hike strong in the morning coolness, easily climbing the grades.  The lush growth in the open fields actually disguises the trail. I have to be right on the trail to be a able to see it, as soon as I step off it disappears. Many of the fields do not have maintained tread, forcing me to go from post to post over uneven ground. Sometimes the growth is so dense I cannot see the tread, so I have to probe with my trekking poles to identify the bottom.  I cannot hike at my usual pace with the dense growth and uneven ground. The growth brings the beautiful flowers which brighten my day, so I just hike on and adjust. 

The afternoon heat is coming on, it causes high humidity from the moist plants in the fields. So much humidity that I find it hard to get enough O2 when on a grade. I'm sweating much more than normal in this sticky heat.  I must carry more water to compensate for the heavy sweating. 

I pass a couple of small lakes, I press on heading for a spring that has good water. 

Tried to capture the flowers as well

I walk a ridge with the skeletons of trees destroyed by a fire. When the breeze comes up these trees make a noise like wind blowing through the cracks around a door.  This sound completes the haunted feeling of this section.  Whenever the breeze blows the air is dry and I gulp refreshing oxygen laden air, a double plus cooling,revitalizing and keeping the bugs down. 

The haunted trees

A big climb must be completed before I can water up again. Nice views as I work to gain the summit. 

Montana

Looking northeast to Montana, almost to the top

The top is just around the corner

I make Rock Spring, the last water for the next 17 miles. My water consumption is very high today, so I plan on carrying 4.5 liters. The spring is just a trickle from a pipe, but it's cold and clear. 

I meet Kent, he is collecting water as well.  We engage in trail discussions about the heat and bugs.  While we are talking I look into the field close to us and see a brown shape walking towards us.  Naturally I think bear, I point it out to Kent. He informs me those are his llamas. Now I see them as they put their heads up. So Kent is doing the CDT over the course of years with his llamas. My first thought is if I had a llama I wouldn't have to carry anything, hummm. We get our water and visit for a while. While we are talking a ruckess is heard from the tree behind use. The tree is dead like all the trees in this section, I notice a flicker or some similar bird on the outside of the hollowed out nest feeding babies, it's the little birds that are making all the noise. Kent is a pleasant man about my age.  Time to go as I've got 5 more miles to do today.  Once the day's work is through I reflect on the positive, wonderful things I saw. Another good day hiking.