San Juans

• Day:  63
• Start:  864
• End:  886
• Miles:  22
• Hours:  13
• High temp:  69
• Low temp:  38
• People met:  6

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Wolf Creek Pass

We chat about the nice town of Pagosa Springs as we ascend the highway to the pass.  Addi Greer, local trail angel, offered me a ride back to the pass this morning promptly at 0715 hrs.  What a blessing getting to the trailhead by 0745 hrs. Addi takes my picture then I hit the trail. 

Thick forest and a morning climb out of the pass. Today's section of the San Juan Mountains has smaller meadows and less grass on the mountain sides. Very little snow appears and thankfully not on the trail.  The forest is severely damaged from the bark beetles. Some new growth that looks like different trees is filling in. Hopefully the new growth is immune to the beetles. 

The sky is clear for most of the morning, with gentle cumulus clouds in the afternoon. The angry skys and thunder storm activity of the last few days has stopped. Late after noon I see one thunderhead building far to the the east, well away from me.  I hike comfortably after removing my rain gear. I anticipated wet foliage and cool morning temps, really neither occurred.  

I was down by that lake

From the top

The color is so intense

A ridge walk 

I enjoy the far reaching views when walking on the ridges. Seeing the ground slope away on both side is thrilling. 

Headed to that mountain just left if center

The view from the top of the ridge behind the mountain 

That was the biggest climb of the day and most satisfying, I even was able to send a picture home because of cell coverage. The breeze turns to a stiff wind at 12,500', so I don my rain jacket for protection.  One last ridge and a small climb before the trail drops to Pietra Pass where I find a good place to setup camp by a couple of small lakes. 

Another small climb before I descend 

On a little well drained knoll with wind exposure