A Frosty Day

• Day:  89
• Start:  1428
• End:  1449
• Miles:  21
• Hours:  9
• High temp:  55
• Low temp:  30
• People met:  5

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Grapple from last night

High winds blew most of the night, they brought some light rain. By morning the winds were gone and temperature had dropped below freezing. All the rain drops on my rain fly were frozen. I must have packed an extra pound if frozen water on my rain fly. The air is crisp just like a Fall day in Tahoe. I'm wearing my rain gear for warmth as well as my gloves. Not until about 1130 hrs does the sun actually melt the frozen north side. 

It seems that I'm at the edge of a prairie.  After hiking in the Rockies for about a month I'm amazed at this wide open land. The mountains here are not as high, however there is a range between here and Wyoming.

The distant prairie 

A better prairie shot

The trail takes me in what feels like a circuitous route. Since the mountains are not so high here all the climbs are fairly easy. I come upon water, while gathering some I check my next water source, Steamboat Springs, about 26 miles away. Appearantly there is water but it is cow water. I prefer to carry more than take cow water. Cow water is any water that cows have access to, it may even run clear but still should be treated. After hiking around so many cows I've come to realize they are very filthy animals. So I load up with the water that I figure I'll need in this cool climate. One nice thing about the coolness is I don't perspire hardly at all. 

Time to dry the ice chips

Where I stopped to dry my gear is the top of the climb for today. The next 25 miles are a road walk downhill to Steamboat Springs.  So my Colorado mountain experience is changing back to cows, dirt roads and flat land.  I figure about 95 miles left in Colorado. Time to start thinking about Wyoming and the Wind River Range. 

This part of the road walk is pleasant.