Day 5, Sunday June 21, 2015
Start 01-128WT creek on Stock Driveway, mile 1528.4
End Battle Pass 01-212TH, mile 1536.8
My hiking plan showed the first trail town, Encampment, as optional. It is only three days away from the next trail town, and I do not like to space them too close together. For one thing, hikers overeat in towns to make up for lost calories, and too much town food makes a hiker bloated and sluggish when stating the trail again.
So Encampment was optional, if my food supply could stretch all the way to Rawlins, which might happen if I was able to hike several days of twenty-plus miles. But the trail had other ideas…
Also, Encampment is known as a tough hitch. I like to avoid those.
But I do not have enough food to last to Rawlins, so Encampment here I come. Besides, a hamburger would be mighty fine after six days of hiking.
The descent down to Battle Pass was wet with snow melt, making the trail a creek. No mind, I’ve gotten rather used to wet-foot hiking these past days. My new shoes dry out quickly when the path is dry again– just hike for a couple of hours and the wet sensation is gone. And wool socks have kept my feet warm enough though miles of slushy snow.
