- CT Day 23, July 22, Saturday
- Start: S26 mile 10.8, CT mile 443.9
- End: CT mile 472.9
- Miles walked: 29.0
My alarm sounds at its regular 4:45AM. At the beginning of the trip, this was exactly right, getting me on the trail at 5:30, just late enough to be able to walk and see without a headlamp, but still way early in the morning, so I get the most walking during cool temperatures. After almost a month of hiking, sunrise time has changed so that I would need to adjust my alarm, if I were not finishing soon.
I am cowboy camping (sleeping out under the stars, with no tent). Colorado has been so dry this trip that I cowboy camped the last ten nights. Waking up briefly at 3AM, the Milky Way is clearly visible. Just before dawn, several satellites are visible. Shooting starts streak past every night. The weather is quite a change from my trip through Colorado in 2014, which had regular monsoon thunderstorms each afternoon for half the trip.
Some critter is nearby, making small noises. I don’t bother it, and it doesn’t bother me. Last night’s camping spot was among spruce and fir, at about 10k, too high for pines.
In the distance are snow-capped ridges. We might make some final visits to these peaks today.
Continue reading “Last Summit”
