- CT Day 16, July 15. Saturday
- Start: S17 mile 4.1, CT mile 286.1
- End: S18 mile 9.7, CT mile 312.1
- Miles walked: 26.0
The route continues along a broad ridge that dips up and down many times in forest with beetle-kill trees, and sometimes goes through broad meadows
Diverting from the ridge line, the trail plunges down the mountainside to Razor Creek, with water tasting of cow, but the last water was 12 miles ago and I am empty. Jackrabbit is there, boiling his water for safety, and perhaps better taste. He is maybe heading to Gunnison today, jackrabbiting around.
The trail climbs back to ridge, then down again, to better water and the highway CO 118. I meet hikers Noah and Moon Doggie.
Past the highway the route goes along recently-graded dirt road, up a canyon along a creek, with cattle and rancher RVs.
The easy road walk continues past forested areas, with several huge piles of trees, perhaps related to beetle-kill mitigation.
After an easy climb along road, the route continues in forest on old road bed converted to trail.
Back to dirt road again, the route passes into grazing land, with cattle lurking nearby.
A trail magic station turned out to be empty, but had a nice chair.
Los Creek has good water, and the next good water is likely 12 miles away, so a half-dozen hikers camp here. I cowboy-camp. We are at 9.6k, the lowest for a while.
Finished audiobook A Magician Among the Spirits, by Houdini.