CDT Montana 2016
Day 15, July 20, Wednesday.
Start 10-175M near Berry Creek
Stop 11-182XX near a small mountain lake
Miles: 24.6 (likely more with recent switchbacks added to trail)
Another in a series of clear weather days is good for a day of hiking. The usual routine for the past few days is that I get up and start walking at 6AM to take advantage of cool temperatures. DNA starts out around 8AM, but hikes faster, so catches up with me in the afternoon and for the rest of the day I try to “draft” behind him to keep up, and we end up camping near each other.
Here is Rock Island Lake.
Upper Rock Island Lake
The terrain is definitely more rugged, with plenty of rocks on pathways and all around. Water is abundant, in springs, creeks, puddles, rivulets, ice melting, and bog, altogether many dozen crossings in a day.
DNA catches up in early afternoon, earlier than he had before. I must be hiking slow today. He has time to swim in mountain lakes while I hike on, and he soon catches up. Here he is trying to do a snow angel in a drift.
Lower Slag-a-Melt Lake
Upper Slag-Melt Lake
I am really dragging by the end of the day, but manage to almost match DNA’s pace, and we make good progress in mileage. We stop at a small mountain lake to make camp.
I only see one southbounder today, Colin from the UK.
We are both planning to exit in two days. DNA goes to Darby to meet up with his girlfriend to hike the trail together for a week. I am getting a package at Sula Resort, which is nearer on the same highway as Darby. Whether I stay overnight at Sula depends on wifi and other factors. I need to get to the highway early in the day to get as much accomplished in one day as possible. DNA just needs to get out later the same day.
(finished audiobook Anne of Avonlea, by Lucy Maude Montgomery, read by Karen Savage)