My plan is to not hike far today, for two reasons. The first is that my image in the mirror was looking a little skinny, so a chance to eat and rest more might be advisable. The second is that my supply box for this relatively short stretch was being mailed today, so I should not outrace it.
I found a nice spot at Hidden Park in Winter Park to hang out, with an electrical outlet to charge electronics.
Around 2PM I started hitching at the south end of the commercial strip, and took thirty minutes to get a ride with road angel Bill and dog Zia, a rescue.
My ride sold distilling equipment, and I learned that distilling for personal consumption is illegal in this country without a license that costs around $1K per year, too expensive for home enthusiasts. A license to make ethanol for fuel is free, paradoxically.
Here is a view of the warming hut at Berthoud Pass, and this display talks about the wagon road that came this way.
The climb for the day is Mount Flora, not the peak with antennas visible from the road, but a 13K peak next over.
Rain starts just before I emerge from the treeline, so I crouch under a pine for 30.
Once at the top, we hikers are rewarded once again with going along a high broad ridge for some distance.
The way down is through a hidden maze in a talus field.
A footpath is meticulously constructed in the rock, but is not visible unless you are on it. The path switchbacks back and forth many times, and must have taken some time to build.
Camp is the first water source, a stream that sings me to sleep.
Day 31, 7/18/2014 , Friday
Start Winter Park and hitch 14miles south to Berthoud Pass, mile 1299, elevation 11301
End first stream after Mount Flora, 32-064WT, mile 1305, elevation 11315