15-05-24.    Day 43.    Retreat….  Mark Trail CDT

Hiking The Continental Divide Trail
Mark Trail CDT 2015

I tossed and turned all night. I wondered if the tarp would stay over me as the wind blasted. We were at 11,500 ft sleeping on snow. Once the wind stopped, it started to snow and I could feel the cold snow under me. I had all my cloths on. Everything. What were we in for?

#2

Birddog

I got up at 7:00 am and there wasn’t a sound. I put on my micro-spikes and gaiters. As I crawled out from under my tarp it was still snowing. An inch or two had fallen. I walked from tent to tent to check on everyone. We had some problems. The number one issue was water. We had no idea how far it was to water. We checked on a pond a quarter mile away and it was frozen. My alcohol stove would not stay lit. There were other concerns as to the weather forecast. Since we were climbing it looked like the conditions would worsen. After a loooong discussion we decided to turn around and hike back the 9 long miles to Cumbres Pass and Chama. The snow continued to fall and the snow turned slushy as we approached the pass. We were post-holing and slipping. It was a chore to hike.

Back to Chama

BirdDog

All seven of us crammed into the back of a pickup truck for the ten mile ride to Chama. First stop, Foster’s restaurant. Second stop, The Y motel. Third, The High Country Restaurant. Finally bed.

Hikers: Wagon Wheel, Alex (Vanilla Face), Andy, #2, Birddog, and Me.

Back to Chama,  -9 Long Miles