Colorado Trail Series

Colorado Trail Series

Day 3- Part 2

Lunch to Blackhawk Pass Camp

 

Hiked: 2.5 Miles

Camped: 11,700 evelvation

 

After lunch we continued on our way south towards our camp for the night.  Moseying along with no sense of urgency we took many more pictures that afternoon.

 



(as always click to enlarge photos - it's worth it!)

 

Another stunning view.

One last look back to the mountains we left behind to the north yesterday.

 

Then a look forward from the same point and catch the first glimpse of the ridge line we are headed to for the night. 

 

Amazing what you come upon while silently passing through the woods.  I stepped right into the middle of a small ptarmigan family.  The hen and her four young seemed rather indifferent to our presence.  They scooted just far enough off the trail to feel safe but not so far that Jim couldn't get some great pictures.

 



Mother Nature knew exactly what she was doing when she painted these lovely ground birds.  Can you see why I almost stepped on the little brood?

 



Closer... we're getting closer!

I can the saddle we will be sleeping under tonight.  Just on the edge of the treeline and hopefully next to a stream according to the guide book.

 

Camp!

Backpacks are dumped out.  A clothesline is strung. 

Laundry is washed. 

 

There was a stream! 

So after laundry and a frigid mountain stream bath, I set my chair in the sun to soak up some of the last warm rays on my bare skin.  Of course I wasn't idle in my sunbathing, there's always something to be done such as the filtering of water for the night's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast.

Albino hairless Sasquatch?!

Oh no, that's just Jim taking his turn in the icy waters doing laundry and freshening up.

 

An early moon rise over the sensationally striped bluff to the east of our camp. 

 It was a short relative easy day.  An early arrival at camp allowed us to unpack, clean up and cook at a leisurely pace.  I had enough time to fry up enough fresh corn cakes for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day.  These served alongside hot minestrone soup with bite of chocolate and a cup of wine for dessert (or a shot of bourbon for Jim) made for a nice end to a nice day.  Although, camping on the north side of a mountain means a false sunset that comes quite early and brings with it the chills of the shadows.  So it was early to bed for these weary travelers.

 

Good Night from Day 3!

(but remember there are 4 more days of trails, trees and trials....)