Hello lovelies,
Short updates
* Steamboat through RMNP was a-okay
* I saw a cute porcupine and a moose
* Lots of trees, lots of mountains
* I have a flight up north to Glacier on July 3rd
Longer Updates
Leaving Steamboat and heading to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) had A LOT of asphalt road walking (~20 mi). This included a section of trail that contains the absolutely WORST road walk of the whole trail. This is an 11-mile highway section that has large trucks cruising by at 70 MPH in continuous chains with only about 10-second gaps in traffic when lucky. It was the worst when an 80 MPH truck decided to pass a 60 MPH truck by coming up behind me, without warning, careening onto the shoulder of the road trying its damnedest to take me out. #IHateCars
Other than road walks, I had some beautiful views of mountains, a 38-mile day, and an encounter with my second porcupine of the trail (and life)!! I also saw a moose and some elk, and made friends with some marmots by cheeping at them. While hiking south, I encountered ~70 NOBO thru-hikers; the low-snow year in Colorado + 200 miles of trail being closed in New Mexico due to fires means they’re entering Wyoming earlier this year than last (about 10 hikers had made it this far by this time last year)
After getting through RMNP, Marc (brother) came to collect me, and I’m now peacefully in Boulder. I leave for Glacier National Park on July 3rd. The grizzly bears have finished their buffet (apparently it was not all you can eat), and the snow has been melting quickly! I’ll pick up my ice axe and bear gear once I get to town, and figure out permits for the park from there.
I’ve now connected my foot path from where I left off last year, which means I’ve officially finished my footpath through the length of Colorado and New Mexico, and have under 275 miles left of Wyoming.
Now I’m looking forward to some long days and hiking under the glorious Montana sky!
Until July,
Jeff