Rain

Ah, Labor Day Weekend and the start of College Football. I watched my Bulldogs Saturday morning. It went about as expected for a first game. Unfortunately, they lost one of their starting defensive linemen for the season due to a knee injury. After the game I went down to Pagosa Springs to try and find Flat Feet. Flat Feet is hiking a section of the Continental Divide Trail from Grand Lake, CO to Grants, NM. I hiked with him back in July when he was starting out. I found out where Flat Feet was staying in Pagosa Springs and met him there.

Sunday morning I took Flat Feet and another hiker to the trailhead at Wolf Creek Pass. I hiked with them out of Wolf Creek Pass. The trail out the pass was well maintained and wasn't too steep. However, the weather was not cooperating. It was raining off and on. It was an all day rain instead of the usual afternoon showers. It seems like every time I go to Wolf Creek Pass, it rains. Once we got about 3.5 to 4 miles in, the trail became less obvious. We hit a stretch for a mile to a mile and half where we were not sure where the trail was. However, we were sure that we were in the area of the trail. We eventually found the trail again. The rest of the day was spent walking around blow downs in the rain. We only did about 8-10 miles. We got a late start. It also didn't help that we had to wander around looking for the trail. I spent the rest of the day in my tent while it rained.


Flat Feet hiking along the Continental Divide Trail above the Wolf Creek Ski Area.



On Monday morning, I packed up a wet tent, left Flat Feet, and went back to my car. It was not raining when I packed up, although the trees were raining with the wind. The mountains were in the clouds still, and there was the occasional misty rain shower. I took a shortcut on the way back that followed some old roads to the Wolf Creek Ski Area. I then had to do a 1/2-mile walk up the highway to my car. It was worth it. My feet were soaked and ready to get out of the boots. It wasn't the greatest of hikes, but that’s how it goes sometimes...

-MM