Thunder And Lightning

This post takes place on Tuesday, August 1, 2017. It was the third day of a four day backpacking trip on the Colorado Trail from Molas Pass to Durango. I had wanted to get an early start that morning. I had an above treeline stretch that I wanted to get over before the afternoon storms. The night had been dry. As I was packing up my sleeping bag in my tent, I heard some thunder and then sounds of pitter patter on my tent. It only lasted 5 to 10 minutes, but it was enough to make my tent wet. So unfortunately, I had to pack a wet tent. I still got on the trail before sunrise, and it was a beautiful sunrise.

Early light of the day

Sunrise with the Needles on the horizon

Another Sunrise shot

There was a lot of mud on the trail once again. The trail got better as I approached treeline. I was following Indian Trail Ridge up into the La Plata Mountains. The ridge had lots of false summits, but it was beautiful. I was getting worried though. The clouds were building.

Approaching treeline on Indian Trail Ridge

The La Plata Mountains

The Trail

Looking back on the Trail

Another picture of the La Plata Mountains

The trail up another false summit

Looking back on a false summit

One more summit to climb on Indian Trail Ridge

I reached a high point of 12,310 feet. I wasn’t sure if it was the final high point on the trail until I reached a saddle after the high point and saw the trail head down the mountain. I was going down at the right time. It started raining and hailing about halfway down to Taylor Lake. Fortunately, there was no lightning. The rain was early, as it was only 11:00 A.M.

Looking back from the high point of the trail

View of the La Plata Mountain

Wildflowers after the final uphill climb on Indian Trail Ridge

Snowstorm Peak and Lewis Mountain

View of Kennebec Pass, Cumberland Mountain, Snowstorm Peak, & Taylor Lake

Taylor Lake

The rain had stopped by the time I got down to the Cumberland Basin where Taylor Lake is; however, the trail through the basin was a mud fest, plus the trail was overgrown with water happy plant life. It was not a lot of fun to hike through. As I was leaving the basin, it started to rain and hail again. I found a group of trees in which I was able to take shelter. Once this shower passed, I got moving again. I wanted to get over Kennebec Pass before the next round of rain. I was successful in that achievement. It was good thing too. This next round of rain was harder and included lightning along with more intense hail. I had to take shelter again in some thick trees.

Abandoned mining structures near Kennebec Pass

Looking back at Kennebec Pass and the mining structures

The rest day was mostly downhill with the threat of rain. I dropped down into a canyon which contains Junction Creek. I didn’t like idea of camping in the canyon with all of the rain. Fortunately, the trail didn’t stay in the canyon. Of course, this meant a climb at the end of the day when I was a bit tired. I made it after another 20+ mile day. Naturally, it started raining as I was setting up my tent.

A waterfall in Gaines Gulch

One more post to come…