Entering Wyoming, and Seeing Familiar Faces

I spent a week on vacation exploring Colorado by vehicle with my parents and brother. After a week of not hiking it was definitely hard to get going north. I think I was able to put on a little extra mass as well.

My first day heading north out of Rabbit Ears Pass I got in a slow 20 miles. I figured I should start off gradually as to ease back into hiking after a week off.

I felt lonely. It’s hard to go back into the woods after the emotional high of spending time with my family. However, the good news was that since I haven’t gone anywhere in a week people have caught back up. I started to see some familiar faces from New Mexico and southern Colorado and I even ran into friends from the PCT. I knew people around me and I was glad the dynamic of my hike has shifted.

That first night I experienced my first thunderstorm in my tent. The nearby lightning and thunder kept me awake as the rain poured on to my tent. My shelter performed well and I stayed dry. Eventually the storm subsided and I passed out.

Colorado came to a close the following day as I entered Wyoming, the third state. I enjoyed Colorado greatly but I was ready to move on and move north. The border was marked with two license plates from the two states. I celebrated with a hoot and a holler, and some photos as well. I felt excited for the next chapter and to see what Wyoming brings.

I did get stuck in Encampment for a little while a few days after. Of course I was watching a World Cup game in the afternoon and then a storm started outside. With the advice of another hiker I found myself in a lovely little cabin for the night to avoid the rain. I have been doing a pretty great job of avoiding the storms on this trip

The next day I ended up wandering about town and met up with some other hiker friends. Eventually I hitched back up onto the trail and headed north.

The following day the trail descended. This would be the introduction to the Great Divide Basin. Besides about 20 miles of rambling trail this section was just a long road walk through open grazing fields of sagebrush.

Along the road walk we were successful in getting beer from a passerby. We also ran into a few Great Divide bike riders. I do enjoy talking with them whenever I get the chance.

The day ended with some night hiking. The stars were incredible. We walked for a couple of hours after dark. The tread was easy and manageable without headlamps so we walked in the blackness, only turning on lights as a vehicle approached. It is a strange feeling to walk in the darkness without any perspective of the landscape. Just the faint silhouettes of mountains in distance would slowly move.

The following day we hiked into Rawlins and enjoyed town food and beer. The lot of us split a hotel room. This guaranteed I would be able to take in the World Cup Final in the morning.

The next day we hiked out after getting our town chores done and once it cooled off in the afternoon. North of Rawlins we would enter the Great Divide Basin, a unique and interested area of Wyoming.

July 8, day 70: 20.5 miles

July 9, day 71: 26.5 miles

July 10, day 72: 33 miles

July 11, day 73: 4.5 miles, Encampment

July 12, day 74: 14.5 miles, Encampment

July 13, day 75: Lots of road walking

July 14, day 76: 14 miles into Rawlins