25    Encampment - Steamboat Springs    137 Kilometer

Encampment

Steamboat Springs                       137 km

After a short nights sleep I got up for a good breakfast. The next stop was the post office. They had kept my REI resupply intended for going north for more than a month. Now I used it going south. Outside the PO I repacked my food and was all set for moving on. Here I met Bobcat, a Northbounder and we got straight away a ride up to Battle Pass. He moved on north, I south. Soon after I met Greyhound, one of the Warrior Hikers. We had met two years ago on the PCT as well as in New Mexico and in the Great Divide Basin. At night when I had set up my tarp I met three more Northbounder; Urso, with whom I started in NM and Dude. Later another Warrior Hiker arrived, Jaba the Hiker. We had a great evening with plenty of talking and exchanging tips for the trail ahead.

The next day the trail consists mostly of cairns and you have to find them as often they were hidden in the trees. Arriving at Colorado state line I could count off another State with plenty of yihaws. From here the CDT follows the Wyoming Trail that was originally for bringing sheep from Wyoming to market in Steamboat Springs. It follows the crest going up and down and is often ruined by motorcycles and ATV's. Finally I met Scarecrow. What a reunion. We had met in NM and the basin. And of course I had every afternoon a thunderstorm. Here I saw my only black bear. It crossed slowly the trail until noticing me. Then it started running away. And then I made it to Steamboat Springs with a very early ride. Thanks a lot for the help. In the evening I went to the rodeo, my second one this year.

Evening at the camp fire

Selfie at the Colorado - Wyoming state line

Along the Wyoming Trail in Park Range area

CDT above tree line along Park Range

Morning fog on Summit Lake at Rabbit Pass

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