Gray's and the Argentine Spine

Our plan was to seize the best weather for Gray's Peak, by getting a ride to the trailhead off Interstate 70. Mishaps mom bravely tried getting up the rutted dirt road to the actual trailhead but it was a fraught exercise, best given up early! So the three of us walked up the road. Humourously, tiny Japanese cars somehow made it up the deeply rutted road and purred by us. 

Soon we were walking the trail, me in front, probably because I was nervous about the section of the route from Gray's Peak to Edward's Peak. We'd read some scary reports about steep and difficult terrain. But the trail to Gray's was gorgeous... High mountain country, sweeping slopes of snow and rock above a green high country that reminded me of the Alps.

I had one problem... My main water bottle was missing... It had fallen out in the truck. But we needed a whole day of water for the ridge. I asked a man at the last high water source if he could give me a plastic bottle. He only had an expensive REI bottle, and generously gave that to me. Thank you so much, Chris!

And here were scenes on the way up Gray's:

On top, I took pictures of a mountain goat and her kid, who bleated every time she left him exposed to the glare of my watchful gaze. So cute... And the ranges radiating out and away to the west and south were entrancing. I finally settled into a little rock shelter to wait, and soon enough Mishap and Leftovers arrived. We took some pictures then started down the ridge on faint trail. 

Within the hour, my fears about great difficulty were put to rest. Sometimes the way was narrow, with cols of dark rock harrowing down to snowfields far below, but it was always clear where to go, and often little paths were visible on the south side of the ridge.

We joked with each other, and a few people came carefully down from Edward's. I'd been keen to stand on that summit, but when I found it possible to avoid it on the left (to save energy for the next summits), I did so, prompting Mishap to say "hey!"

We refilled water from a snowfield, then kept going over several high and tiring summits, having decided to stay on the "Argentine Spine" instead of dropping to the valley via Argentine Pass. I was a good ways ahead at one point, crossing under some power lines, then descending steeply to a level saddle under Decatur Peak. As it was close to six o'clock, I decided to camp. Leftovers and Mishap appeared as tiny dots high above.

Feeling whimsical, I decided that side it was the annual hike naked day, I should do so, even if only briefly. So I put on my birthday suit and energetically hiked up to meet my companions, much to their grim dismay! Mishap did get one picture of me that is not too offensive, I think, but she hasn't sent it to me yet so it may just be too scandalous, oh well!

Mishap had many reasons for wanting to continue, however we stuck together. I think that, for me, the plan to traverse this long section in only two days instead of 2.5 days, just wasn't possible. Indeed, or mileage was disappointing, at only 11 miles. But we'd climbed well over 6000 feet, and that cost me a lot of energy, even if the others were keen to climb more. At any rate, we had a mostly windless night, aside from a strong bout of wind at 1 am.

In the morning, Mishap was off first, and I followed. After picking my way below a snowy section, I climbed steeply down a trail amid large blocks. Suddenly, I lost my balance when I misplaced a hiking pole -- I was in the air!

I flipped head over heels, then landed painfully first on my knees, then my chest. Groaning and yelling with the pain, I lay there a while, grateful that nothing seemed to be broken. Mishap came running up from her perch at the next saddle to see if she could help. Moral comfort was indeed helpful, and after a few minutes we went back to her spot.

Feeling a bit demoralised, and wondering what this would cost me in new bruises, I sat and tried to regain my excitement for the ridge. I knew we had a tremendous amount of work in front of us, and later, was happy to find that we could bail from the ridge to reach the junction where Mishap's mom would pick us up, and save five miles of tiring up and down terrain. Even without the accident, I'd need this accommodation!

a scene near my accident site 

Mishap sees a goat

We wandered for steep miles to the point where the "red line" trail from the valley rejoined the ridge. Already, we could see the crazed line made by the divide... Jogging merrily left and right across our horizon, we'd add at least two more giant curves to the spectacle of it before the end of the day. I alternated between feeling generally okay and being a little scared about the new discomfort in my ribs as the day wore on. Once I lay down and stretched, hearing an ominous "pop" in my sternum, then feeling greater discomfort on standing up again.

Oh jeesh.

On the positive side, by traveling south, we were meeting many people we knew on the CDT. Mishap met someone she'd been looking for based on obscure summit registers since the San Juans! Pretty cool ...

I was happy to finally descend to the valley by a steep trail and then a long walk through forest to again reach the CDT. Mishap's mom was there, and we all walked to the truck along with Blue the dog.

I was so tired and sore, I lay in my room, though Mishap brought me a beer and a burger (thanks!). Over the next days, they did more slack packing and I retreated to an Airbnb for three days of rest.

It's easy to take your health for granted...I do this a lot. But when you lose that "easy feeling" that grants enthusiasm for big hills, things look very different. I didn't overthink it though...I just tried to enjoy myself and rest a lot.

As it turned out, three days of rest wouldn't be enough, and this was a hard thing to bear.