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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Day 4: Friday, September 14<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Due to the unfortunate nature of the RMNP reservation system
and doing the hike clockwise, I locked in my 4<sup>th</sup> night at <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Box</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Canyon</st1:PlaceType>,
only 2.6 miles across the divide at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Thunder</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Pass.</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> I knew I
could get there in 3 days but … a long-distance hiker’s schedule
can change in a moment’s notice. So I pegged it at the 4<sup>th</sup>
day. Very short day and the first time the normal <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Rocky</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Mountain</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
afternoon thunderstorms came back since the start of the trip. Lightning
strikes within a half-mile of the campsite, probably back up on the divide.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Day 5: Saturday, September 15<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Simple enough to go down to CO River valley and back up to <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Timber</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
where I stayed at the Snowbird campsite, perched below the divide. The
mileages up from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Timber</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">TH</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
do not match between the map and the signs. I think I believe the signs
for a total of 5.2 to get to the lake. The storms came back in the
afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Day 6: Sunday, September 16<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>A fast-moving set of thunderstorms came through, right while
I was trying to get breakfast going. This delayed the start of the day
and was unusual from my experience.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The last remaining navigational challenge without a map was
Long Meadows. Not necessarily finding the meadows (which were beautiful and
partial blue skies had returned) but finding the trail down to Onahu Creek was
another story. My memory (based on the older map) indicated the trail
would be on the east side of the south end of the meadow, away from where the
creek goes down the valley, and then it would switchback vigorously down a
steep wall. Found many game trails headed that way but one looked
stronger than the rest. Reassurance in the form of a very old south-bound
tree cut blaze appeared and I was on my way. On the south side of the
meadows, this trail has not seen maintenance in a long time, running into
Blowdown Central at one point. At the very end were the Onahu Creek
bridge sites mentioned on the handout from the RMNP (well, I did have those “maps”),
washed out a long time ago. At the next-to-last crossing, a very strong
trail appeared to go uphill, which did not match my map memory at all.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Fortune also showed in the form of Shannon, a FedEx guy from
NC. He was supposed to stay at Sunset but asked me what the mileage would
be to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Grand</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. I guessed that it would be 6
miles. Well, a cheeseburger was calling him there so forget staying in
the woods for a 4<sup>th</sup> night. We jawed for a while about hiking
out east and things. Towards the end, I hoped my estimate was good as I
had lost my map a few days prior. Right away, he offered his map.
Said he didn’t need it anymore, he was going into town. I was and
am still thankful! <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>My night’s destination was Tonahutu Meadows, from
which I could make a final assault on the official CDT loop (optional or
whatever) over the Divide. The weather was getting worse. After
gear and cover were donned, the heavens opened for 10 minutes of hail. It
showered on and off in hour-long bursts after the tent was set up.
Entertainment came in the form of five elk grazing above the meadows and my
taste this year of elk-bugling. Awesome!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Throughout the storms, the map provided me with details
about the route, One confusing aspect was that the trail coming down from Long
Meadows came down further to the west and without the long switchbacks, not
what I remembered at all. Now, having the benefit of seeing both maps, it
appears a newer trail from Onahu Creek has been incorporated that is much
shorter (0.8 versus 1.6) and is on the west side of the creek descending from
Long Meadows. It would also explain that strong path headed up the creek
at the next-to-last bridge site. I would also point out that the newer
map is *<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>incorrect</span></b>* on the location
of the trail from the north and is *<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>correct</span></b>*
on the older map. Go figure.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Day 7: Monday, September 17<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The scheduled day over the last major highlight: the divide
walk up to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Flattop</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Mountain</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Plan was
to break camp early and hit the trail between 6 and 7 AM. Before 5 AM,
the heavens opened with rain and temps at mid-40s. Instead of packing, I
laid in my bag waiting for the storm to abate. It did briefly before 6
but before I got going, it started up again. By 6:30, it appeared it
would never stop. The stroke of bad luck appeared in my RMNP schedule in
that I got my worse weather day on what was to have been the highlight.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Instead, I booked it back to the car, only 8 miles down the
Tonahutu Creek trail. At 7:30, I departed and it was still going strong,
rain in the mid-40s at 10k feet. Which translates into whiteout
conditions, snow at 11k-plus. Big Meadows just had clouds but looks back
convinced me I had made the right decision. I can return and combine it
with an <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Indian</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Peaks</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> loop next year. The hike was
cut short by one day but, all in all, a wonderful experience. Many thanks
to Jim Wolf for the Never Summers route. Definitely recommended!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Karl</span></font></st1:PersonName><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Luce<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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