Steamboat Springs, CO to Encampment, WY (7/28-7/31): 83.9
We had low expectations for our last section in CO, but we were pleasantly surprised. As we had a few more miles till our first camp spot for the section, another good luck charm appeared in the distance: a bull moose with its’ velvet antlers grazing in the meadow. We didn’t know it at the time, but that would be our last moose we saw for the state of Colorado.
As we entered into the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, we were surrounded by full pines, blue lakes and the biggest of boulders. We casted our eyes upon the abundance of wildflowers that bloomed near the trail and meadows, and crossed over a snow patch that was the perfect texture to walk on.
It would not have been a proper departure from Colorado without a little rain and hail, and so the skies sprinkled us one last time with both. We hid under some trees for about an hour until it was a bit more clear, still getting some light rain while we hiked on. A proper goodbye, indeed, but maybe a little celebration from the skies for making it through the toughest state on the CDT.
The trail (or jeep road) leading to the border wasn’t the best, but the motivation to get to our first official state crossing on foot overtook the muddy and soaked shoe/sock combo. But we made it. We made it to WYOMING!
We awoke our last morning with a hot pink sky and 20.7 miles to hike into our first Wyoming town. We hid behind pine trees as we heard loud hoof pounding on the forest floor - a herd of elk weaving between the rocks and trees. We met a group of 7 guys working on making bridges for the trail - part of a veteran group. We got a hitch within 10 minutes from 2 ladies going to the local greenhouse. And we were welcomed to Encampment, WY by the owner of the bar while he said “Ya hungry? I got burgers on the grill! Make yourself at home!”. We sat at the outdoor picnic table that was up against a wall decorated with posters of Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and CCR.
I’m already loving ya, Wyoming. Let’s make it good!
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