I did 22.5 miles today including San Luis pass at 12,600 feet. The trail followed Cochetopa creek most of the day – all the way to it’s headwaters. The valley was filled with willows, but the trail was good and mostly contoured along the slope just above the willows. The creek below had numerous beaver dams with small ponds behind each.

Eventually I reached treeline and the trail got steeper as it climbed up to San Luis pass at 12,600 feet. The willows up here are huge and I saw the largest beaver dam of my life. It was at least 10 feet tall with water cascading over the top.

After San Luis Pass I started looking for a campsite. It is incredibly cold already and the sun is starting to dip below the ridges around me. I don’t like camping above tree line so I continued downhill. I found a creek (Spring Creek) in a very narrow and steep rocky crevice with the coldest, clearest water I’ve seen in a long time. It is pretty much straight off the snow fields just above me. After filling water I only had to go a few hundred feet before I found a cleared spot in some scraggly willows and stunted trees at 12,000 feet. This is still very high and cold, but I decided to stay here.

Driver passed me by as I was setting up camp.  He stopped for a bit and talked, but he wanted to keep going to get down lower before it got totally dark.

I only have 12 miles into Creede tomorrow where I have a room. I Like to get to towns fairly early to maximize my time in the room and to get my town chores done, so it would have been nice to get a bit closer. Oh well.

My lip is still numb and I continue to worry it.  Well my fingers are freezing so it’s time for bed. Looking forward to Creede tomorrow.