Journey Day 375 | CDT Day 38

Snow hit in July as we hiked out of Montana.

7/19/87

Up with frozen tents, we cook and survey the heavens, which show some promise. I'm last out, resisting redonning of cold, wet socks.

Nice but cold hike with views to the Anacondas. On the Divide, hiking slowly, but surely. Eventually make the ridge, providing a look at Big Hole and the Bitterroots.

Good pace to break in meadow. Then push to Surprise Lake on a tough, hard climb, then down to lake as it grows cold and even hails a bit, almost like snow. Cold break at lake. I cook, Leonard and Laurie go on, so I lead Ed and Liz, plus Carl, who's dragging, through obscure trail to junction. We miss to ranger station. But questioning when Leonard and Laurie come back up wrong way and we discover the right route.

Break at the ranger station. Starts sunny, but soon raining again. Eat dinner, try to dry out. Then on into vague section complete with deadfall, soggy meadows, and disappearing trailway. Clearcut buswhack, then down to campsite after more Big Hole views.

 Pitch, boil tea, talk, read of long section ahead. Plot Gibbonsville. As darkness hits, update and hope weather clears. Hard to believe it's mid-July and it's been snowy and cold for two days. But onward...