Journey Day 410 | CDT Day 73

A doe along the Sweetwater River.

8/26/87

Force myself from warm domicile. Find Carl outside taking similar steps. Adkinses emerge as the day begins. Munch p.b.and j. sandwich, pack and leave site along Little Sandy Creek. Ahead of the others, I climb up to uncertain trail. Quickly find route, contour ridge into pine forest. Cross outlet of lake, cairns and blazes mark trail that comes and goes, still better than expected. Pass Little Sandy Lake, final views of peaks obscured by low cloud cover. Up to the Divide, descend to a spring where I enjoy the good water.

Just hopped creek when others come up. After a break, we continue descent out of Bridger Wilderness. Lunch at trail intersection by creek. Ramen with milk, last peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and gorp. Begin descent from alpine to basin environment, quickly in sagebrush on a good road, cattle grazing.

Amazed how quickly we're out of the great range. Left onto another road, we hike to a BLM campground on the Sweetwater River. Inquire futilely about water from a California lady in an RV. Lounge waterless near site, then push on. Cattle run ahead foolishly up the road. On to prearranged site, but end up going two miles farther to East Sweetwater River, where we camp near the bank amid cowpies.

Cook, read, boil water. Darkness coming, red sunset. Read, then nighty night. Tomorrow South Pass City.