Journey Day 434 | CDT Day 97

9/19/87

Up in cold forest, when high trail curves wrong way, drop to low trail, which comes and goes along steep ridge. Note trail on opposite side, eventually realize I've been hiking on wrong trail and correct by crossing creek and hiking to sunny creekside breakfast spot. Long meal in sun, but hike on to where trail becomes jeep/snowmobile road, which I follow steeply through forest up to logged Illinois Pass. Logging cut, roads down to Illinois River, where walk up stream along road to trailhead for trail over Bowen Pass.

After lazy break, climb steeply around bowl of cirque, leave Wolf's route above treeline and contour around beautiful bowl. Note horsepacking trio on ridge as do final climb to pass. Another long break, then down along trail, cairns to blowdown. Actually snowslide obvious from its foot. Note packs, follow various routes through wreckage, eventually find excellent trail (possibly missed long ways back).

Stop at creek for lunch in sun, two guys (packs from earlier) pass and talk. After reading and eating, hike good climb to beautiful Bowen Lake and note three packers on ridge again. Pitching when three come by and we talk. My pace nearly theirs. Drink coffee, get squinty eyed for first time on CDT. Eat meal, pudding. Many photos of lake, camp. Eschew big fire, neighbors for solitude, read long and relax. But sleep hard, read more and enjoy bright sky of clear stars.

Bowen Pass, Colorado, 1987.