Day 9 – 3/22/16
20.3 GPS miles (incomplete map data)
150.6 / 155 total

The route we chose was very straight forward, following 4WD roads all morning.

 

 

This also took us up to 8500’+ and with that came snow. The roads were really easy to follow but the walking was difficult, slipping on the snow, occasionally postholing and sinking into mud on the patches of road without snow. So, it was still a lot of effort, but I do think it went faster than the originally planned route would have and the views were nice.

 

 

We were also delighted to find some murky puddles of snow melt cow pie water by the side of the road. Yay!!

 

We finally rejoined the original alternate route at the trailhead for Trail Canyon. And would you believe there was actually trail there!! Along the bottom of Trail Canyon we found some pools of water and stocked up for the night into tomorrow morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The snow never did come this morning, just ominous clouds that blew over and strong wind the whole time we were up high. But around 5:30 tonight we started to get pelted with a little snow/ice. We had planned to hike until at least 6pm but decided to make camp early rather than get drenched. It turned out to be a good call. It’s been sputtering off and on since then and we are relatively warm and dry.

 

 

 

We are now toward the top of Dark Canyon. Looking ahead, we still have some miles to make up and are going to give our best effort at a strong day tomorrow to get through the rest of Dark Canyon.