CDT, Day 10 — July 12 — 19.4 miles
Ups and downs. I slept well, camping next to the trail on a flat, smooth site, where the sounds of the river 100 feet away were soothing.
I was on the trail at 7 a.m., with John close behind. The cool morning air made for ideal hiking.
The CDT gained elevation slowly through open forest while paralleling the North Fork. After 3 miles, we detoured on a gravel road for 1.6 miles to avoid a destroyed bridge. When the CDT resumed, it turned into an ATV track for the rest of the day.
The accompanying photo shows the scene as John labors up the end of a steep hill. Three four-wheelers passed us, creeping down the rocky, steep trail. A brief shower struck as we watered up at Trail Creek. Then it was onward for many more ups and downs. Thankfully the Forest Service has cleared all the deadfalls.
The skies darkened as we neared our destination, a trail junction with water nearby. The storm arrived just when we did, about 5 p.m. We quickly set up our tents and cooked dinner beneath the vestibules. We’re both tired, but happy to have hiked almost 20 miles today.
