July 17th, 2020
Thought upon waking up: Dang this sleeping bag is nice and toasty.
Thought upon going to sleep: My body is old and sore, how do others do it?
Rest day
After yesterday’s hike into the basin we all decided we needed a day of rest to acclimate ourselves before attempting to summit the 14’ers. The altitude gain for the basin is almost the same as our hike was into here. Yet, the distance we need to obtain that gain is 1/2 shorter than the trail. More or less, it means summitting is twice as steep. Being from close to sea level it makes sense to spend a day acclimating to the attitude as well. Getting attitude sickness would end the fun of this trip real quick and there is no amount of fitness that can prepare you for it. The best you can do is stay well hydrated and slowly gain height until your body gets used to the thinner air.
Breakfast time
We set up our camp, and proceeded to start the process of breakfast. I went down to the stream and filtered some water in order to get the coffee started. One of our group tried something new and brought an Aeropress and freshly ground coffee. An Aeropress is a wonderful invention for campers if you have a bit of extra room in your pack. It is basically a portable French press and it can serve up some quality coffee while camping. The weight penalty is small, and having a few minimal creature comforts along with you while enjoying nature adds positively to the hiking experience.
My brother makes a homemade sweet potato porridge recipe that is fantastic on a cool morning. A warm bowl of porridge complete with apple slices, raisins and walnuts really hits the spot. It’s also incredibly filling. We struggled to finish it. Another area where we could’ve packed less if we were more dialed in.
Next, it was back down to the stream for more water and laundry. My clothes were crusted in sweat salt from the previous two days and needed a rinse. I took the opportunity to wash my feet and face in the artic water flowing from the snow melt above.
We are not alone
The Chicago basin has been proliferated by several families of big-horned goats. These goats are both up at the high altitudes, but also down in the meadows below. Sticking to the relative protection of the trees is important. Both the areas above the treeline and the meadows are fragile ecosystems and you should avoid setting up camp there in order to preserve and protect them.
After I did the laundry and returned, the goats decided to come near our campsite. While not domesticated they come in search of salt since their diet is relatively void in it. Specifically, the kind that comes from your urine. A big issue in the fragile environment is when they lick up salt they disturb the plant life beneath them. Be wise of your surroundings and urinate far from your campsite on rocks to protect the fragile environment for both hikers and goats. We chased them off but not before capturing some great photos and video.
More goats
This afternoon we did a little bush-wacking to get a close up view of a nearby waterfall. Anytime I get near mountain waterfalls due to my previous accident my alert meter and subsequent feelings of anxiety go up.
Today was no exception. Completely surrounded by the basin, the area was breathtaking. Even without the forthcoming climbs the beauty of this area was worth the trip. My Altra trail runners got wet attempting to cross some of the water paths, but they should be dry by tomorrow’s climb. Oh yeah there were more goats. They came within 3 ft of us including a cute little baby, looking for a food handout I suppose. It immediately reminded me of my little girl back home. I miss her and the messages I’ve been getting back via Garmin InReach are that I am missed as well.
Packing time
We will be getting an early start tomorrow to attempt our summit so the evening will be spent prepping. Rain gear, check. Food, water and a camera, check. The lighter the pack for this the better.
I’ve had plenty of time to write today thus the long post. I think of back home quite frequently. I really want to do a trip like this with my family.
Night cap
In the “what in the hell” column, a hiker came by who had summited 3 of the 4 peaks earlier today before he got chased off by afternoon thunderstorms. He looked horrible. He had dried blood running down his legs. His knees were scraped up and he limped like he could barely walk. With his hair a complete mess and the look of the local town drunk he came staggering into our campsite. He asked if we were going up to do Sunlight Peak tomorrow so he didn’t have to go at it alone. First thought, well we were thinking about climbing Sunlight before we caught a glimpse of you but are now reconsidering! lol. In fact, Sunlight is our destination and we told him we will be on the lookout for him should he be in need of assistance.
Good night all, tomorrow we climb!
