June 30, 2013

June 30, 2013

Day 13 - hot hot hot

Elbow Pass/Sun River trail junction to a meadow near the divide

~26 miles

Even though the hiking day started the same time as the others, and ended at a reasonable hour (730pm), it seemed much longer. The primary reason it felt so long was due to the heat. Another major factor of the day feeling so long was the lack of shade. Slowly climbing up Straight Creek, then descending Welcome Creek and the Dearborn River, everything was exposed. The sun beat down relentlessly and I had plenty of time to think about which was worse: extreme sun or being drenched by rain. Constant rain wins this one, so I suppose that's the silver lining, it could be worse. 

As I approached the final climb of the day I took note of the unburned forest along the creek, which was certainly a blessing. I waited until 5pm to start the climb with hopes that it would be slightly cooler than the middle of the day. It may have been a little cooler, but it was still too warm for my liking and I had some serious sweat streaming down my forehead, neck, and pretty much everywhere else. But as tends to be the case with steep, grueling climbs, the view at the top is totally worth it! A 360 degree panoramic view of mountains galore. After an all too brief walk along the divide I descended into a serene meadow where I am camped tonight. Serene with the exception of the constant buzzing of flies and mosquitos. 

Tomorrow I spend almost all day hiking along the divide! Can't wait for the amazing views, hopefully I won't have to worry about any thunderstorms. 

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