Day 01 to above Dipping Lakes

I woke early, the first glow of a sun not yet risen penetrating the nylon walls of the tent. Mist rose from the meadows of Cumbres Pass revealing details I remembered from last summer: train tracks, the old depot, ponds. It had been fun to finish last year with a ride on the Cumbres-Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad west down into Chama. The rails continued east over the pass to Antonito. Our path this year was north.

I was glad the car started. We'd run down the battery last night leaving the lights on to set up the tent. My rustling woke the others who recluctantly left the warmth of their sleeping bags. Mika and the dogs explored while Dawn, Cassi and I packed up and ate a cold breakfast of fruit and Consuelo's burritos. I should of brought something hot to eat but this was motivation to start hiking. Mika and Dawn were glad to get in the warm car and head for hot cocoa and coffee in Chama. Cassi and I walked the 200 yards to the trailhead. We were back on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). In a way I felt like I had never left.

Our hike that day took us from the aspen-conifer forest at 10000 feet above sea level through spruce-fir forest to the high rolling alpine tundra of the south San Juan mountains. The mountains were green and lush and the wild flowers amazing . The climb was steady but never steep. There had been a big blow down 4 miles in but the trail had been well cleared of trees. We traveled along the border of the Tierra Amarilla, an old Spanish land grant that covers hundred of square miles in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. The boundary was alternately marked with a fence of barbed wire, stacked logs or simply rock cairns. The CDT tries to stay on public land as much as possible. Consequently it leaves the actual geographic divide in several places. In fact the last time the two coincided was in the San Pedro Parks 200 miles south in New Mexico.

We did not see anyone on the trail that day and assumed the CDT would be as devoid of people in Colorado as it had been in New Mexico. Later days would prove that theory false. Our only reminder of humanity came that afternoon as a large mechanical noise rose from the valley below. A medical evacuation helicopter crested the ridge then disappeared down the other side. Hopefully not a bad omen, I thought. Dusk came as we finally left the border of the Tierra Amarilla and regained the geographic divide. Tired but happy we pitched camp on a rock shelf with views all around. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow, or I should say the food bag that was doubling as my pillow.