Day 04 to Wolf Creek Pass

Today was a short day and we were looking forward to it. We had eaten all our food so our packs were light. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky. Dawn and Mika, along with Mika's cousins Bradley and Marcus, were driving from Cortez and meeting us at Wolf Creek only 11 miles away. There was promise of real food and drink, maybe even ice cream. We hiked fast.

Traversing the long arete above Wolf Creek Ski Area I marveled at the splendor. I had only been here in the winter when everything is mellowed, softened by a thick blanket of powder. Now the contrasts were undeniable- jagged cliffs, green meadows, bounding streams, thick forest. We encountered signs of humanity- a weather station, snow fences, a metal catwalk above the ski slopes, a hand full of hikers. Coming out to the highway it hit us full force- motorcyclists, semis speeding by, tourists stopping to take photos at the pass. We'd been immersed in nature for 4 days and it was becoming my modus operandum. I was thankful for the one mile hike back into the forest to the closed ski area where we'd arranged to meet Dawn.

We were still early so took advantage of the sunny weather to wash up in a creek beneath the lifts. Clean socks and feet- life was good. Dawn and Company arrived and we drove a few miles east to a Forest Service campground at Tucker Ponds. The afternoon was spent gathering firewood, shooting arrows, looking for animals and playing hide-n-seek. I took a nap. That night we gorged on elk fajitas (thank you Dawn) fry bread (thank you Linda) salad, beer, soda, ice cream bars and Smores. Maybe this civilization thing isn't so bad, I thought.

new plants seen- Engleman spruce, wild strawberries, duncecap larkspur, northern bed straw, siberian chives

animals identified- carpenter ants, pine siskin, raven, Abert's squirrel, least chipmunk, yellow bellied marmot