Day 22 to Kokomo Pass

Easy walking today as we dropped out of the Holy Cross Wilderness to the rolling hills around Tennessee Pass. Near the pass we found more trail magic, a cooler of soda from the owners of the Leadville Hostel. Now that is direct to consumer advertising., I thought. Hiking the gentle grade of the old narrow gauge railroad we encountered the ruins of mine shafts, ore smelters, sluices, etc. This had been the richest mining district in all of Colorado.

We crossed Highway 24 , the sixth of ten paved roads we'd cross in our journey. The trail traversed above the valley. Looking down all forms of ground transportation fit in a narrow 100 yard corridor. Trail, dirt road, paved road and railroad tracks paralleled each other for miles.

Eventually we turned into Camp Hale, where the 10th Mountain Division trained during World War II. Not much remained other than a grid of dirt roads, old concrete bunkers and signs warning of unexploded ordinance. We stopped at Cataract Falls for a late lunch. A very cold shower was in order. It felt great.

We climbed to the top of Kokomo Pass and pitched tent. All trip we had been defying conventional wisdom that said hike at high elevations early in the day to avoid t-storms and camp at low elevations at night for better protection from the elements and to mitigate the effects of altitude sickness. Part of our defiance was because we hiked all day, low and high, and could not always chose the best times to avoid inclement weather. Mainly it was because we loved the high alpine and wanted to spend our down time (mornings and evenings) on top of the mountains and not down in the valleys. Rain and wind buffeted our tent all night. It was great.