18.2 miles today
235.2 miles total
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Today was one of those days that was so very hard, but equally amazing! We (me and Chief) had 6 climbs over the course of 18 miles and epic views the entire time. I think this might be my favorite of the Collegiate West segments even though my legs were mush by the end of the day. Absolutely worth it!
Our day started at 5am. Yeah, I know that’s early! This segment is mostly all above the treeline and very excited to the elements. You want to be finished with it before the afternoon storms and before it gets too hot in the day. Being at 12,000ft+ for 9 hours with the sun breathing down in you will zap your energy out fast. All that to say, we started early so we could finish early and avoid the gamble of bad weather.
The first hour was in the dark with a cheshire cat moon and a sky littered with stars. We got to see first light appear over a mountain range as it slowly turned into a breathtaking sunrise.
Even though we had 6 climbs that took every ounce of energy we had, the flat trail between offered the perfect moments to think, reflect, imagine. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that I was even able to experience this masterpiece landscape ❤️
PS. The trail today went through several rock fields. Yes, I still hate them. They are the worst.
