Journal Aug 1 – There’s No Place Like Homestake.
After a few miles of older trails through meadows and forest, we found ourselves back on roads. Jeep roads at first, gradually improving in condition.
We found ourselves on a ridge above Delmoe Lake with the guidebook describing one route and the maps going in a different direction. Even the exact point of departure was uncertain. They would not come back together for a dozen or so miles. The mapped route seemed more straight forward, so that is what we followed. It involved a bushwhack down the ridge, but even that seemed better than the maze of OHV routes.
Until the fall. My foot caught a rock and my downhill momentum carried my to the ground. I twisted and rolled as best as I could, so that my right side and the side ofthe back took the brunt of the fall, but the side of my face thwacked the ground hard enough to scrape and jar the neck. Only a couple scatches, whic actually was pretty lucky.
We made it down to the road around the reservoir and picked back up road walking. A long, hot, dry 10 miles, with barely a quart of water each. The only creek which still had water was a stagnant brown with that fetid “marshy” smell. A number of cars, pickups and ATVs whizzed by ont heir way to recreate at the lake, raising a cloud of dust each time. We drank sparingly, conserving what little water we had.
By the time the road approached I-90 at Homestake Pass we were parched. Fortunately, only a third of a mile off trail, there is a Forest Service Picnic area near the Pass, with water. There’s no place like Homestake Picnic area for the tired and thirsty – nice cold well water and picnic tables.
We crossed I-90 on an overpass, our second interstate highway in 2 days, and picked up new trail to return to the crest of the divide. About 3 and a half miles in there’s a broad saddle where we made camp. The whine of the highway is muffled but can still be heard, feeling very out of place.
Today we did aout 21.4 miles. Over the last five days we have averaged a little under 20 miles a day. We have done this so that we can set ourselves up for a short hike tomorrow (about 5 miles) in hopes to get in before the Post Office in Butte closes. Since it’s Sat, they’re only open till 1pm.
The neck is stiffening up from the fall, but hopefully some advil and some rest will help.
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