Journal Aug 12 – Big Push
Today was mostly about making miles. We needed to put on a big push to make the 20 miles to Chief Joseph pass and then walk the mile down to Lost Trail Pass to meet our friends Carol and Irv.
Fortunately the trail cooperated and reasonably good trail tread existed, the terrain cooperated by becoming more gentle and we simply had to keep walking at a steady pace with few breaks. There was not much in the way of scenery to distract us from our task. Mostly lodgepole pine forest alternating between “The Green” and the burned areas. Much of this terrain burned in 2000, or in more recent fires.
We crossed Gibbons Pass – a historical route used by the native americans for trade and travel to/from hunting grounds. It was also used by the Nez Perce in 1877 as they attempted to avoid being incarcerated on a reservation in Washington. General John Gibbons, for whom the pass is named, followed them and launched a surprise attack….more on that in later entries.
Several elk and deer, and several hours later we made it to the Lost Trail pass – 4:30 pm.
While waiting for us, Carol and Irv had met Rambler, a northbound hiker. We stopped in Sula to meet him and exchange trail info before going onto our own resupply stop in Darby.
21 Miles
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