Journal July 9 Rain Delays
Leaving Cuba the CDT follows a paved county road past houses, farms and fields until it rises out of the valley and turns into a dirt forest service road in pine and oak country. Eventually that road keeps rising and ends at a trailhead. Then the trail keeps rising and crosses the “Rito de los Pinos” stream (yeah running water!!!) and continues up valley into the San Pedro Park Wilderness.
During a luxurious streamside break we were passed by a family on horseback out for an afternoon ride into the high country.
The valley is lush, stands of Aspens, Pines and Firs, mix with an abundant understory of greenery. Thimbleberry plants, roses and a profusion of purple line the trail; tall larkspur, monkshood and columbine dominate. These Columbine are not like most where the flower might be the size of a thumb; these columbine were as large as a small fist. A rather tame young buck was grazing on all the greens and seemed unconcerned, at first, about our presence.
Rains swept in and fell lightly for awhile. We donned packcovers and umbrellas and kept walking. As the rain came down harder we sought shelter beneath a pair of subalpine firs. After about 30 minutes it was still raining but had let up some from a real downpour to just a steady rain. We walked on. We topped out onto the rollong lands of the San Pedro Park Wilderness. After a long climb from Cuba, we’ve gained about 3,000 feet.
The rains remained steady. With no let up in sight, and evening wearing on, we came to an area of large scattered subalpine firs set in a pocket of low hills offering some protection from the wind. We found a very protective Sub Alpine Fir, a trunk about 4 foot in diameter, 4 “Stems” and large dry spots beneath sprawling massess of limbs to set up the tent as well as cook. We made an early camp to take advantage of such a sheltering tree, set up the tent, and made dinner as the eveving chill turned cold. And then we turned in to the tent.
The early camp meant our evening hike time was cut short, our original destination delayed by rain until tommorrow.
13 miles
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