With not much time before leaving for Alaska and Fiji, I really wanted to get in a backpacking trip. I wish there had been more time but alas only a single night could be squeezed into my schedule. A massive bonus was that I was the first one on the trail for the year. Well maybe not a massive bonus as there were a ton of downed trees that I had to climb over or go around…
The hike started at the Dry Lake trailhead on Buff pass, taking Soda Ditch Loop (1020, 1.63 miles) to Soda Mountain (1029, 4.88 miles) to camp. On the way back I took Soda Mountain (1029, 2.96 miles) to Soda Mountain Connector (0.84 miles) to Grouse (1021, 1.01 miles) to Soda Ditch Loop (1020, 1.63 miles) – about 13 miles total.
The hike in
And I'm off, heading up Soda Ditch Loop
A well traveled path to start
The first stream crossing was easy, then next one not so much...
Bushwacking along the creek until I found this downed tree to cross added on fifteen minutes to the day's hike
This was an easy section to find the trail, with no-one hiking it yet this year there were spots that left the trail indistinguishable from the surrounding area
Pretty Columbine flowers all around
The trail a bit hard to see but still obvious
Looking down into the Yampa valley
That big tree is blocking Soda Mountain
A cool meadow near the top
Still plenty of snow...
Camp life
View from my tent pad
What a view!
Getting the fire started , sadly more than two matches
The trail continued on the rocky ledge between the patches of snow
Might have been expired but it still fueled me up
Evening hike to see the ridges across the valley
The alpenglow on camp
Million dollar view
And there goes the sun
Chilly 34 degrees, starting a fire was first thing on the agenda
No pan, no problem - dehydrated eggs cooked on a stone
Ready for the hike out
The hike out
Where is the trail???
Looking back up at my campsite
Finally I can see the trail
I scared this moose into the woods
The split onto Soda Mountain Connector trail
The small stream crossing, the next one was a bitch. twenty-five minutes to find a crossing, scratch my way through tightly packed brush, and finally working my way back to the trail. Ugh
Looking back up the trail, Soda Mountain Connector trail is in there somewhere
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