Continental Divide Trail – Day 61
July 23, 2023
Miles Today/ Total: 20.1 / 1047.2
I was up about 5:45 this morning and went upstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee. Hot coffee is a luxury I don’t get often while hiking.
I got my gear ready and then visited with some of the other guest until a little before 7:00. I then headed down the street to Mineral 1886 got another breakfast before heading out of town.
It was about a mile to the intersection with Highway 24 that heads out to Tennessee Pass and I walked there before trying to hitch a ride. I got a ride from the 2nd car that came by.
By the time I reached the Pass it was close to 9:00 and I started down the trail. It began on what appeared to be an old railroad grade. After about 1.5 miles it turned off and dropped down into the valley. Crossing Hwy 24, the trail then began an ascent up the side of Taylor hill and circled it around to Camp Hale, a WWII historical training site used by the 10th Mountain Division. The trail passes a row of old concrete bunkers and then starts to head up the valley toward Kokomo Pass.
The trail up to the pass was a gradual ascent through the forest with a couple of steep sections as it neared the tree line. After crossing the pass the trail circled around the valley below and crossed Searle Pass before starting to descend into the valley.
The trail followed Guller Creek down the Valley and I found a campsite near the end of the valley, stopping about a mile from Copper Mountain Ski area. Another Great day in the mountains.
