Colorado!

Sara ready for lunch in Colorado

Yesterday afternoon we crossed the border into Colorado and dropped down to Cumbres Pass for our next resupply.  To get there though we had an interesting day on and mostly off the trail.  The last few days we have climbed up into some mountains and camped around 10,500 feet for a couple nights.  In this part of the world that means there is still snow on shady slopes.  To get to Cumbres Pass the trail was supposed to wind along a snowy ridge before meeting with the road.  Since we had taken one of the alternate routes and were coming at the trail from a side canyon we missed the trail under all the snow and spent some time with pointless downs (steep) and ups (steep).  I learned how to do some sideways barrel-roll out of a glissade, land on my backpack and roll upright though so that's a plus.  Eventually we got back on the right track and found the pass, which came after this incredibly windy ridge that required us to use our hiking poles to keep from blowing over.  I don't think we will ever be accused of not taking the scenic route.

Both my mom and Sara's parents met us in Chama (back in New Mexico from Cumbres Pass) with our next box and some warm/snow gear.  We start again this morning and head into the southern San Juans to see how we handle some real snow on the way to Silverton.

Left jelly beans for the next hiker (Whoopin' Stick) at the border