CDT Day 15: Snow Lake & High Plateau

Daily Miles: 18.7, Total Miles: 245.3

What a night – lightening, thunder, rain, hail and gusty winds. A slower start this morning hoping things would dry up a bit.

I continued the journey up the Gila River, visibly smaller but still in a deep canyon. I wandered off trail twice today, up a wrong tributary canyon in the morning, then in the afternoon, looking for a shortcut that wasn’t there.

After 23 more river crossings (total of 238), I finally left the Gila River at Galita Ridge and headed to Snow Lake. Raining and hailing by the time I arrived so took refuge in a campground vault toilet that was quite spacious.

After lunch the storm passed so hiked up a canyon to a nearly treeless plateau at 8,000 ft elevation. I saw a herd of ten elk on the road ahead of me.

I continued to climb back to the Divide, stopping for the night near Eckleberger Spring when a light snow started.