CDT Day 50: Cataract Lake to Spring Creek Pass

Daily Miles: 19.0, Total Miles: 837.8

No more marmot attacks but it did rain off and on all night. I awoke to a dusting of snow on the high peaks.

Quickly passing Cataract Lake, I got to almost 13,000 ft elevation before dropping 1,000 ft and traversing an old mining area.

Another climb to the highest point on the Colorado Trail at almost 13,300 ft, not a tree in sight.

I followed the high barren ridge north with good views down the Lake Fork Gunnison.

Finally dropped into the forest and got to the CT Friends Yurt just as the rain started. The yurt is open to hikers with a suggested donation. Met a southbound CT section hiker there also taking refuge. Nice to be in a dry place, we both prepared an early dinner and planned to spend the night – maybe even stoke up the wood stove. Four CT section hikers then arrived and announced that they had rented the whole yurt (comes with two bunk beds). Oh well, we finished our dinners, packed up and headed our respective ways. I hiked another five miles to Jarosa Mesa with beautiful evening views.