Chapter Fourteen - Ending the Hiatus
Ending my four year absence from this blog by posting a trip summary of this weekend's backpacking trip to Chicago Basin. Mission: to summit four 14ers Sunlight 39/58 Windom 40/58 Eolus 41/58 N Eolus 42/58 High level stats: 10.5 summit miles 11 backpacking miles 13 hours 6,150' gain THURSDAY Drove down to disperse camp near Durango. Forced to do a fun overlanding detour since 285 was closed due to an accident. Had a lovely old fashioned round the campfire. Slept comfortably in my 4runner per the norm. FRIDAY Drove to train station in Durango, took train a scenic 2.5 hours into the San Juan National forest. Backpacked 5.5 miles in to establish base camp in the Chicago Basin along the river, which coincidentally turned out to be a mountain goat/deer crossing, so we got plenty of deserved glares from them for our disruption. On the hike up passed a gal who recognized me from a church I went to, small world Taught Maxley how to play Oh Heck All of the Colorado mosquitoes live in th...