In the last five days I have ascended 31,000 feet over 130 miles. This stretch has some awesome side trips which I take full advantage of. There’s no flat, just up and down. The last 5 days are a bit of a blur, let’s see if I can remember what happened from photos…

On Tuesday I walk past the Monarch game drive. From 3000 bc to 1800 ad this was a large hunting site. Groups would scare game from the forest up above treeline where they’d be funneled by 3 foot walls (the remains barely visible here) into ambush pits. For thousands of years this was a weekly occurrence.

I also see my first Moose of the trail on this stretch. An adult and a calf. The calf scurried and the adult started lumbering toward me.

What you don’t want to see climbing to a 12,800′ pass.

Skirting down Lake Ann pass. I’ve sent my spikes and axe home so I just clutch the snow with my bare hands. This was Thursday.

It’s incredible to see avalanche run outs. It’s hard to imagine the force behind these events but seeing aspens ripped out out of the ground for hundreds of meters gives some perspective.

On Friday I hit Mt. Elbert at 14,440, the second highest in the lower 48 behind Whitney. I hit the trailhead at 2 pm and see people descending and get some comments, “a little late start?”. I push hard to the top and arrive at 4.

My Aunt Joan and Uncle Jack (Allentown support team) sent me cookies to my Twin Lakes resupply. They are the calories that got me 4k ft to the summit.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

The marmots or, “The Summit Barons” are jealous.

I’m in camp at treeline on Mt. Massive by 8 pm, looking back at Elbert.

I’m up at 4:30 on Saturday to hit Mt. Massive. At 14,421, it’s the third highest in the 48. For some reason the fans of Mt. Massive wanted it to be the highest in Colorado so folks would pile rocks at the summit. Mt. Elbert fans would then climb Massive and knock the rocks down. People in the 1920s had a ton of fun climbing 14ers.

Alpenglow on Massive

Mt. Massive is way more fun with a bit of tiny scramble at the top. Sierra high route got me on a scramblin kick.

Exhilarated at the top, I have it all to myself.

It has a summit ridge of over 3 miles with numerous false summits. It has more area above 14,000 than any other summit in the lower 48.

I’m on the summit at 7 am. 28 miles later and I’m walking through the streets of Leadville, looking back at the summit, and sampling the local Pabst Blue Ribbon. In Leadville, old guys wear tattered jeans with hokas. I get advice for a sub 24 100 miler at the bar. The guys training for Leadville 100 ask me if I’m just dirtbaggin out here. Pretty much…

Storms coming in, I’ll be in Breckenridge for the 4th. Hot damn!

I walk below tree line for quite a while, appreciating the shade and relative protection from weather.

Sargents Mesa has war memorial seemingly in the middle of nowhere. I’m sure there’s a trailhead nearby, but for me, I walked 3 days to get here. I spend a moment here.

Afternoon/evening storms have started building in this section. Approaching evening one night and it looks like I’m in for some overnight weather…

Until I find this backcountry cabin. Had a candlelit dinner. These huts are notorious for rat infestations but I didn’t have any problems.

There’s actual trail on this section, less and less snow so I’m able to do bigger days.

I make it to Monarch pass quick… Enough time to hitch into Denver and try to meet Caitlin at the airport.

I walk around Denver with a thousand yard stare, looking at the hordes of people staring back at me, staring up at skyscrapers, and spending at least $20 on coffee.

I surprise Caitlin at the airport and we spend the next 3 days visiting every single place in Salida where you can buy beer, ice cream, or food.

It feels like the first day of summer vacation, not a worry in the world. I wear underwear for the first time in 7 weeks.

Caitlin and I are partners in crime in this town, walking around with an insouciant attitude.

Caitlin sadly has to leave me, so I grab a meal from Safeway, this time without the voice of reason next to me.

Trail after a triple zero is gonna be a world of hurt. I think I’m ready for it. Maybe…