Day 38- Not Dangerous...Yet

We went to the post office in the morning, fingers crossed that the snow shoes would be waiting...and after being told to come back in an hour they were there.  Also there were more hikers--ones we hadn't met before.  Nar and Paw, Max Chill, and Cookie.  All were planning on spending at least the day in Chama. 

I must of spent too long in town because by the time we hitched back up to the pass around 1 o'clock I could tell right away I wasn't used to the elevation anymore. I felt the same kind of weakness that I feel when I don't eat enough out here, but eating doesn't help.  The elevation also makes it feel like the top button on my shirt is too tight--even when it isn't buttoned.  Hopefully I'll get used to the elevation again quickly.

The afternoon brought many stream crossings--most were easy to stay out of the water--not that we had dry feet by that point anyway.  

The third time I strapped the snow shoes to me feet proved to be the time they were really needed.  I didn't take them off for the rest of the afternoon's hike.  My feet were wet and cold, but at least I wasn't post-holing like before.  

I managed to shed a few ounces of weight from my pack in preparation for the four pound snow shoes--but I only bounced ounces, not pounds, so my pack was the heaviest its been since the desert and the long water carriers.  I'm hoping the extra weight and using the snow shoes don't injure my tendons--its a little scary going into the San Jauns not knowing what to expect of the conditions and of myself.  

Trail 813 was our trail for the afternoon and while it wasn't tame that day, it was dangerous...yet.

The trail followed a private property fence line through an area that had scarcely a tree standing--it looked like maybe the area had suffered a fire in the past. 

Golden hour in the San Jauns.  We hiked all afternoon until dusk and only manage 7 miles--and that was with the help of the snow shoes.  We found a small place to camp as it grow dark--just a snow free patch of ground that wasn't flat, but it was dry and sheltered from the wind.