Squaw Pass

SQUAW PASS, CDT TRAIL, WEMINUCHE WILDERNESS. July 10, 2007. Erin and the crew rode 21 miles today much of it directly on the continental divide. In some areas the trail passes down the middle of wide floating runways. In other places it becomes very narrow such that during a rain storm Erin contemplated that the drops rolling down her left leg were headed for the Pacific and those rolling down the right were headed for the Atlantic Ocean. DEEP. They passed safely through the infamous 'Knifes Edge' where Weminuche lore notes that a string of horses fell to their deaths a few years back. Erin looked over the edge and saw no skeletal remains. There was snow here - so as not to take any chances she pulled out her trusty shovel and spent 45 minutes digging a trench down the middle of the narrow trail before passing safely through the knife. Later, on a wide and flat section Yoakum caught a back leg in boggy ground and went down backwards and sideways throwing Erin to the ground. The saddle iron provided a bruise but no serious damage done to mule or rider. Most of the ride was above tree line. At dusk they descended down to the tree line and camped along Squaw Creek below Chief Mountain (ele 13014). While unpacking Erin was pulling hard on a pack rope, her hand slipped and she ended up socking herself in the face.

The scenery is amazingly beautiful, the weather given the location so far relatively mild.