CDT - Day 116 - Leaving Lima
The Beaverhead Inn in Lima was a wonderful place to stay. This morning, I had a unique and delicious breakfast sandwich, coffee, and a brownie in the lobby while we waited for the shuttle.
Leaving town after a relaxing day always comes with mixed emotions. Part of me would love to stay a few more days and give my legs and feet a proper rest, but I also really want to finish the CDT. I miss my friends and family, and I'm ready to keep moving north.
Our shuttle driver dropped us off at the trailhead around 9:30 a.m., and we promptly hit the trail. I hadn't paid much attention to what today's hike would look like, but we quickly realized it was going to suck. The section is basically a 21-mile ridge walk with relentless steep climbs and descents.
I found a few comments on FarOut mentioning a way to bypass part of the ridgeline, so we decided to give it a try. For the most part, it worked out great. The alternate followed a shaded creek, which was much more pleasant than the exposed ridge. Unfortunately, it eventually had to climb back up to the Red Line, and the climb was ridiculously steep.
Once we reached the ridge, it was every bit as annoying as advertised.
After 14 miles, we dropped off the ridge to a beautiful spring surrounded by flat camping spots. We debated pushing another five miles to get beyond the ridge entirely, but the campsite was just too good to pass up.
We'll make up the miles over the next few days.