CDT - Day 71 - James Peak
The morning started with a quick climb up James Peak (13,289 feet). The initial ascent wasn't bad at all, and I reached the summit by 9:00 a.m. Even though I was the last person to leave camp, I was the first one to the top.
It was cold and incredibly windy on the summit, so a few of us made coffee while hiding behind the rock cairns to stay out of the wind.
The other side of the mountain turned into a six-mile ridge walk with countless small climbs and descents. The wind never let up, and by the time we reached Rollins Pass, we were all glad to be off the ridge.
From Rollins Pass, it was time for another big climb, this time into the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The route followed the aptly named High Lonesome Trail along another beautiful ridgeline before eventually descending back into the forest.
It started raining as we dropped below treeline. I put on my rain jacket a couple of times, but it was almost too warm to wear. The showers only lasted a few minutes at a time before moving on.
By the end of the day, I had hiked 21.3 miles with about 6,250 feet of elevation gain. I probably could have pushed a little farther, but it wasn't clear how good the campsites were beyond the one I found, so I decided to call it a day.