04/13

Amidst the morning light, I negotiated with the cold mountain air like a hostage in a sleeping bag standoff. Eventually, hunger won. We retrieved our bear cans, stashed a safe distance from camp, and found them sealed with frost. Straddling our cans like roosting hens, we waited for breakfast to thaw out.

Standing Indian Mountain, our tallest summit yet at 5,475 feet, was first on our to-do list. The elevation gain, stretched out over a few miles, felt more like a slow walk on an inclined treadmill than a dramatic ascent. Nothing fancy, just sweat.

At the top, we stopped for our usual five-star lunch: one tuna packet, one tortilla, and a shit ton of hot sauce… take that Rachel Ray.

The days have been getting easier with the sun, and our spirits are noticeably higher rolling into camp. This time we were greeted by a friendly hiking duo who offered us clementines, cheese sticks, and Oreos, aka trail magic. We devoured the snacks before saying our goodbyes.

“Carter Gap” sat on a scenic mountain ridge, with plenty of flat ground (a luxury out here). We took our pick of tent sites and watched as the sky turned crimson behind the hills, settling in for the night.