2 long underwear tops and insulated leggings might have kept this week’s upper 30 temps comfortable but the trails were saturated. Patience. Today I hiked new trails out at Western Gateway and yesterday Slim Shady to Highline turning around at the Pedestal. Add freeze thaw mud and clouds have prolonged water absorption even at 41% humidity today. Patience.
Yesterday was sunny and in low 40s. I headed out on Slim Shady which was plenty wet even several small patches of thawing puddles. Then Highline which for most of the section I hiked is N facing meaning frozen and firm. Maybe 25 hikers were encountered head on, my timing must have been catching the returnees if not they all had a good long hike. Ran into a man and woman mixing a lot of walking with pedaling on Highline. They had mud tracks up their backs. They were in way over their head. They were escaping from New York. I did not inquire as to their trail choice of riding this double black difficulty trail and they were using Trailforks. Might guess that back home they ride blacks so this trail should be comparable. They bailed on Transcept which will have way more hike a bike. Beth was pedaling, short conversation. Highline has become very technical beyond the drop off as all the footsteps have eroded the sand between the rocks which cause the rocks to “grow”. Back when the trail was just built as a social trail that sometimes required the secret handshake to find the start the rocks were not features and could be ridden mostly by me. This spring I rode and walked it with Bill Z. It seems more difficult now. I propose a biker trail that won’t get the hiker traffic and has the views that present Highline has.
Today I hiked new trails that all of us have helped build in the last year. I took a flyer at a faint tread which lead to a being constructed trail that I hiked to end of construction. I then followed flagging down to enter a wash which is right at Girdner before the climb out on Girdner. Great way to escape the difficult climb. I suspect we will finish the build this winter. Whatever tread faced either south or west was drying out or already there. N face was slippery mud. Many trail loop choices to be had with some that offer less strenuous climbs. Excited to ride there and figure loops.
Last bunch of nights I have stayed at the paved overlook as the desert is too soft and slippery. Yesterday I checked out MP 4, I prolly could have slithered in and back but I decided to give more time. The places I have stayed along Beaverhead have been badly beaten from vehicles, more since I checked out the spots last week. Irresponsible destruction of our natural resources before cows are let in to add their destruction.
Still waiting for the call from the repair shop for an appointment to install replacement resonator and hose.
I stayed at the overlook all day christmas. Very close by is a defacto shooting range. Lots of ammo fired.
Temps are forecast as is sunshine. Trails will become hero dirt soon. Maybe tomorrow.