Joanna On The Trail

Wednesday, June 24, 2026
12.5 miles / 1,975 ft elevation gain

Another good night’s sleep — I’m actually getting more rest out here than I do at home. Going to bed when it gets dark turns out to be a remarkably effective sleep strategy. On my way back from the bathroom this morning I stopped to watch the sunrise over the lake. Worth every second of being up early.

Before leaving camp I hung my wettest clothes inside my tent to dry. By the time I got back this evening, they were mostly dry. Progress.

On the Trail

As expected, Day 3 was the least strenuous of the week so far — a little longer than yesterday but with 20% less elevation gain. No brutal climbs, just a steady progression upward, the longest being a ~1,000 foot gain over 4 miles toward the end, where we crossed the 8,000 foot mark for the first time, finishing at around 8,300 feet.

The scenery keeps getting better every day. We started in the shade of some dramatic rock formations, transitioned into pine forest, and spent stretches walking alongside creeks. At one point the trail ran along the northern border of a shooting range — we strictly heeded the signs telling us to stay on the trail. The trail is also popular with mountain bikers — we passed about 10 of them — and every single one was courteous, stopping or slowing to let us pass. A refreshing change from the mountain bikers on California trails who treat hikers as optional obstacles.

Chase was lead again (Chris sweeping), so we picked up right where we left off on Day 1. Today we went deeper: my career at Lockheed Martin and Apple, what kind of role he might look for after graduating next year, tattoos (he recently got his 1st — a tree on his lower left leg), the backpack he made himself and his plans to improve the design for the next version, and stories from previous treks he’d guided. Good conversations have a way of making the miles feel easier.

All Kinds of Families

Before dinner, the group somehow landed on the topic of cults and religious extremists. Mother God from nearby Crestone, the Branch Davidians, Ruby Ridge, Jim Jones. I’m not sure how we got there, but it was a thoroughly engrossing conversation and I came away with 2 good book recommendations. This is what happens when you put a bunch of curious, well-traveled people together with no phones and nothing else to do.

Dinner was “Hula”, which I learned a few days earlier meant Hawaiian, but was easier to fit on the whiteboard. Looking at my bowl — rice, broccoli, black bean “meat” — I wasn’t optimistic. I was wrong. A little sriracha over whatever seasoning they’d added to the black beans and it was genuinely delicious. I’ll take the culinary surprise.

After dinner it rained, so some of us gathered in the living room tent, talking about our partners and families until lights out.

Trail Talk: The Wilderness Area

At Trail Talk, Dan explained that tomorrow we’d be passing through the Lost Creek Wilderness — about 7 miles of trail with special rules designed to keep these areas truly wild: no motorized equipment, no mechanized travel (including bikes), and limited group sizes. Due to the unique requirements of the wilderness area, we’d need to be on our own (unguided) while passing through.

A few hikers seemed a little apprehensive, but we self-organized quickly. We made sure someone in each group had the Far Out app with the trail downloaded, and that at least 1 of us would stay with both the faster and slower hikers. The trail has been so well-marked all week that I’m honestly not worried.

Tomorrow is supposed to be the hardest day of the week, with over 3,000 ft of elevation gain — and also the most beautiful. I cannot wait!

Tomorrow: Segment 4, Wellington Lake Road to Long Gulch. 16.4 miles, 3,271 feet of elevation gain.