We wake up and everything is soaking wet! I think this is the most condensation I’ve ever experienced inside my tent. My sleeping bag is sopping!

Professor and I planned a shorter day today so we wait a bit for the sun to rise before taking off. I just can’t bring myself to stuff my wet sleeping bag into my pack.

Professor takes off and I linger a bit longer hoping to dry my gear some more. Eventually other hikers start passing by me. Thin Mint, True Grits, Ice age and Toast. I’m the last one out of camp ahahaha

I get impatient and pack up my wet things. I’ll have another opportunity to dry them. The morning trail is a breeze through more burn section.

I come to a cabin and the whole crew is there except for the Professor.

I have too much energy to hang out so I push forward.

We’re all planning on doing part of an alternate route called Spotted Bear.

There’s a big stream crossing, I take my shoes off and hike in my sandals.

I love these sandals! They stay on my feet really well in the water and the tread on the bottom provides great traction on slippery rocks.

The trees are super lush in this section. I have fun observing all the different shades of green.

The trail starts to climb up on top of a ridge.

I feel like I’m in a fairy tale forest. It’s so beautiful, wild flowers and waterfalls.

I catch up to The Professor breaking for lunch. I break with him and dry out all my gear.

The Breeze and True Grits catch up.

The Professor and I continue hiking on the Spotted Bear alternate route then we branch off onto a connector trail to get back to the official CDT. The Spotted Bear alternate continues but I don’t want to miss the North China Wall. There’s a spot where the yellow line pinches close to the red line where we’ll cross over.

The Geologists are a day ahead of us and doing the same route (the first half of the alternate then cutting across back onto the official CDT trail). They’ve been messaging The Professor a a few heads up to follow the cairns, the trail disappears, and that there’s no camping after the pass. Thank you Geologists!

The views are gorgeous. And yes, the trail disappears but for some cairns marking the way.

What an adventure.

Professor and I hike over the pass and back down reconnecting with the official CDT.

We hike to Lake Levale, a stunning turquoise blue from the glacier melt.

I have to do a painting.

We decide to camp near by and eat dinner near the shore.

I can’t take my eyes away, the blue is mesmerizing. There are little silver fish that jump every now and then. I could sit and watch the wind play on the water forever.

I eventually head to camp to set up. Toast and Ice Age are there! They go and check out the lake.

It’s super super windy. I try to set up a wind screen with dead branches. We’ll see how much sleep I get 😛