Day 40 (ODT 8)

Day 40 (ODT 8): 20 miles

I started out the morning at the Paisley Mercantile eating some breakfast burritos and chugging a 2 liter of Dr Pepper. I still didn’t need to buy any food to resupply because of how much is remaining from the start. While hanging out in there I talked with a group of locals sitting around in there. A nice lady offered to give me a ride around the fire closure and I took her up on the offer.

I then entered the Fremont National Forest and it was delightful to be in some trees again. I was walking in and out of shade all day and it felt like such a luxury now after not seeing trees for a few days. There was also flowing water around constantly which felt strange.

I did have a few fords today which I was not expecting. And when I stepped in the water it was nine-chillingly cold from the snowmelt.

I climbed up to 7,500 feet and dealt with my first patches of snow while doing so. Most of it wasn’t bad, just lingering mounds here and there. But there was one steep snow section on the northeast side of one mountain which was a little sketchy going across. It looked like one or two people have done it recently when it was warm cause there were some post holes, but I felt pretty precarious walking across it without any traction (which I will be getting before Steens Mountain). I took it slow and steady, and had to kick in some footholds of my own using my heels, and I got the job done. Slipping and falling wouldn’t have been deadly, just unpleasant and painful. A few fresh snow flurries actually did start to fall for about 15 minutes in the evening.

When I got my first open views after climbing up above 7,000 feet, I was amazed. It was so vastly different from what I’ve been in, and beautiful.

From fording to walking in wet grass and mud to post hiking in snow, my feet were wet most of the day, which is a 180 from being arid and covered in sand. Goodness gracious I did not miss post holing. It wasn’t even bad most of the day, but it brought back a lot of bad memories.
I’m camping right by Vee Lake with the sounds of frogs ribbiting nonstop. So much water, so much green, so much life.