[cdt-l] RE: Mt Zirkel fires

[cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net (Calebe)]

First of all, congratulations for making it to Rawlings. I'm sure it
feels sweet to you guys to have made it though the desert. It sure looks
forbiding on the map. I had to break off at Rawlings and return to
Florida to tend to my family ....when I return I'll have the desert in
front of me first thing...it will be a true labor of love and probable
insanity if I don't wind up buying a bicycle and riding thru to the
winds...congratulations again.

A route around the Zirkels....i will tell you what I was advised to do.
Before that, though, you have about 70 miles of Wyoming ahead of you.
The trail in The Medicine Bow NF and Huston Wilderness is some of the
best I've ever walked. You have that to look forward to. The sagebrush
desert gradually slopes up into forests about 30 miles south of Rawlins.
The CDTA takes you in a 38 mile loop around to the west as you walk out
south of Rawlins. I was unsure of the water so skipped this section
(this is about 6 days ago...I was northbound) and walked North on Wy 71
/ CR 401 from the end of the CDTA segment 6 instead.

The detour around the Zerkels I took ended for me (begins for you) right
at the Colorado/Wyoming border. The CDT runs into trail 1197 which feeds
east-west into FR550. FR550 goes all the way down the west side of the
Zerkels to Columbine (a wide spot in the road, as they say). From there
you should be able to hitchhike to Clark, Steamboat Lakes, and Steamboat
Springs. Resume on the CDT at Buffalo Pass, east of Steamboat Springs.
Hahn's Peak, next to Columbine, was good to get a night look at all the
fires in the Zirkel. I did so-so with hitchhiking in the area. It didn't
help that I look like an axe-murderer after a few weeks of not
shaving.....I honestly think that I got rides from some people just so
they could tell their freinds they gave a ride to someone that was
probably an axe-murderer..<grin>

Best Wishes, Caleb Ewing



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