Day #28 (85)-Knapsack stole my underpants. Miles hiked: 17ish

Today was an all out adventure as it was dedicated to completing one of the most famous “alternates” on the CDT through the Winds, Knapsack Col. To my surprise and great fortune, I ran across two other SOBO hikers, Smarts and Rattle, right at the start of the climb.

It took an entire 12 hour hiking day to complete 17 miles today because “trail” is a very loose term. The route consisted mainly of tallus, boulder fields, and snow fields as we made our way out of the valley and up to the Col.

The final stretch required hands and legs to climb, but the view at the top of an entirely new valley was so incredibly worth it!

I even got to practice my snow glissade on the downhill side. Unfortunately this resulted in the loss of my favorite pair of underwear off the back of my pack…

The second half of the day was less challenging but equally beautiful with countless alpine lakes and meadows to enjoy.

Goodnight from a dry tent in a thunderstorm. Town tomorrow!