SHULTZ SADDLE, MT
32 miles today.
It began with the recognition that yesterday‘s 25 miles and 4 climbs wore out HoJo. We were going at different paces and we agreed to go on independently. We exchanged contact info and will certainly keep in touch.
I hit the trail at 6:30. Everything I had on from head to toe was soaked from yesterday‘s rain and sweat. Through the morning it began to dry, but sure enough hail started during a climb. It turned to rain on the outside as I sweated the inside doing the climb.
It stayed pretty damp most of the day, but cleared around 4:00 so I could get water and have dinner. As I was pumping water, I felt something under my leg. Some kind of rodent climbed up from the rocks, under my leg, and dove in the water. Quite a surprise!
Just as I finished dinner, here came a big rain. I was able to get everything packed and hit the trail just as it started coming down.
In the evening it cleared and was great. I came up a ridge to a herd of elk grazing. When the saw me, one of them gave a dog-like yelp and they thundered off.
Montana continues to amaze. After the splendor of Glacier you might expect a letdown, but every day brings new wonders.
I feel fine except I continue to be bothered by a pinched nerve on top of my left shoulder blade. This goes back long before the hike and it gets painful on long days.
Tomorrow I’m in Darby. I’m dreaming of town food and the Pirates.