Day 7: Friday - A moose long gone

Belvedere Mtn to Corless Camp

Given our spectacular 360deg view campsite we thought we’d get up early to see the sunrise. This partially worked to plan, and Billy leaped out of the tent at 5:15am. I rolled over and asked him to get me up if there was any colour in the sky. I snoozed for the next half an hour, so I guess the sunrise stayed behind the clouds this morning.

We were still ready to go early, and had headed down to Vt 118 (a crossing road) by 7am. Breakfast in a small glade of ferns and trees was a beautiful spot to rest and have a coffee.  

Breakfast in the forest near Vt 118

Crossing the road we bumped into another group of Summer Campers – Billy inadvertently let on about the guy with a broken arm we’d seen yesterday, which caused a bit of a ruckus and started a series of gossip and guessing that should keep the group entertained well into the morning.

We continued up to Devils Gulch – It’s amazing how we could picture what a gulch was, before we even saw it, or really knew what it was. Almost a canyon, more open, filled with mossy rocks to clamber over. 

Devil's Gulch

What we didn’t picture was a dinosaur like moose carcass lying in the middle of the track! Slightly greening, it looked like we had entered the Lost World.

Moose bones

Hoping to see a live moose, we followed the track through more lush forest. The track was clearer than in the previous sections we had walked, and the terrain undulating, so we quickly made it up to Spruce Ledge camp, where I had a sneaky nap, then past the two summits of Bowen Mountain, and after a short steep climb, to the top of Butternut Mountain, stopping along the way at an intersection with a skidoo track for lunch.

Nap time

Roadside lunch

Billy taught me a bit of Spanish along the way, and I am now well rehearsed with phrases such as “When is lunch?” (Quando ere la comida) and “I’m happy” (Estoy feliz.) Hopefully some help on our next trip!

Easy enough to talk and walk

We arrived at Corliss Camp, home for the night, at 5:45pm and met our fellow hikers – 2 guys from Vermont, who were into the last 3 days of their 24 day trek, and our forth group of Summer Campers, lining up for their nightly ration (beef jerky, beef stroganoff and chocolate brownie on the menu).

The Vermonters were on quite a journey, and they told us about 60mph winds atop Mansfield Mtn, sleeping in the Laundromat at Johnson, and the free 6 pack of beers they’d picked up from some overnight campers a week ago (a trip highlight).

Another great day – the longest so far, but only one more day until a refueling stop in Johnson. Yay!

The day in statistics

Total Miles: 12.2

Total up: 620m

Total down: 1,100m

No. of Moose: 1 (sort of)

Happy Place Fever rating: Billy – 0, Shell – 0 (but looking forward to a shower tomorrow!)