Grider Creek

I woke up to blue skies and visibility this morning. I could actually see views instead of nothingness! And it was gorgeous. I spent the morning taking pictures.

I stopped in Marble Valley for second breakfast. There is a ranger cabin there that is locked and boarded up but one of the shutters had been pulled off so I was able to look inside. It still had all its tools and furniture. I really would love to live in one of these things.

I had lunch at Paradise Lake and then got serious about my pace. I wanted to make it 29 miles to Grider Creek Campground so I could get into town early tomorrow. Smoke was blowing in again so my views disappearing helped me to stop dallying. There were a few more miles of climbing and then a 5200′ drop.

I saw my third bear of the trip today, a small, light brown colored one. It was right on the trail but didn’t even notice me until I spoke to it and then it just ran away.

I crossed Grider Creek several times on bridges, or where bridges should have been. This area burned last year so the first bridge was missing and the second one was in pieces in the water. The third one was fine, but the fourth bridge had a warning sign on it that horses were not allowed and pedestrians were only allowed one at a time. It didn’t exactly inspire confidence and I could see burned parts of the bridge as I crossed it.

I made it into the campground just before 9:00 and found several friends there.