I left my camp at Rabbit Ears Pass early in the morning and hitched a ride with Eric and Bismarck from Nicaragua almost all the way to Steamboat Springs. They only spoke Spanish so I tried my best to communicate with them in Spanish using my very beginner skills and google translate. I 

let them know that I am hiking from Mexico to Canada and going to Steamboat Springs to get my resupply. They looked confused for why I’m doing this and asked me if I’m married and have children. I laughed and said no. When they dropped me off, they wished me well. Next, I rode with Tim to the library. He gave me a tour as we drove through downtown. 

At the library, I worked on my blog post and charged my devices. Then I headed out to the post office to pick up my resupply. Since there wasn’t anywhere else to organize my resupply, I went outside and started organizing my food. 

Steamboat Springs is probably the biggest town that I went through along the CDT of Colorado. However, they didn’t have a hiker center or a space where we could go to meet our needs. I was disappointed that Steamboat Springs didn’t have a place for hikers because I know they have resources to do it. 

While I was outside the post office, many people walked by. One of them stopped and we started talking and he said, “Do you need anything?” I asked him for a ride to a store and as we were driving, he told me about Michelle, his wife, was interested in doing the PCT next year. I gave him my website so that Michelle can check it out and learn about PCT from my perspective. He dropped me off at the Ski Hut, an outdoor equipment shop, and I thanked the him for the ride. 

When I walked into the store, I immediately liked it! At the entrance, they had a hiker box and a fireplace where they had a community bulletin board for the CDT hikers who came through the store. Later, the store person asked me to fill out a small piece of paper which had questions like trail name, deepest thought, best trail magic, etc. He took an instant photo of me

so that my comments and the photo will go up on the fireplace bulletin board as well. 

I walked to the City Market and I got some fresh food. While I was eating, a woman asked me if she could have an extra chair that was at my table. She asked, “Are you traveling?” I told her I’m hiking the CDT and she asked if I she could sit with me. Cindy, the woman, said she hiked the Appalachian Trail when she was 19. She asked me to share some of the stories on the trail. I told her all about going through snow in San Juan mountains in May, summiting Grays and Torres Peaks, and the Rocky Mountain National Park. She was so easy to talk to and her energy was calming and welcoming that I kept talking and talking. When I took a breath, she said, “Well, after all the hiking you did you’re still glowing!” I told her how privileged I am to hike the CDT and of course, I am loving it so much. Cindy kindly offered and gave me a ride back to Rabbit Ears Pass. Then,

Amanda and Quentin, and their four kids gave me the last mile up to the pass on the pavement road. I thanked them and I started hiking.

The trail went through meadows after meadows. Wildflowers were blooming, and I saw Avalanche Lillies, which I saw in northern California on the PCT after the snow melt. They are one of the first flowers to come out after snow melt. These tiny Lillie’s took me back to my good memories of the PCT. 

The elevation stayed around 9000 feet to 10,000 feet and there wasn’t any big climb or a downhill that I had to do. Instead, I received an overwhelming welcome by the mosquitoes!

I saw dark clouds started to build up in the evening after I set up my camp. Soon, a thunderstorm came. It brought not only the moisture but also the temperature down for a better sleep for the night.

The next morning, I realized that I haven’t been inside my sleeping bag for the last few days. It is July and it’s getting warmer everyday! I noticed that the daylight was getting longer as I hike northbound. Now it is light past 9 PM. 

I enjoyed hiking through the meadows and in the trees with very little elevation change. Mosquitoes have become my background sound and I didn’t get bothered by them while I was hiking.

There was something new that entertained me on this stretch of the trail- frogs! Besides listening to songbirds, I enjoyed hearing frogs croaking. The sun was bright and the meadows were full of flowers, water and greens. I loved gentle hills – very peaceful hike. 

At Buffalo Pass, I saw “Wyoming Trail”

sign and got excited! I knew I was getting so close to the border!

In the afternoon, the trail took me to climb the last 12,000 feet peak in Colorado called Last Ranger Peak. On the way there, there were a few more passes I went up and over. Every time I came to a plateau, wildflowers greeted me. The breathtaking views of flowers and their scent was something that I could never capture with my phone camera. I was lucky to be surrounded by such beauty over and over again for all day long.

I finished the last climb and saw sunflowers facing toward me as if they were congratulating me. Then, it was all downhill from there. I kept going, passing many snow patches and eventually to the trees.

The next day, the day before 4th of July, I finally crossed the border between Colorado and Wyoming. Leading up to the border was so Colorado- climbing steep hills until the very end. The last day of hiking Colorado was definitely easier compared to what I have been through and yet, it was still challenging for the constant steep ascents and descents over and over again.

To me, July 4th symbolizes independence for us to become a new nation. At the same time, it ignored already established Native American nations across the US. Therefore, it also symbolizes resilience of the American Indian people and interdependence that they value to exist with each others and the earth. Independence, resiliency, and interdependence were keys to my success to finish Colorado. Finishing Colorado the day before the 4th of July gave me a space to reflect on my journey.

First, leaving Chama, NM to Pagosa Springs, I was hit by the late winter storm that dumped a foot of fresh snow over night. I wasn’t prepared for anything like that and struggled to navigate and keep moving in the storm. Even when it all became white-out that I could no longer tell if I was going uphill or downhill, I still had a great sense of humor. 

Second, of course, San Juan Mountains! I will forever remember the extreme challenges that were presented to me in the world of snow covered mountains. I was focused every moment on the snow with all of my senses completely open and engaged. I spent lot of my time reading the landscape and followed my intuition and knowledge for the best path possible. That includes getting up on the actual continental divide and walking and scrambling on the ridge with just sky above me, climbing up the snow walls, crawling on the snow to avoid postholing, and sliding down the snow slopes. As I navigated and moved forward, I felt my best version of myself. From now on, I will tell myself, “Remember San Juan” when I meet any extreme challenges and struggles in my life.

Thirdly, all 14ers I climbed! San Luis, Massive, Grey’s and Torres. The views from the top of these mountains were spectacular and I felt I was on the top of the world that anything is possible. What I loved the most was feeling the sense of freedom. 

Fourth, the trek to Grays Peak summit following the continental divide. I had  never been exposed to the sun and wind  for that extended period of time before. When I woke up to the thick fog on the summit day, I was nervous about not being able to see anything. Then the fog lifted up slowly and suddenly I saw the Grays and Torres- so grand! I scrambled and walked the  divide up to the top with my full pack just like I did in San Juan. I was so proud.

Lastly, the Rocky Mountain National Park 28-mile hike with a full pack in a day. I will remember the garden of wildflowers, the fragrance scent that were carried by the wind and three sightings of moose.

These are the highlights of Colorado and  extraordinary moments. I will also remember simple everyday wow moments- early morning walks, greeting the sunrise, sunflowers facing me to say good morning, puffing and huffing up the hills, the views from so many mountain passes and peaks that had no names. 

Colorado brought out the best version of myself. It affirmed that I am resilient and independent that I exist in interdependency with all things. I would’ve been able to complete the San Juan if animals were not there to guide me. All the supporters who shared their time and resources- thank you. With your help, I was able to finish the toughest section of the CDT. Some are those whom I’ve known for decades. Some are whom I met on the road, trail or in and around resupply towns, and I appreciate how the universe brought us together. It’s all meant to be.

Thank you everyone for your support! It’s a miracle that I was able to hike all the official CDT “red” routes without taking any cutoffs. Colorado – I loved how you challenges me

On the 4th of July,  the morning air was filled with moisture as I began hiking.
It rained quite a bit during the night. The sunrise illuminated the layers of clouds over the mountains. The water droplets on the plants were like crystals reflecting the low light. I enjoyed the overcast which was a great hiking weather.

Since entering Wyoming the day before, I noticed that the CDT are well marked with wooden poles and cairns that I appreciated a lot. I followed these trail signs and cruised the mountains and meadows in the morning all the way to the Battle Pass. 

On the way, Borin, a French CDT hiker, caught up to me and we checked in for a few minutes while I getting water. We’ve been leap frogging since Grand Lake and for the last three days we passed each other at least once or twice a day.

He is a 31 year old, 6 foot 3 foot tall very strong hiker. His strides are incredible, hiking at a 3.5-4 miles an hour or even faster. He put in 30 miles day and is done his day around 4:30 PM. I usually pass his tent when I still have a few miles to go. It’s been nice to have a consistent hiker along the way. We gave each other hi-five crossing Colorado border. Even though it is a brief chat when we see each other, I still appreciate his energy and company.
After getting water, he slowed down for me for a few minutes and talked about French Alps and other hiking places in New Zealand. I would love to try these places too.

I was supposed to go to Encampment for resupply from the pass. I figured if I could hike 33 miles a day for two more days, I could make it to Rawlins with just a meal short. I could split my last meal in half and I could make it. So I decided to skip Encampment and kept going. 

The afternoon began with a steep climb, the last big climb until I hit Wind River Range. While I was climbing, I could see the dark clouds being built up ahead of me. I heard a thunder. Soon, an intense hailstorm began and I tucked myself in the trees just in time! it lasted for about 10 minutes. I sat among trees and watched huge hails coming down from the sky. After the storm was over, I made it to the bottom of the valley and all of the sudden, I came out to the field of Sagebrush. It was a completely different environment that I haven’t seen! The big sky with a dramatic clouds, the clear view of miles and miles away, Sagebrush with trees were all new and I thought yes, I’m in Wyoming!I kept going until I hit the 33 mile mark in the beautiful early evening.

The next morning, I saw the red sky on the east, another new day! The field of sunflower, bright and yellow, all facing the east, and ready to receive the sunshine soon. I said to the sunflowers good morning and I thought it’s a miracle that they’ve been probably doing this for millennia. I felt such a privilege to witness this miracle on the Earth- the beautiful relationship between the sun and the plants. Me too, waiting for the sun to rise. Hiking alone, never feeling alone, because I have such a consistency in nature. The sun will rise no matter what happens. Every day is a good day in the scale of nature. I said hello and good morning to all the beings. I love the smell of moisture in the air and a sweet scent that a new plant that I haven’t smelled was giving away. It reminded me of the Pacific Northwest and the smell of Big Leaf Maple. 

Wyoming is the first place I immigrated from Japan. It’s so close to my heart. I consider Wyoming as my home and the smell in the air welcomes me back. I’m home!

The morning walk was filled with wildlife sightings. Right before Borin caught up with me, I saw a badger on the trail! First, I thought it was a coyote, but then I saw black streaks on its face and they moved like badger. They were waiting for me in the brush until I got close then they went into a large hole in the ground. Much earlier at the sunrise, I saw three deer, running through the Sagebrush. It’s amazing to watch how they effortlessly move in the field. In the  afternoon, I saw a pronghorn. They ran so fast! Wyoming presents open land with plenty of wildlife. I kept hearing high pitch sounds of ground squirrels. Walking through the sagebrush brought me back a memory of Tetons where I went to grad school.

I saw a sign that said Red Rim,

a wildlife  habitat management area by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. No wonder why I saw so much wildlife! 

I was going to get the last water for the day from the creek that was on the map. If I were just reading the paper map, I would know that water source by seeing a solid blue line which indicates the year round water source. On the FarOut app map, the water sources are not always on the solid blue line. Sometimes it’s just a spring water or sometimes it’s a seasonal creek but it’s still running. I trusted the water source on FarOut app since It has been accurate. So when I got to where the creek was supposed to be and I saw nothing was there, I was like oh no. The next water source was a cow tank only .3 mile away. When I got there, there was nothing. I was like this is not good! I only had a quarter litter left and I needed at least 2 L through the evening and the morning. I looked at the map for the e trusted water source and it was 5.8 mile away, a long way at the end of the day. But I was like well I had to go so I did. On the way there I saw Borin. He set up his camp for the day and told me it was a tough day. I agreed! He barely had enough water for himself, but he gave me half a litter water and wished me luck to get to the pond. I kept moving. I saw many cows along the way and I talked to them that I needed some water! After walking almost 2 hours, I finally saw a body of water. I don’t remember ever being so excited to see a pond! I was relieved to see clear water, not brown murky water for the night. I ended up hiking 44 miles which was the most I ever hiked. I wouldn’t usually hike more than 35 but it’s good to know my body could handle that distance.  

The next morning, I woke up thinking what an epic day I had yesterday and I can’t believe I walked 44 miles in the desert. I got into my camp late, but no matter how late I go to bed, I still wake up at the same time. I felt rested even though my resting time was much shorter than usual.

I love desert morning. My life-saving pond hosted a lot of birds like kill deer and swallow. I passed other ponds on the way and I saw ducks peacefully sitting on the water. 

The desert sun sunrise is incredible. I saw a pronghorn standing in a sagebrush looking at me. It is a magical time of the day to witness the entire landscape turns gold. 

I made it to another pond/dam and got water. While I was filtering water sitting on a rock at the edge of the pond, I saw a river otter looking animal swimming like a river otter. It’s smaller than the otter so I thought it might have been a muskrat or something else. How exciting!

Soon, Borin caught up with me and he said his feet got so many blisters and done after hiking yesterday. He said he put 40 miles, the longest he hiked in a day. He said he would have to hitch a ride into Rawlins. I thanked him for the water from yesterday and we exchanged our contact information. I wished him the best and I hope that we see each other again. Taking care of our bodies are critical and difficult on the CDT. I’m glad that he knew he had to get a ride. I don’t judge any hikers who get rides to get to meet their needs. At the end, it’s your journey and I want everyone to enjoy their adventure.

After I said goodbye to Borin, the CDT finally broke off from the backroads and became a trail. At the same time, it was poorly maintained and I hardly saw any footprints on the ground. I had to rely on my GPS for navigation. The soil was silty and my steps sank into the ground taking a lot of time and energy to follow the trail. After a while, cairns disappeared. I decided to follow the highway which had very little traffic until I could cut off to the backroad again. It was getting hot and I needed to take a break. I made it to the Sage Creek which had no water and went down to a culvert for the shade. It was cool and quiet. I thought well, the CDT just doesn’t get easier! 

After the break, I continued on the highway and finally made it to the backroad cutoff. It was gated with a big sign that said “private property.” I couldn’t trespass and had no choice to call it off for the day. I hitched a ride with Darrel into Rawlins for the last 10 miles and he dropped me off at the City Market. I’ve been eating less than usual so I was excited to see fresh abundant food! Then Sean, a chief who just got off his shift, took me to my hotel for the night.

The last time I had access to shower was at Carrie’s home in Golden, Colorado. It felt good to take the bath, eat and rest, knowing that the next section from Rawlins to Lander, the 120-mile desert stretch with little water will be tough. 

Lander is where NOLS world headquarters is and I’m looking forward to seeing my special friends.

So I’m excited and to see how I would handle the desert in July. We shall see.