Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
To Celebration Lake
CT Section 25.
Highlights: Pass south of Rolling Mountain, Cascade Creek and waterfalls, Views of Wilson Massif/Lizard Head Peak
17 miles
A long day. Greg and I packed up camp and headed out at 7am, for a few miles of what would be the prettiest woods trail of the day. Then we had a long, gradual climb to the highest point of this week’s journey, the pass south of Rolling Mountain, at 12,500 feet. The fields of wildflowers and alpine ponds enroute were amazing.
Then came a long, switch-backing descent into the woods to around 10,800 feet. To me, the downhill felt great after two days of mostly uphill to this point, but this especially bothered Greg’s knee.
The crossing of Cascade Creek’s tributary and Cascade Creek proper quickly became highlights of the day. Both had tremendous waterfalls. The first waterfall required a climb up the unique white rock of the creek to be able to get a good look at it—but it was worth it!
Then came one more long, grueling, hot ascent—to a saddle at 11,760 feet. Two miles prior to the top, Greg and I split at what he called “the clearest stream” he’d ever seen. We agreed to split up, so I could go ahead and setup camp where we agreed, at Celebration Lake.
From the saddle came another surprise highlight of the day, a great view of El Diente, the Wilsons, and Lizard Head.
Then it was down, down, down, onto a woods road, and finally to Celebration Lake. I arrived at mile 17 for the day at 4:40pm, and set up camp in a beautiful cluster of pines above the lake.
The trail has certainly not been crowded, but we have met a number of interesting people already. We first met “Wrong Way” (trail name) early yesterday after crossing the Animas River. She caught up with Greg this evening, and they walked the last couple miles together, joining me in camp around 5:30. I got a fire going to help squelch the persistent mosquitos, and we sat around, ate and talked for a couple of hours.
