The view down into Elk Creek drainage; the mining ruins of beartown would be 180 degrees behind this scene, and over a hill. Fabulous artwork created by me.
Aside from the tremendously beautiful scenery, the most salient point to be made about this segment is that there is no longer any resupply possible at the Molas Lake Campground. That was unfortunate, since my pack by that point contained a single packet of salmon and some cracker dust -- thank heavens there were plenty of raspberries along the trail, or I'd have been in trouble.
As to the camp store closure, the old guy who runs the campground told me that "too many durn' kids were stealin' stuff," while fixing me with a suspicious eye, as if afraid that the mere proximity of a dirty hiker would cause his supplies to mysteriously vanish. He waved me towards the road with disinterest, told me I'd get a hitch into town "right quick."
In fact, it took a while. Not having planned to hitch that day, I was wearing all black (bad), and was more disheveled and stinky than normal (also bad), and was hitching from the wrong trailhead (very bad.) Which brings to mind a few more rules of hitching, gleaned from experience and other hikers' tips. For your entertainment, I hereby present: HOW TO HITCHHIKE.
-- Hitch from the trailhead. Locals know that a long trail passes their town, and they also know from where hikers generally hitch. If you are not at that spot, you might be a hobo or worse. If possible, stand where there's room to pull over, and also where you are visible from a long ways away.
-- Keep group size in mind. Pairs tend to be most successful, especially if one or both are women. Groups of four or more should split up.
-- Have a dog. People I've talked to say this is a big plus when hitching.
-- Clean yourself up. Even a quick hair combing, or running a wet rag over your muddy face, or a beard trim by a buddy, will help.
-- Dress as nicely and as innocently as you can. That shirt on which you've spilled fruit punch, so that it looks like you've been stabbed? No. Battered black Metalica T-shirt? No. Nice white thermal North Face shirt and clean-ish black nylon hiking pants? Yep, that'll do.
-- Take your pack off. Unless it is a very ratty pack, lean it against your legs or a nearby rock so that it faces oncoming traffic. You want passerbys to see that it is a fairly nice piece of hiker gear, rather than a transient's knapsack. Leaving your pack on makes it look like you're maybe going somewhere, and like you aren't all that tired anyway (and therefore not in dire need of a ride.)
-- Collapse your sharp and pointy trekking poles and stick them in your pack, so they are as unnoticeable as possible. Don't be waving those suckers around. (If nothing else, their size makes them appear likely to damage car upholstery.)
-- Take off your sunglasses and hat and put them in your pack. Drivers need to see your face.
-- Stay standing, or if vehicles are infrequent, stand when you spot one.
-- Take a map or guidebook out of your pack and pretend to read it, while keeping one eye on the road. As a vehicle approaches, look up hopefully, try to make eye contact with the driver, and wave a thumb. Such acting sounds a little silly, but works fantastically well. There's no better way to convey the truth: that you are a harmless hiker, maybe a little lost, and in need of assistance.
-- Keep all other belongings inside your pack. If they're spread out, it might take a while for you to gather everything and get in the car -- someone thinking of stopping won't want to wait.
-- Remember: if something doesn't feel right about the situation, you can always claim to have forgotten something a mile back, and then turn around and walk away.
By the way -- the Siverton Hostel, which is definitely highly recommended, will give you a ride back to the trail for a couple bucks. Most hotels catering to hikers will do this for you; call ahead and ask. Hitching back up to the trail is almost always harder than getting to town.
This is actually Little Molas Lake, in the beginning of the next segment. I stuck it here because my camera was dead for this segment.
Suggested updates to the databook:
0.0
Stony pass is just that -- tremendously, beautifully rocky. Big ridges rose like dragon spines, and it was windy here. There are mining ruins along the trail.
0.5
The evening after rain, we found plenty of streamlets and small ponds in this area. There are a couple flat benches to your left, facing over the road, which make for good camping. While doing just that, we witnessed a tremendous rockfall which possibly fell across the trail at the end of the last segment. Shortly, the trail heads right, up and away from the road, and wanders over open and rolling tundra.
1.8
Out here, old trails last a long time, and can form a confusing network when seen from afar. Keep an eye open for signposts, and don't cut downhill to a trail you can see below -- it might not be the CT.
3.3
At this point, you've finished 80% of the trail. Yay!
5.5
There's a Peruvian cowboy around here who may give you muddled directions in a mix of gestures and Spanish. (If you have any extra food, he'd appreciate it.) The next mile may be frustrating, because you can *see* Elk creek drainage off to your right; it seems like you should head straight there. But in fact, you should circle left, around some hills.
6.4
Then, at a sign upon which someone has helpfully etched "worst sign ever", you head right, up those very same hills, to the mouth of the drainage. From there, you can see Beartown (old mining ruins) to the east, and the lovely Elk Creek to the west. (See illustration below.)
7.4
The trail crosses Elk Creek many times. But interspersed, there are also several very, very steep portions of the route which lead over wet bare rock. Hope your water shoes have great traction. You may want to walk backwards, for a better grip.
7.5-9
The trail is very exposed for much of this section -- it clings to a steep slope with a chasm to your left. If you have trouble with vertigo, stop and eat something salty... and keep your eyes only on the trail when you proceed.
9.6
This stream crossing either requires an ankle-deep ford... or you can try the scary and wobbly log bridge.
10.5-11.6
There are several lovely meadows in this area, any of which would make great campsites. Elk Creek is glacier-blue with minerals at these elevations, but tastes fine.
12.5
The trail descends to follow roughly along the river's course. There aren't many flat spots for camping for the next two miles -- but there are some incredible views.
14.0
One last climb up into the hills and away from the water, and you'll come in rapid succession to a nice (dry) campsite to your left, the trail register, and a fork in the trail (right/straight for CT.)
15.1
Cross the RR tracks, head right along them until a trail opens up to your left. Many fine campsites for the next 0.3 miles, near the RR tracks.
15.4
There's a pretty little log bridge, now.
17.6
After a long climb, follow the signposted trail through a very large meadow (puffball mushrooms are common here) and up a hillside. There are several small intersecting horse trails, none of which are mentioned in either book, but all of which are signposted and small. Stay on the main trail.
18.4
At this point, a large side trail heads right. Ignore it, and continue straight/left. The sign here may be broken, missing, or hard to read, but you'll know the intersection because the side trail is nearly as well-traveled as the CT.
18.7
Another large side trail heads right, to the Molas Lake Campground. *THERE IS NO LONGER ANY RESUPPLY HERE.* The campground store is closed. The grumpy man who runs the campground will (sometimes) hold your package, but it may be hard to find him to retrieve your package, and he will not sell you anything. It's best to continue to the end of the segment, instead, and hitch into town from there if you need to.
The elevation profile for this segment in the databook is not correct. The line drawing shows the old elevation profile, from before the trail re-route. The enumerated elevation numbers, however, are correct, so you can either copy the profile from the guidebook, or draw in a new one based on the numbers. This segment is also not as long as indicated in the databook elevation profile, so you have to move the line back about three miles.
----> Onward, to segment 25!
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