Aug 12, Day 48

Del Norte, CO to Stunner campground
Distance 44 miles, Av speed 5.7 mph

This is it – the biggie, today we hit the highest peak on the climb – Indiana Pass! We get an early start, a good breakfast at Boogies, sandwiches from Subway, and by 8am we are on our way. The first 11 miles are on pavement and we are joined by a local cyclist who tries to describe what lies ahead. First she says the first 2 miles are steep, then the next 3 miles are steep.. then finally she says, actually the whole thing is pretty bad! But at least the road surface is good, and we only meet 2 logging trucks each way. We get our grannies out and switch down into first gear for the 12 mile crawl to the top.

Eventually, we peak out at the summit but are very dis- appointed not to find any sign to acknowledge the top of the pass. So instead, we celebrate with a sandwich and Numb Stuff calls all his friends on his satellite phone to tell them of his achievement only to find nobody in, so he has to leave voicemail. Still, the sense of personal satisfaction is overwhelming.

Lunch is brought to an abrupt end by a clap of thunder – uh oh! Raingear on, and a rapid departure down the hill to Summitville is called for! Luckily, the storm passes in another direction, and by the time we get to Summitville, we have to take off all the raingear.

There is a huge mine at Summitville, which we think is for iron. Evidence of the scars of mining, the pollution and devastation caused are all too apparent on Summit Mountain, and we can see from the colour of the stream why you wouldn’t want to drink the water! Apparently, the acidity of the stream water here is such that an iron nail left in it would dissolve in 8 months.

Eventually, after navigating a rocky road built into the side of the mountain we hit our campground for the night, Stunner campground. Stunner used to be a town of 150 people in the 1870’s and now there is nothing here but the stream and a campground. The road was originally built as a military link road between 2 forts in the 1800s and we have to admire the ingenuity of the surveyors responsible.

That night, we just about have enough time to eat our Mountain House supper, before diving into our tents when an almighty storm breaks, lightning flashes, thunder claps and rain pounds our tents relentlessly.