Sunday July 4, 7.5mi/12.1km

Hwy 50 (252.9/8860ft) to South Fooses Creek (260.4/11125ft) (CO)

I was awake at 8am, and went to the store to buy the last piece of my costume. I joined Andrea and Tim for a themed rafting trip on the Arkansas River today. We went out for breakfast burritos, and then headed to the river.

Just before we launched onto the river we put our costumes on. Sebastian and King Trident, from the Little Mermaid!

Louie the dog had a costume too, he was a shark.

After an hour of some pretty fun rapids, we stopped at an eddy spot to have lunch.

Tim is a rafting guide and did all the hard work, and all three of us played the movie soundtrack while in our costumes. There were many other people on the river, and we definitely got some looks!

The Arkansas River is pretty narrow and fast in some places.

We got off the river at our takeout spot, and I went back to the house to shower and finish packing. After stopping at Amica’s Pizza, Andrea drove me back up to the trail. Super awesome! I was full of excellent pizza and ready to hike. After a mile I came to Fooses Lake.

It was pretty neat seeing it just before sunset.

The first three miles were on an old dirt road, so it was fast easy walking.

I hiked another three miles on a trail, much of it my headlamp. I love night hiking, it’s the perfect temperature to hike uphill.

I stopped at a camp spot a little after 10pm, and quickly set up and went to bed.