Running the Continental Divide

So, I finished the Turkey Tracks Trail 1/2 marathon on Saturday and felt really good.  I wasn't planning on driving home till the next day so I chillaxed for a few hours, went for a swim, drove to Durango about 45 minutes away and checked that out.  Cool town.

On Sunday I woke to a thick, smoke filled sky from a nearby fire on the San Juan Mountains.  I took a few minutes to wander around Pagosa Springs, then headed East at a casual, tourist pace.
 

I had picked up the local tourist guide and scoped out some sights to see and noticed some trails to explore.  20 minutes drive out of town along Highway 160 were 2 good tourist spots.  I stopped at a waterfall and hiked back off the road there 1/3 mile. 

Then 5 minutes up the road to an overlook with sweeping (albeit smoke filled) views to the West.

My sights were set on a trail near Wolf Creek Ski Fields, Trail 813, the top of Wolf Pass: the Continental Divide Trail.  Streching from Mexico, through the USA and up into Canada.  3100 miles of trails and a few dirt roads.  The section where I was is one of the better marked and identifiable trails.

I took my water bottle, camera and jogged off.  Out and back to an undetermined point along the trail.  I would go till I either ran out of water or was eaten by wildlife.  6.75 miles later I came back to my car.  In between: 1400' of Elevation gain, an Ascent of Alberta Peak (11,820'), one scared Elk that I startled - he also startled me cause neither of us saw the other one coming, a view of a fairly newly burning wildfire, traversing the top of Wolf Creek Ski area and a bunch of photos.  An awesome run.