Continental Divide Trail 2016: first couple days

This was our first ascent of a big pass after starting our hike north from Wolf Creek Pass the afternoon before.  This was a continuation of a section of the Continental Divide Trail in the San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado that my brothers and I had begun the year before. 

As we struggled up our first large pass, laden with 120 miles worth of food for our trip ahead to Spring Creek Pass, I remember having the hardest time catching my breath as our bodies were still acclimating to being over 11,000 feet.  

My bro Richard takes a break where we soon spotted a herd of elk down below.  Unfortunately, the oldest bro backed out of our trip at the last minute due to a leg injury.

See that speck of my brother on the diagonal horizon?  And below?

Yellow indian paint brushes...

And other flowers dotted the landscape...Today was our first introduction to the usual cold evening rainstorms that would hit as we were exhaustedly trying to rock out a few more miles before finding a campsite and crashing for the night.