Welcome to the Bighorn Mountains! Buffalo did not let us out easy— from the moment we left town, we started climbing! The first big climb was over 3,000 ft in about 12 miles, putting us at 7,500 ft above sea level. The day started out hot— even that early in the morning it was still 75 degrees! But as we climbed it got cooler both in temperature and in scenery.

After the first climb we had some up and down hills at that elevation, eventually bringing us up to 8,400 ft (about 1,000 ft in 7 miles). Mountain weather is as mountain weather does; we ran into a few minutes of rain and even a bit of hail, but it didn’t last long and definitely didn’t ruin the view. After a fun 4 mile descent, we made up the lost elevation and more with the final climb: 2,000 feet in 10 miles!

And then, the peak of Powder River Pass!!! We reached the highest altitude of the ride so far at 9,666 feet! It feels so good to summit after hours of working hard, climbing at what feels like a snail’s pace. But we did it! And then we got our own reward; a decent of over 8 miles, into our campsite.

After setting up tents, some of us went swimming/wading in the lake (and picked up a freeloading leech or two), and then we grilled and had a watermelon eating contest. Maya & Kate won, with Gibby and Willard coming in second, Claire squared in third, and Bang and I in last place. What can I say? Sometimes you eat the watermelon, and sometimes it eats you back.

Sunset on the lake was gorgeous, and those of us who woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom got to see a great view of the stars. We had a successful day and slept well in the cold mountain air. Here are some easy stats:

Distance today: 42 mi

Total elevation gain today: 6,480 ft

Highest altitude: 9,666 ft

Best watermelon eaters: Kate and Maya

Worst watermelon eaters: Bang and I (debatable)

Ultimate losers: Leeches and the dust at the foot of the mountain

Today’s climb was a big source of both anxiety and excitement for the team, and to say that we’ve finished is an amazing feeling. Personally, this climb makes me want to fast forward to the next! But tomorrow I’m sure I’ll be feeling differently, as we get to spend a lot of the day heading downhill. I’m so proud of my teammates and everything we’ve accomplished!!

— Marielle