We began our riding day on the far side of La Garita Creek—it was yet another tough climb. There was scree both on the slopes and on the trail. Seemed like there was no end in sight. We were, at the top of Boot Mountain, afforded a view of snow-covered peaks, and below, a winding creek. Going down wasn’t as much fun because staying balanced was extremely difficult. I kept sliding around in my saddle and pitching forward. Pete did okay; in fact, he was singing Happy Trails. Go figure. The horses were tired, so we quit early.

Next: Dispatch #20: An Easy Riding Day