Day 11. Eureka to Tuchuck Campground

This was finally the weather I was expecting. It was somewhere in the 60s when we left Eureka, and reached maybe the low 80s late in the afternoon, with no rain or thunderstorms in sight.

The first 15 or so miles were a lazy, flat ride before we started the climb up Whitefish Pass. It's not an especially big climb at only 5,100 feet or so, but the chunky rock and steep grade near the top make it fairly challenging. Both Dante and Kaden did great on it. I was very happy to not have walked any of it since I had to walk about a half mile of it when I rode it 3 years ago.

Riding out of Eureka:




Deer break approaching the climb:

On the climb:




Tuchuck campground:





This campground is known for having some aggressive, pesky deer and did not disappoint. One kept visiting our site and trying to grab or bite our equipment whenever we were not looking. 

Another Great Divide rider set up in the site next to us then went down to the river to bathe. Not two minutes after he left a deer grabbed his inflatable sleeping pad and came running through our site with it in its mouth. I managed to scare the deer into dropping it, and returned it.

Thankfully we got through the night with nothing damaged despite multiple deer visits.





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