Mile 1976ish: The weather sets in

8/28/2010

Clouds appeared two days ago- to add visual interest? They thickened yesterday- to warn us of the future to come? They leaked all over us today- oh, right. Weather. We knew it was an eventuality, we were just expecting it later. Micro (from Seattle) and I (from Anchorage) remarked to each other how much it felt like home. Except at home, we'd get to go home, and cuddle up with hot soup and a good book or bad movie. With my poncho, windbreaker, and fleece pullover, I could handle the rain, but I was none too happy. When the rain turned white and started falling slower, staying on the ground longer, I didn't know what to feel.

We ate lunch with Hot Mess and Sneezes, who we miraculously caught up to after being a week behind for ages: they had taken 4-5 days off in Ashland, and another zero in Elk Lake. It was a reminder of how fun guys can be to hike with- they're not all social misfits, inappropriate creeps, etc. These guys are witty, clever, and very very funny. Us girls laugh all the time, but the boys had me afraid of spewing tea out my nose. Hope we Leapfrog with them for a while, they're fun to be around.

I ran into a guy with snowshoes strapped to his pack, and asked him where he was headed. Apparently, he had missed the glacier. He felt sure that he knew where he was, and pointed to a region on the map way off trail. Anywhere on the trail would have been a more logical guess. I pulled out my maps and gave him the pages he would need to get to Elk Lake Lodge, where he could get back to civilization, and showed him on the map exactly where we were. I hope he made it out ok... I don't think it would be that hard.