It has snowed several inches during the night and snow is falling off of the tree branches above the tent as it collects to a point where the weight is too much for the branch to support.
Matt gets up and goes to the toilet (the nicest one on the Wonderland Trail, I might add) and comes back with a full report. There's a ton of snow out there! It also happens to be coming down hard. Very interesting. The tent is sagging under the weight. I sit up and punch the tent in several strategic locations to get the snow off. I don't want the tent to collapse under the load.
Some other folks, including Rachel, are going to head out to Indian Bar shortly (Rachel will continue on to Nickel Creek). I really don't see how they'll ever make it. There's hardly any trail to follow when you can see the ground, let alone when it's covered in snow. In addition, one could easily turn an ankle what with all the rough terrain and rocks. Good luck!
So, we have to make a decision. Do we just hole up and hope the weather clears so we can head out tomorrow? The snow is coming down hard and Matt suggests we get out while we still can. Once we get down to lower elevations, maybe things will be better. Besides, we'll just be getting closer to civilization (White River Campground, Sunrise, etc.). One option that we're also considering, if the entire Wonderland Trail is hammered like this, is just to get a ride from a kind soul from White River Campground or Sunrise back to Mowich Lake. We decide to head out and take our chances in the snow. We don't want to sit tight and get buried. We'll see how it looks as we get down to lower elevations.
The plan is carry our stuff over to the shelter (about a hundred yards away), get the snow off of it, get it cleaned up and dried off as well as possible, and get things organized and packed. It would be difficult to pack up very well under the heavy snowfall out in the open.
After the other group has moved out (several people in an 18-day training class on The Mountain—they had just come from Camp Sherman last night), we begin moving our things. We have some breakfast while there. Then we begin packing up. A couple other hikers stopped by for a little bit. They're doing the trail from Longmire, of course.
While we're in the shelter, Ranger Paul arrives. He has worked in The Park for 4 seasons. Rangers work here 5 months a year. Ranger Paul works at Crystal Mountain, just a stone's throw away, during the off season (winter). He assures us that we won't have any trouble following the trail. Thankfully, he has just come up from White River and so there are some fresh tracks to follow, left by someone who knows the trail.
We decide that there's no point in staying at Glacier Basin for the next two nights. We need a break and, with the inclement weather, we won't be attempting a day hike to Steamboat Prow. This works out perfectly as Ranger Paul just hops on his radio and calls in our itinerary change. Excellent.
At 12:20, we head out. We do see Ranger Paul's tracks quite easily and the hike down toward the White River Campground is a long, gradual downhill, as I had already seen it would be from studying the map earlier. We have our Duck's Backs on our packs to keep snow out of the important places. We are wearing not only our fleeces, but our shells, as well. We plow through the overhanging branches with abandon. When we get far enough along the trail, the elevation is such that things become soggy. Lots of wet snow is falling onto us, but we're pretty well protected. A little farther along, the trail contains one giant puddle after another. It's almost impossible to navigate around these pools of slush and water.
At some point, the gallon size Zip Loc bags I had put my feet into before putting my shoes on become worthless. The water somehow finds its way to my dry wool socks (scammed off Matt) and then to my feet. My feet, which had felt quite comfortable for the duration of this hike, get to the point where they are soaked to the bone. They begin to itch, from the wetness and from the cold. It gets to a point that I can barely stand it. I want to stop, take my shoes and socks off, and scratch the living daylights out of my feet or just chop them clean off. It's really driving me nuts. I concentrate hard to ignore the extreme discomfort.
My right thigh is hurting again.
We pass several people who are heading up toward Summerland, either just for the night or on their way around the trail. The worst of the weather has passed, so they should be okay.
When we get to the Inter Fork of the White River, we know that we've pretty much made it. There's a small group of people visiting the campground and they're hiking around down in the river bed. They ask us if we know where the Wonderland Trail is. We tell them they're hiking it. We all have a chuckle at that. They can tell that we actually are hiking it (since we look like crap and have huge packs on) and they snap some photos of us to memorialize their experience.
We arrive at the White River Campground at 4:00 in the afternoon. With the exception of my extremely itchy feet (which didn't last long, thankfully), today's hike was relatively easy.
We had heard that the shelter at the campground was open, but that you can't stay there. At least we can spread our stuff out to dry until we get kicked out in the evening when the Ranger closes it. There is already someone who has begun this process. Her name is Jamie and she's originally from Oregon, but currently living in New Zealand and working as a vet. She got caught in the same storm as everyone else and has a lot of wet stuff.
Strangely, my right thigh is feeling numb. Hmmm.
It feels good to get out of my wet socks and shoes. Of course, without warm, dry footwear, my feet are cold. As I usually do each evening, I lay out my sleeping bag, unzip it, and sit in it with crossed legs. It's enough to help keep my lower body warm. I've set it out on the front porch, preparing to spend the night there, since we can't stay inside. Jamie, Matt, and I boil some water on the front porch and have a great dinner while enjoying some quality conversation.
Surprisingly, the Ranger allows us to stay in the shelter tonight. I think he figures we need a break after the storm. Jamie, Matt, and I all stay in the front room of the cabin, while some stragglers who come in late stay in the back room. Overall, not a bad day. Just cold and wet. It's a nice reprieve to be able to sleep inside. At least one night without having to set up and tear down the tent. Ahhhh.
Photos of the Hike
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