Yesterday was extremely tough. My feet are totally thrashed. They're sore, they hurt, they have hot spots, even a few blisters. However, today is a new day. The weather looks great. We're camped out 25 feet from a beautiful lake (didn't know that last night in the dark). The Mountain is just over that thar hill, I think. I'm gonna git up and take some pictures. After all, I gotta take advantage of this great light. I think it must be around 7 or 8...not sure. In any event, I've got to get out of bed and shoot some before the sun gets too high and the decent light is gone. Even though it hurts to walk, we're not going anywhere for a bit and I'm just going to walk very gingerly around the lake. What a beautiful, quiet, peaceful morning. I take my daypack and load it with a couple lenses. I sling my tripod over my shoulder. Matt's still in bed. I can stroll and just take it easy. No heavy pack. Pretty level. I head off slowly around the lake.
Partway around the lake, I can see back over to the camping area. I cross a beautiful stream which is melt water from Unicorn Glacier. It's the primary feed into the lake (the primary exit of water from the lake is through a huge pile of logs that we had to climb over to get to the camp). It's pretty marshy over here, but I step carefully so I don't sink in and get wet and muddy. Just trying to remain comfortable. I was told there's a family of marmots on the other side of the lake, but I don't see them. The contrast between the dark water and the snow on Mount Rainier is pretty high. It's a difficult situation for a photographer, but I'm enjoying myself immensely. Having a tripod lets me shoot multiple exposures of a scene and them combine them later on the computer. It's more work, but really the only way to get a good photograph in situations like this. After quite some time, I head back to camp. Matt's probably up by now.
We continue our leisurely morning around camp. We execute our usual morning routine. Boil the water. Eat the oatmeal. Drink the hot chocolate.
What a beautiful day. I've been waiting for the perfect moment to go swimming. I think this is it. I also know that there may not be another good chance on this trip. If it were July or August, I'd feel more optimistic. I strip down to, well, nothing, head down to the shoreline, and dive in. When I hit the water and go under, I--I--I--c--c--can--har--har--hardly breathe. This water is freezing! What did I expect? It's from melted ice!!! It's refreshing, nonetheless, and I enjoy it. Next time I'm here, I'll do it again.
We hear a helicopter flying around. Back and forth, forth and back. It fades. Then we hear it again. This goes on for some time. We wonder if it's a search-and-rescue mission.
Last night, I had definite plans for today's hike. We'll stay at Maple Creek. It's a much shorter hike than Olallie Creek and there's no way I can make it that far. Well, today I feel better. I'm still not sure about Olallie Creek, though. That's a long hike and I didn't heal up completely over night. We'll just have to see how we feel as we go. Today, I'm going to wear double socks and see if it helps any.
Snow Lake is the second camp we've stayed at with a very well ventilated toilet. By the time I use it, the sun is hitting it. I relax for a bit in the sun.
We head out at a record-setting time of 12:30. I'm going to shoot some photos at Bench Lake, just for posterity, since the sun is high and the lighting is harsh. I'll come back on another occasion and get some keepers. The trail is very rough, but we're feeling fresh and rested. We arrive at the road before we know it. I thought that was a mighty long four-tenths of a mile! This explains it. We went zipping right on past it without even seeing it. Maybe next time.
We head back up the road to intercept the Wonderland Trail. Almost immediately after getting back on the trail, we run into Pat. Pat's a fellow from Ireland (currently living in Seattle). We had met him on the West side initially. We chat about how things are going and what to expect up ahead. Then we plow on. It's a long, gradual downhill...down...down...down...down. I like it. I can do gradual downhill. Jolanna, Laura, and Cori are going up, up, up...the fun direction! They're doing it in 11 or 12 days and they're on day seven. They're from Bellingham. Students? We don't talk long enough to find out.
We have a new plan. We're feeling good enough to go farther than Maple Creek. Let's just stay at Nickel Creek! I know we're not supposed to. We should change our itinerary, but I don't see any rangers around. There aren't too many of them, and my feet come first. If there are any sites available, that's what we'll do. We'll have an easier day and we'll save 2.8 miles of abuse by not going to Olallie Creek.
We stop for a break at Martha Falls. We refill our water. We have a good snack. We rest the feet. I like it. It's a beautiful waterfall. While we're there, Ashour from Portland and Jerry from California stop for a break, too. They got a late start and are trying to catch up with Pat. They, along with several other people, tell us about a natural bathtub at Indian Bar. It sounds pretty cool. A tub in the rocks with water pouring over it. Nice to relax and cool off in the middle of a long day's hike. We'll have to check it out.
We reluctantly set out again. Right now, my feet are tender, and after taking a break, setting out again isn't that much fun. However, the hiking continues to be relatively easy. I can live with this. Although the sun is out and it's a warm day, the hike down to Box Canyon is in the shade for the most part. That's a big plus today. Being miserably hot isn't something I want. Right now, cool is good. We come across another waterfall that is super cool...Sylvia Falls. It's like a jet of water shooting out of the woods. It even sounds like a jet. It launches out from the cliff, punching a hole in the pool below.
Before too terribly long, we get to Maple Creek camp. We're feeling good enough that we press on. The lack of difficulty in today's hike, so far at least, helps in our decision. Nickel Creek, here we come. We're hiking through thick forest, on a gently rolling trail, parallel to Stevens Creek. Life is good.
Well, by the time we get to Box Canyon, I'm starting to feel pretty darn shot. Whatever reserves I had built up overnight are about gone. Today, I was only good for a pretty easy hike. It's a good thing Nickel Creek isn't too much farther. We rest for awhile at Box Canyon picnic area. We chat with a mom, Laurie, and her son. They live just outside the park, so they do a lot of hiking here. Easy to do through hikes, too. Dad drops them off one day, then picks them up somewhere else a day or two later. When we tell them of our plans to hike from Nickel Creek to Summerland tomorrow, they laugh at us. They're not the first. Okay. I'm beginning to think we should stop at Indian Bar for the night tomorrow. Everyone seems to think that hiking to Summerland from Nickel Creek will all but kill us. I'm starting to believe them. I guess we can decide later.
We make one final push and arrive at Nickel Creek at an amazingly early time of 6:30. Fabulous!!! Much better than our arrival time last night. I'm pretty happy about things. I'm tired, but we can rest and relax tonight. I'm thrilled with our decision to stop here. I would've had a really hard time making it to Olallie Creek. If a ranger finds us here and asks for our itinerary, he'll make us hike that final, miserable stretch. Thankfully, that doesn't happen.
My left achilles tendon is beginning to get tender. It's a concern, but I can rest it for now.
Not long after we arrive, John from Delaware shows up. John's an Automation Engineer in the Pharmaceutical industry. He helps discover new drugs. He's planning on hiking parts of the Pacific Crest Trail over the next couple years. We had met John on the West side and he's really booking. He's doing the whole trail in 6 days. He'll hike 13 miles back to Longmire tomorrow.
Matt's a glutton for punishment. He convinces me that we need to get back on schedule. He's right. We'll shoot for Summerland tomorrow...11.1 miles. We enjoy a great dinner, as always. This is a very dusty camp. It's been hot the last few days and things are drying out. We get to bed early in preparation for a hard hike tomorrow.
Photos of the Hike
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