Date: 2006-02-12
From: Spring Mt Shelter

To: Allen Gap (Nean)
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: light snow

1.6 mi past Allen Gap (Nean's Cabin) Heavy snow fall 20F 6-8" were covering the ground right in front of the shelter but as soon as I moved a little further north the snow came all the way up to my knees. The trees were covered in snow making it impossible to see a lot of the blazes. The thick snow fall also wiped out the contours of the trail. Trekking along in the snow I followed the few blazes I could see and "guestimated" the rest of the time but suddenly it just didn't seem right any longer. The trail was like a dead end. I looked around and tried first one way then another all seemed wrong. Time to drop pack! Walked back to check last know blaze - it showed trail going straight ahead. Back to the dead end and try the possibilities again. The drifts went up to my thighs but I finally found a blaze - the trail had taken a 90 degree turn to the right. Back through the snow up the hill (By the way in that kind of weather both ways are uphill with snow up to the shoulders and I am abolutely barefoot!!! - or that is at least what my grandfather would have told me) The trail did not get any easier and soon all the rhododendrons were bloking the trail. The snow had weighed the branches down. I tried to push the branches with my hiking poles to knock off some of the snow but after a few times that got to be too much trouble so up went the hood of my raincoat and through the branches I went - snow cascaded down onto my head, back, pack, and some even got inside my coat down my neck - brrrr!!!Reaching Allen Gap just 4.5 miles from the shelter I was getting a little tired. I remembered Alpine talking about some friends of his that lived in that area so I started looking at the road crossings. Found a road after Allen Gap but it only lead to a cementary. The snow was still coming down in full fleur as big white fluffy flakes. I continued along the trail and came to what at first I thought was a crossing trail but at closer inspection it was a tiny road at to my right was a sign reading Private Property but it also had a red, a white, and a blue blaze. Hhmm! Could it be??? I decided to go down the road and there was a neat little cabin with smoke coming up the chimney, as I approached the cabin a guy stuck out his head and I asked if he was Nean? - It sure was I got invited inside where I also got to meet Heidi and all four of their dogs. After being invited I decided to stop there for the night instead of continuing a climb of yet another 1000ft in the snow. We all went to the grocery store (just the two-legged species) and I cooked dinner for all: Orzo with spinach, bell pepper, and garlic; Asparagus cokked in a skillet with sliced tomatoes and onions; and the last dish was Portebello mushrooms marinated in olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar - are you drooling yet? It was so good and later we watched the movie "Actually Love". Finished reading the "Monkey Wrench Gang" before I hit the pillow.It was the neatest little guesthouse i got to stay in. Nean had gotten the wood stove gong so the three-story cabin was all nice and warm. What a treat - thanks for the tip Alpine.