Date: 2018-07-26
From: Eliza Brook shelter

To: Lonesome lake shelter
Miles today: 5.8

It poured all night and I was awakened many times, the first by late arriving hikers with headlamps checking to see if there was any room in the shelter. There wasn't and we were packed in tight. The rest of my wakefulness was due to the rain. I was thinking about the already swollen river we'd need to cross in the morning and what impact all this rain will have on it and the rest of the trail. River had set her alarm clock for 4: 30 and when it went off it was still pouring outside so we both went back to sleep. the next time I woke up it was 6: 48 and the shelter was still full of sleeping hikers. Pretty unusual as many hikers are up and out between 6-7am. But soon after people did begin to stir, sitting up in their sleeping bags thinking about the day and making breakfast. Some of the tenters who unfortunately did not stay so dry overnight made their way to the shelter to commiserate about the weather and cook out of the rain. We say up and made room for them. After a trip to the river for water one of the hikers came back and said there was no way to cross it to head north. We could hear it's rage from the shelter. Yesterday there were rocks visible and it was still possible to hop across to the other side. Today it was churning and angry and very swift-moving not to mention it had consumed all of the rocks that were above water yesterday making it impossible to hop. It was too risky to forde. The next couple of hours were spent considering all options such as backtracking to Kinsman Notch, bushwalking upstream, taking a zero in camp, etc., and several of the hikers worked together with their ideas. We were all in the same boat. A group of 5 younger hikers decided to bridge some logs from the shore on the camp side to a large Flat Rock about 3/4 across at the narrowest point downstream. Four logs were placed bridging to the rock and leaving a very large rock hop to the opposite shore. By 10:45 a handful of hikers had crossed on the makeshift bridge successfully. Rainbow River and I decided we would take our chances too. one by one we loosened and unbuckled the straps on our packs and crawled across the logs on our hands and knees inches at a time to the safety of the large flat rock. From there, unable to make the leap to the rock on the opposite shore, I put on my water sandals and I walked across the remaining 6' or so of water to safety. Rainbow had gone first and was there to greet me. It was several minutes before I stopped shaking. River crossed last and the 3 of us hiked north together to conquer the Kinsmans. We forded another water crossing and got showered on but most of the rain held off. So much rain had fallen however that the trail was literally a steam and at times I checked to be sure I was actually still on trail. I could feel the water flowing against me as I climbed and hiked. The bog boards were under water which was almost knee deep in spots. Climbing south kinsman was a long and very steep rock scramble. Over 6 hours later and just 5.8 miles I arrived at the Lonesome Lake Hut at about 5pm. We had all wanted to get to Lincoln but agreed it wasn't in the cards to hike another 4 miles plus an extra mile to the trailhead parking lot where we might be able to hitch a ride. Instead we'd ask for work for stay at the hut if there weren't any empty bunks. I walked into the hut feeling spent and desperate. Emma, one of the croo members was very sweet. I was choking back tears from my emotional depletion while asking if there were any bunks. No, she said, they were full. I asked if I could sleep on the floor in the hut and she asked if I didn't think I could make it the 1.6 to the parking lot. I explained I'm a thru hiker and for me it's longer to the parking area on the AT. She offered me work for stay and it was all I could do to hold back the waterfall. Rainbow had gotten work for stay before me and she told me her tears did fall. I didn't feel so badly for being emotional. I've heard many hikers say they felt the same. I told Emma there'd be one more in our group somewhere behind me. River came in an hour later and also got work for stay. After the guests had dinner and the croo washed dishes we were invited to eat with them. Lasagna, salad and broccoli. One of the croo shared her GF pasta and pesto with me. After dinner Rainbow gave me a lindt truffle for my dessert while they had cake. Fire Beast had come in around 8pm after dinner and was given work for stay and some cold leftovers. At 9:30 we were allowed to move the tables and set up our sleeping pads on the floor. Lights went out and the croo went to their bunks. We decorated the hut with our wet and stinky clothes. I hung my bear line as my clothes line and the others used any available hook and bench. Perhaps we could actually dry out! My low back is in a lot of pain. I don't know if it's the zpack backpack because it presses on my lower back or something else. But it was excruciating to roll over. I also had restless legs . I got up and went out to the bathhouse to go pee again. I think it's going to be a long night.