Date: 2023-09-06
From: Garfield Ridge Campsite

To: Zealand Falls Hut
Miles today: 9.8

What a gorgeous perfect end to the day! I woke up early because the guy we were sharing the tent pad with decided to pack up his tent at 5:30, which is perfectly fine except it felt like children jumping up and down on a bed so it was hard to fall back asleep. After an unusually long line for the privy we rolled out, except to immediately stop for water. While filtering it feels like everyone and their uncle passed us, which made Rabbit salty as usually he¢s fast asleep when everyone leaves for the day and we were peacefully behind the bubble for a while. Those were the days when the trail was ours! Now it¢s everyone¢s. * old man shaking fist at the sky* Hiking today was a plod, first we went down 200y of waterfall literally which was stressful versus being the possible fun that climbing it ~may have been~. Then it was plod plod to Galehead Hut, all the while hearing a helicopter overhead leading us to wonder if a SAR mission was underway. When we got to the hut we saw croo member Sadie standing outside by the gravel helicopter pad and she told us the helicopter was trying to land with food but there was too much cloud cover for it to land successfully. We went inside, gulped down multiple glasses of lemonade and tea, and shoveled squares of gingerbread (ok that was me). I was in such dire straits that the lemonade tasted reasonably delicious and refreshing and tart versus realizing it was powdered mix which I loathe. We sat there blankly shoving nourishment down our gullets while the croo clattered around in their kitchen, and then grudgingly rose to leave. The helicopter still hadn¢t landed, and we could hear it swoop as the clouds rolled away revealing a beautiful valley view, but we had already set out when it was able to finally approach the hut. While climbing South Twin Mountain we heard it circle again now that the thick cloud cover was back (leading Rabbit to ask if it was lost) and we kept climbing up to the top where we got to sit on the rocky top and stare out at the view while airing my feet. As it was now 2pm at this point and we had done maybe 6 miles, Rabbit wanted me to go faster so we could make it to the Zealand hut and try to get work for stay so he marched behind me barking out my hiking speed to get me going. Strangely it worked and my strides lengthened and I went down the rocks more confidently. We detoured at Zeacliffs to see the view which was spec-tac-ular and would be an incredible place to stealth, and then rushed on downhill as 3 hikers were behind us. We flew over rocks and the Zealand falls and past a hut guest to run into the dining room and ask if they were in need of strapping thru hikers for work for stay. She looked at us and said she would love to have some help and we cheered and high fived. SUCCESS. We had some time so we went to the falls to soak our legs, and saw a hiker come in after us to ask for work for stay - but alas we had taken it so he moved on to the next shelter miles away. We went back to be assigned our job of moving wood pellet bricks from their pallet to the shed, and made quick work of it. I was joking that this hut listened to boygenius and girl in red, and when cleaning up after dinner I heard them playing it so... clocked them tee hee.We went to sit on the steps until we were invited in for dinner, and the invitation came swiftly as there was a single hut guest tonight and the croo was eating with him in a departure from the norm. We sprinted to the table and tucked in to a feast of hand pulled tomato feta pasta, salad, roasted broccoli, focaccia, and a dessert of peanut butter cookies. It was a great conversation with croo, a Madison Hut croo member who was there on his off day visiting his girlfriend, and the guest who LOVED us and our stories. The bear story gets them every time! After dinner we wiped down the tables and benches, swept the floor, and got ready for bed. Then we went back to the falls to lie back on the rocks and watch the stars wheel overhead which was amazing. I saw 2 shooting stars and felt so grateful and overwhelmed and full to be there, it made me feel there was a benevolent god watching over us as I could feel the solidity of the rock cradling me, the roar of the falls, and the velvety night sky above us with the diaphanous parade of stars spilling across the celestial tablecloth. I slept very soundly.