Date: 2005-03-04
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: broken clouds

So this is ¢Meteorological Spring¢ I thought while contemplating the slush in my platypus water bottle which I had placed within distance to catch my warm breath, a breath very visible in the 5:20 AM air. My two liter bottles were in the bottom of the sleeping bag safely in liquid form. This new Marmot bag - rated to 0 degrees (yeah, right) - kept me warm enough but I¢ve noticed that socks, bandana, etc. don¢t dry out like they do in my old cheap 3-season bag or my old bulky winter bag which I jettisoned because my new pack couldn¢t accommodate it. So the worst part of the morning isn¢t getting out of the bag but putting on still-damp socks to place into cold boots.Once in action with the morning chores, I warm up rapidly enough to shed a layer before eating breakfast. The day seemed normal thus far but for some reason, I felt queasy as soon as I started at 6:45 up the brief uphill side trail. After the first 1 12 miles of gentle-grade downhill to Rt. 608, the subsequent ascent proved very difficult for reasons I still can¢t explain. My stomach felt unsettled but not to the point of vomiting, my stamina was lacking, what¢s going on? The snow¢s not that deep (yet), it¢s early in the day, the terrain is far from the steepest I¢ve had on this hike. Biorhythms? A demon taking possession of my body? I thought I¢d never make the 14 miles to Wapiti Shelter but how wimpy it would be to bail out? I¢d make the decision at Rt. 606 where the Trail crosses Kimberling Creek near Rt. 42.As the ridgeline gradually leveled off (with increasing frequency and depth of drifts), I regained strength and felt normal by about 9AM. Strange! But grateful that whatever I had passed. A few rocky stretches along the ridge reminiscent of Pennsylvania made it difficult to navigate - where do you place the poles and your feet with snow enveloping boulders and the space between them? But without falls, I made it through to a series of switchbacks down to 606 as the snow diminished or disappeared. Mostly bare ground greeted me as I walked across the creek on the swinging suspension bridge, stopping for lunch on the other side and feeling much better. On to Wapiti!After a manageable ascent to ridgeline, it¢s more up-and-down (but it seemed like mostly up) ridge walking with alternate paths of shallow snow or mud with deeper snow and drifts depending on where the slope faced. The warming temperatures turned the snow slushier which I was sorry to see because presumably freezing temperatures tonight will turn it into crust tomorrow. And the areas with little or no snow on top of soft mud made for footing more slippery than snow alone. This afternoon featured numerous stream crossings nearly all of which had small bridges - a Godsend. Also a lot of rhododendron thickets with pretty greenery contrasting with the monochrome background of snow and trees. After crossing Dismal Creek (pleasant notwithstanding the sobriquet), the Trail proceeded through hemlock groves. As I marveled at the large size and beauty of these magnificent trees, I wondered how much time they had before the adelgid got to them. Wouldn¢t it be nice to think that this locale was so remote that maybe they¢d escape the pestilence? How naive of me? The hemlocks are picture-postcard nice but their root systems and the rocks - all covered with snow - led to stumbling and my worst fall of the trip. Seems the stick I thought was lying on the snow was in fact a well-entrenched hemlock root! Also today has seen numerous blowdowns including ¢the mother of all blowdowns¢ - a full mature tree with about a 2 foot diameter blocking the trail within a wide radius.So I¢m crossing streams and old roads thinking I¢m getting close to Wapiti but no, not yet. Knowing that the long ascent up Sugar Run Mountain follows Wapiti, I began judging my distance by eying the terrain. Coming to a pond, I dismounted the pack to examine the maps and guidebook and caught some movement out of the corner of my eye. A small wide black-and-white furry creature was waddling towards me. Skunk! With absolutely no inhibitions, he approached closer and closer, keeping his eye on me. Great for photos but it¢s time to move on - I don¢t want the worst to happen. His fur was predominantly white (dirtier-looking than the pristine snow) - is that a winter adaptation?Reaching the shelter at 2:45 meant 8 hours to cover 14 miles - not exactly speedy but considering how I felt in the morning along with the drifts and rock/root strewn terrain, I¢m satisfied. It¢s warmer than yesterday but less sunny. The picnic table won¢t dry this time. With today¢s wetter, slushier snow, my socks are totally soaked and they won¢t dry in the increasingly damp and cloudy atmosphere. Finally around 5:30, the clouds parted to admit some sun. Apparently a front has move in because it¢s definitely warmer - I don¢t have to worry about frozen water bottles tonight. Good thing Northern Harrier¢s not with me - this shelter is so short, he couldn¢t fit in it the normal way