Date: 2012-10-30
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: overcast clouds

AT day 7 Deep Gap Shelter to Plumorchard Gap Shelter 7.8 miles.Well the plan was to wake up, hike 3.5 miles in 1.5 hours, meet up with my brother in law Matt at Dick's Creek (hwy 76) and then head on up 4 more miles to Plumorchard Gap Shelter. Should've been a very easy day! I mentioned my phone battery was nearly deceased and my communications with the outside world were minimal and cryptic. Matt had earlier mentioned it should take 2 hours to be shuttled up and that he was originally schedule to leave at 8:00 am. Well, he texted this morning that the shuttle was picking him up at 8:30. Again, later at 9:30 he texted that he was on the road, which I took that he had got a late start. I arrived at Dick's Creek at 11:00 am and waited. It was the coldest day yet with sustained winds thru the gap around 30-40 mph. At 12:20, I texted him asking where he was, and my phone died! At 12:50, with my body temp dropping, I headed out, not knowing for sure where he was. At 12:45, he replied, 'plumorchard shelter'. I hiked for 2 hours up a pretty easy climb to the shelter to find Matt sitting nursing a newly started fire. I mentioned to him how good it was to see him, considering he had all my food for the next 6 days. I appologized for him having to carry all my food and asked if he had room to carry it in his backpack. He said no, he just carried it in the two small Walmart bags my wife had given him. I laughed and asked if he was aware he was carrying 'bear bait'. What a funny picture came to mind, him getting out on a strange road, being left by a woman he didn't know, about to hike up 4 miles into the mountains to a funny named place, Plumorchard, during a very cold windy day carrying to small walmart grocery sacks! Oh and wearing a red rain jacket and hood. Get the picture? Red Riding Hood. I almost gave him that trailname on the spot! I had earlier mentioned I had brought too much food, ie: trail mix. Well again, my wife had sent to much and I was determined I wasn't going to carry any more than needed and proceeded to eat what I wasn't willing to carry. I filtered water, ate dry prepared dinners and trailmix until I couldn't eat more. We enjoyed the fire until it began to get dark and carried our gear up to the top floor, 3rd that is, of the shelter. The shelter is a three sided structure with a main floor area, a ladder leading up to a second floor platform, about 4 feet of the main, and on up to the 3rd floor area about 8 feet up. The 3rd floor area is out toward the front so it's quite sheilded from winds. It's the full width of the shelter, about 20 feet and 6-7 feet deep. Again, another well built shelter - post and beam design. This one was actually airlifted in by the Army with a Chinook Helicopter in 3 pcs. We settled in for the night as the sunlight faded. Not more that 10 minutes into the darkness did Matt ask strangly if I was messing with him. I wasn't sure what he said when he asked again, and then yelped something about a mouse. So, the night of the mice began with us trying to protect ourselves from the dangerous beasts of the shelters. Poor Matt got he worst of it as his head must have been laying across mouse hwy 101. They kept leaping across his head heading for safety everytime we stirred or turned on a light. Later, I was startled awake by what was surely a bear stepping up onto the first level of the shelter only to realize it was a late arrival who had hiked 2 hours in the dark. And again later, when I'm quite sure a mouse entered my sleeping bag. That sucks I can tell you that!