Date: 2018-08-24
From: BaldpateLean-to

To: Hall Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

I was up just before 6am and ventured out of the tent to retrieve the food bags. Cole had hung them so low that I could reach them with my hand.There are many things that Cole does really well and he takes pride in his ability to do them. Climbing mountains is one, hence the name Mountain Goat. Setting up tents is another, and what was once his favourite chore, hanging the food bags, is a third. He knows the regular method of hanging food bags and the PCT method, almost always getting the bags hung just the perfect distance from ground, limb and tree. I learned today that he knows a third method of food bag hanging. It¢s called the ITTTC method, or the I¢m Too Tired To Care method. It is a good thing that the bears didn¢t come hunting for food last night.Now well rested, we were ready to tackle the steep rock slab climb. The ascent continued gradually for a while, as it had yesterday, but eventually became steeper and steeper. Soon we were above tree line on a lichen covered expanse of rock. Cole informed me that the lichen was called ¢map lichen¢. He had read that at one of the huts in The Whites. The view was tremendous. The sun shone brightly and the wind was just strong enough to keep us cool. I was content. So content. The rock got steeper and steeper leading us higher and higher until we reached the top of Baldpate Easr. We continued to enjoy beautiful views as we traversed the summit and then made our way back down below the trees. This is exactly what every hard climb should reward us with. The terrain was a bit easier in the afternoon and we were able to move a little faster.When we reached Jall Mountain Lean-To, there was absolutely nobody around. Nobody in the shelter and nobody in the tenting area. We decided to spread ourselves out in the shelter. Although I get my best sleep in the tent, I have had some pretty good nights in shelters too when it has been quiet and we have been alone. The problem was, we weren¢t alone. As soon as the sky began to darken we were joined by a visitor, a four legged pesky one who came looking for scraps. Cole threw his rock bag at the mouse but missed. He also incidentally left a snickers bar wrapper laying about. The mouse quickly found it and was not shy about helping himself in our presence.Great! We¢ve now contributed to the rodent problem at this shelter.We banged on the floor. The mouse retreated to the roof. I grabbed my trekking pole and banged on the ceiling. The pest scurried across the roof. As I laid there trying to sleep, I heard a very faint ¢ting¢ sound as something very tiny hit the tin roof. Whatever it was then rolled down the roof with a soft ¢diddle diddle diddle¢. Not long later, I heard it again. ¢ting.....diddle diddle diddle¢ I wacked the ceiling again with my trekking pole. That little brat was up there pooping on the roof. It happened again and again. Throughout the night our overnight guest was either scurrying about on the platform beside us, playing with Cole¢s Snickers wrapper or tinging his turds off the roof of the shelter. Cole slept through most of it, opening his eyes briefly once when I hissed at the rodent. I informed Cole that the mouse had taken off with his wrapper and was busy crinkling it somewhere. I guess he is practicing the ITTTC method of ¢Leave No Trace¢ as well because he simply rolled over and fell back to sleep. I wish I could have done the same as easily.