Day2
7000ft gain/3143ft loss, 9.1 miles. By 2:30am, during the night, we could hear the wind kick up, and then the unmistakable patter of raindrops striking the rainfly. Perfect! By 5:00am, it had become more persistent, so that by the time we arose around 6, there was a steady rain, and the ground was drenched. I could think of nothing I wanted to do better, than to clamber over wet granite, and smooth clay on steep hillsides, with a fresh soaking…
We packed our soggy belongings, and with raingear on, we headed through the wet brush to climb back out of this bowl. By the time I started some uphill on the far side, I was already getting damp from sweat on the inside, and so, I peeled off the raingear, and hiked the rest of the way out in shorts and shirt. The way out wasn’t as bad as I had feared, for the wet granite actually provided good purchase, it was only on occasion that we slipped on the slick clay.
…So, my boots became saturated, and started squishing with each step, oozing out water like a sponge. Nice…
The brush held the water well, and as we crashed through it, (for it encroached upon the trail for miles) it would produce a shower of cold rainwater, like turning a garden hose on. Within a mile or so, my boots became saturated, and started squishing with each step, oozing out water like a sponge. Nice. The remainder of the trip was a dash for the truck, we both were wet, and knew that the truck would produce heat and dry clothes. In record time, we reached the pick-up, and quickly shed our wet garments.
It’s so good to get into a nice warm vehicle in dry clothes, especially after 4 or 5 hours of being soaked and cold…I didn’t take a single picture or video on the return trip, as I buried the camera deep within my pack to try and make sure it didn’t get wet. Also, on our headlong flight out of the wet, we skipped going into the Silver Lake basin, another reminder to me to be sure and take a picture while it presents itself, for you never know what the next day will bring…A great hike to be sure, very challenging, and a great hike to leave the crowds behind. On this trip, though, try not to leave the pole behind…