1980: The Boundary Trail, page 12

Hidden Lakes Shelter sodden firepit..

Day Six, Saturday
3:30 PM, Hidden Lakes Shelter

We're still at the shelter. It has rained steadily for 24-hours, heavily at times. It is just drizzling at the moment but the wind has been picking up from the west and the temperature has really dropped.

Micki is so cold and hungry. She spent the night in the sleeping bag with me, so we shivered together. She's also now getting part of my food, even though she has a good amount of Bonz left.  I know I'm getting suckered, but who can refuse a sweet little face like hers?

The cloud ceiling looks to be at about 5000'. We are at 4400' and it is cold and wet. I wonder how long this cold front will stay in place. I'm prepared to stay here through Monday if necessary. We might as well wait it out here, in a shelter where I can walk around dry, then someplace else in my cramped tent. We won't be warm wherever we go, but at least we are dry here.

And to think, just two days ago I was begging for shade and water. My, my … how quickly our needs change! Even though I'm dressed all in wool with my down sweater topping it all off, I'm freezing.  Especially my toes. At least Micki is comfortable right now; she's on the bunk in the sleeping bag.

I remember M. saying something about a cabin about a half day from Rainy Pass. Maybe we'll try to find it and stay there our last night. Or, was it Hart's Pass? I can't remember.

Sometime during the night a tree fell across the trail leading down to the river. There was a lot of wind and the soil is so sodden that that big old tree just toppled over, root ball and all. It is blocking the hiker trail down to the river ford, so when we get ready to leave we will have to go out via the main trail over the small bridge.