Page 17: Down to the Cle Elum River

Squaw Lake

At Squaw Lake, I did it … I finally washed my hair! At 4850' with the temperature down at 55°, I washed my greasy locks and even swished around my stinky Lifa turtleneck. I feel like a new woman!

And, wonder upon wonder, the day stayed nice! Not sunny, mind you, but partially cloudy and a little bit sunny.

I'm sitting now in the parking lot across the river from where we are camped because it's the only place where there is any sun left. And that will be gone shortly. So we've had one nice day. I suppose that means we'll wake up to rain tomorrow ... rain that will last another five days. (Yes, I'm a weather pessimist but believe me, it's from experience!)

But we're headed east now. Each day puts us a little further into the rain shadow.

Mt. Stuart in the clouds, way off in the distance

We saw Mt. Stuart while coming down from Cathedral Pass and it looked depressingly far away. But there was conversation to distract from that dismal fact! We met a young couple who was headed out from a day hike. They had Ubi (a Whippet), Rose (a Great Dane/Shepherd mix), and Ole (a St. Bernard). What a mixture of sizes and breeds! Mica particularly took to Ubi. The two of them frisked around the parking lot, much to everyone's amusement.

We met Susan shortly after Ubi, et al. She had been up to Lake Michael by herself. She had just started hiking two years ago and this was the most she'd ever done in one day. She was also from Seattle and said she had lost 50-pounds since she started hiking – fantastic!

But now they're all gone and we're alone in the campground.

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