Journey Return

Saturday, September 7
Wonderland Trail Day #4
Start: Eagle’s Roost 
via Spay Park
Stop: Yellowstone Cliffs
11.01 miles
3,813′ ascent
3,648′ descent 

The exertions of yesterday leave my body amped up and it takes me half the night to fall asleep. Plus, it is so damn warm that I don’t need my sleeping bag for half the night. I toss and turn and watch midnight click by. Today is shorter and I could try to sleep in, but the morning hiking hours are simply the best and not to be missed. I start to rustle around just after 5:30 am. I’m all ready to depart and decide to use the camp toilet. I didn’t locate it last night when I got to camp and now it’s so dark I’m not sure where to go. I’m sort of wandering around afraid I’ll walk into someones camp. Another hiker, who smells of fresh coffee, reassures me that the toilet is down the hill. I manage to make my way to the pit toilet which is only partially enclosed on two sides. Shitter with a view (during the daylight of course)! I send my fax and start back up the trail. Like out of nowhere there’s a hiker headlamp behind me. I ask them if there’s a camp down here and they confirm that there’s a fairly tilted pad. Dang, sucks to get to camp late.

I’m on trail by 6:30 am and decide to take the short trail over to Spray Falls. After such a hot night, this is a breath of fresh air and coolness. I let the crisp air soak into my pores. I rock hop across in order to actually see the falls and daydream of having a shower. An older hiker comes to the edge of Spray Creek but opts not to cross and disappears back the way he came.

I switchback up through the forest until the trail opens up to a view of Tahoma. The smoke is still causing a pretty thick haze. I stop for a breakfast break at a creeklet and lean up against a giant boulder. I allow myself an extra bar for breakfast and sip on my instant coffee and chocolate concoction. In a small, 11.5 oz. simply lemonade bottle, I mix one via coffee packet and then some Ghirardelli hot cocoa mix. It all goes into solution pretty well even in cold water. It’s so yummy that it makes me want chocolate in my coffee at home. A hiker with a small backpack and ice axe goes by not long before a guy with a giant backpack and skis. Oh right, it’s Saturday and I’m not that far from the Mowich Camp trailhead.

The trail keeps climbing as I start to hear voices behind me. Two women catch up with me and they’re out today to do the Spray Park Loop. Despite the smoke, the views in all directions are spectacular. Observation and Echo Rock, Hessong Rock, Mt. Pleasant and Mother Mountain. Give me this any day over a river valley. I feel blessed that I have the time to go slow and really be present in this moment. Poor Ledge Girl has to do 22 miles today.

Just as I’m starting to descend, I am met by a father son team. They say they are obliged to tell me to look for the goats around the corner just ahead. I work my way down the rocks and then peer at the large rock tower to my left. I look and look but don’t see anything. I can hear the cadence of volcanic rock hitting volcanic rock but rocks can easily fall on their own. I continue to scan the enormous cliff for any movement and then there they are. One Mountain Goat steps forward to a precipice and is now visible in the sunlight. I can make out three white dots laterally crossing a seemingly perilous and impossible cliff. I start to record them as a few mosquitoes test my will not to flinch.

The Mountain Goats ascend out of view but I wait several minutes to see if they will continue across the horizon. The few mosquitoes keep buzzing me as a ladybug lands on my shirt. It’s amazing how life makes it in this environment. I hear their hooves on rock as they reappear. They are moving at a quick trot, perhaps because they are aware of my presence. I now see that there is a young goat among the group too who tucks itself right in with mama. I start to record again, watching them until the very last goat passes over the ridge and out of sight. Oh what an amazing thing it would be to travel across these rocks with their ease. I stand in silence for another few minutes before pointing myself down the rocky slope.

American Pika whistle out from numerous rock outcrops. One in particular catches my eye as it hauls vegetation into its underground tunnels. Pika store grass and other soft vegetation to eat during the winter. I am a good distance away, so my video is not that great but you get the idea. I wait for a few minutes for a photo opportunity but this sweet pika has other plans.

I return to hiking steeply downhill on rough and rocky trail. The descent is tough and slow. I keep thinking of Ledge Girl’s huge day and this descent certainly is not helping her.

I stop just before Marmot Creek for a break. Several weekend warriors pass me as I eat second breakfast and take my medications. I decide to get some ice cold water from the unnamed runoff and push some miles downhill. Down, down and more down. Towards the bottom I pass a few hiking pairs and they already look miserable. I definitely don’t envy the climb that is before them. Just before the Carbon River, I check out the beautiful Cataract Creek.

That’s over 3,100 ft. of descent by the time I reach the Carbon River Suspension Bridge. It’s about 12:15 pm and I’ve covered all of 6+ miles for the day. I start to bounce my way across when I notice a lady hike by on the other side. I stop in the middle to take a picture up and downstream of the massive Carbon River. I notice that the lady has returned to the bridge and has kinda started to step out. There are signs on either side that clearly state only one person at a time is allowed on the bridge. As I approach the end of the bridge, the lady is still parked at the entryway. I say “excuse me” as I nearly hit her with my backpack when I squeeze by.

I turn left, fuming about the annoying lady, and hike the next mile counter clock wise on the Wonderland Trail. I meet several day hikers coming up the trail who smell strongly of laundry detergent. Parts of the trail are washed out and I weave between the rocky creek bed and the river bank. I get to the last spot for water before my big climb and take a lunch break at 12:45 pm. There’s just enough room for me to squeeze in at the trail’s edge. Towering above me is a giant root ball full of rocks. I do my usual routine of letting my feet breath and laying down flat after snacking on nuts, chips and an energy bar. A couple young ladies hike by and they look miserable and can barely muster a response to my hello.

I fill up on ice cold water before hiking a short distance to connect with the Northern Loop Trail. The climb ahead of me seems daunting but at least I only have 3-4 miles to camp. It’s about 1:45 pm and I’m ready to do this! Immediately I’m cutting through tons of cobwebs and I’m filled with dread. I’m about 4 switchbacks into the climb when a father son team come bounding towards me. They are doing the Northern Loop as part of their Wonderland and tell me about all the bears they saw. We have a nice chat and I’m silently grateful that they’ve dealt with the cobwebs. The forest is thick and dark but the switchbacks are perfectly graded and I move along at a good pace.

I’m lost in my thoughts as I use the Merlin app to confirm I’m hearing Canada Jays. To my surprise, there is an older lady headed towards me and she’s in a chipper mood. Turns out that Mary is nearly 70, just out crushing a few days in the backcountry and is very chatty. She and I stand talking with our packs on for at least 30 minutes. She’s a local, earned a masters degree and became a flight attendant and loves to ski. We even chat a bit about the Loowit Trail! I hike on, but not too much farther before sitting down for a break. It’s nearing 4:30 pm and I’m closing in on finishing the climb to camp. In the middle of the trail is what looks like very fresh barfed up grass. Now, my cats like to eat grass and vomit it up but what other animals do this? And is this obviously large animal going to come and get me tonight? Just as I emerge from the forest I look back towards the valley from which I’ve just climbed.

The Yellowstone Cliffs tower above me and they are almost hard to see against the hazy sky. For some reason, I keep scanning the large talus piles for movement. Just before 5pm, I take a right onto the trail to Yellowstone Cliffs Camp. It feels like it goes on and on. After probably only a tenth of a mile, I cross a log bridge into camp. There are two campsites and no one is there but me and the deer greeting party. I first take spot #2 but change my mind and move to #1. Better to have clear skies than to be tucked under the trees. Plus, spot #1 is a bit quieter since it’s farther from the din of the Spukwush Creek. And who wouldn’t want a front row view of the cliffs?

I set up camp and listen to the deer crunch around in the forest. I send and receive inReach messages quickly tonight since I’m not buried by tree cover. I’m the only human in camp, so I take the opportunity to clean up a bit. I take my tiny quick dry towel and hike up the little creek next to camp. I wipe the dirt and crusty sweat off my body and feel like a new person.

I eat my dinner of sweet potato chips, almonds, craisins, Bobo bite and Unreal dark chocolate coconut mini for dessert. I lay the rest of my food out and assess the situation. Is this enough food to make it another three days? The hiker hunger is really starting to kick in and my stomach rumbles definitely not. My Garmin watch tells me that I’ve been burning about 4,000 calories every day. And I’ve probably been eating 1,500-2,000 calories per day. So, tomorrow I will make my best effort to hike into the Sunrise Visitor Center and see what extra food I can find.

At dusk, I tread up the hillside in search of the toilet. The deer seem a little startled by my adventure. No wood is wasted on siding for this toilet. It’s just a pit toilet on top of a wooden platform and that’s it. If only I had brought my camera with me.

I’m grateful that it’s cooler tonight and I’m hoping for a good nights sleep. It’s a completely different experience being in camp by myself and I really do feel all alone out here. My senses are heightened as the darkness of night wraps her arms around me.