No Fitch

July 18, 2018. Metaline Falls to Silver Creek campground.

I slept awfully in the hot stuffy room. The restaurant opened at 7:00 and I was there. So, too was Indigo. I ordered while she skyped with her family. Her hiking companion, Snowberry, joined us. They were going to have somebody pick them up later and drive them for a good chunk of today’s trail.

I had a big breakfast, said my goodbyes, paid my bill and was off. I swung by The Rock House for a last look.

Today’s mission was to leave Metaline Falls at 2,100 feet above sea level, ascend Abercrombie mountain around 7,100 feet and then climb down to Silver Creek campground at 3,100 feet. Five miles of pavement walking awaited. Even though it was morning, there some steep, sweaty climbs. I did see some wild turkeys on the way.

Instead of mosquitoes, it seemed today’s pest was going to be gnats. As an adult, I still cannot tell you anything about gnats. It seems they exist solely to fly around you, waiting to be inhaled or to land in your eyes or ears. Perhaps they are nature’s Ear, Nose and Throat specialists.

By 11, I was on gravel forest service road. I passed one lady collecting huckleberries and two forest service vehicles. Other than that, it was a boring eight mile hike up a gravel road.

Finally, I switched to trail. I was actually feeling pretty good. Nearing the top there were long switchbacks and I was able to go all the way before pausing at the turn.

One pleasant diversion was a spring near the top. With the dry weather and heat, I assumed it would be dry. Instead, it came gurgling out from underneath a tree. Fresh cold water at 6,000 feet on a hot day of hiking is a way to pump up the gratitude.

The view fron Abercrombie Mountain was impressive, but muted slightly by smoke. I love mountaintop views, but in this section all the mountains look roughly the same. In many mountain ranges there is a diversity which adds interest and gives reference points. For example, the Cascades have some distinct whoppers. To be clear, the views are great, just not exceptional. Oh, and I was disappointed Abercrombie and Fitch had not created a Fitch mountain nearby. Selling naming rights for mountains is an untapped revenue stream for the forest service.

I thought the hike down would be challenging as it started with a lot of scree in the trail and I had on new shoes which might slip a bit and result in blisters or jammed toes. It worked out okay, but the trail changed in another, negative way.

This may be too “insider” but some trails seem designed for backpackers and some for mountain bikers. A backpack trail will be longer and straighter on switchbacks. A mountain bike trail will be more gradual and emphasize “S” curves. If you are backpacking down, like I was on Abercrombie, I just wanted to get down safely, not float down like a Disney ride.

I made it to the bottom, later than I had expected. The great news was a crude campground was at the trail head. Nobody was there and there were five campsites. Simple folk, backpackers consider a picnic table, pit toilet, and fire ring a luxurious setup.

About 90 minutes after I got there, ate, and set up my tent, Indigo and Snowberry showed up. They camped nearby.

I was feeling good. It had been a great climb, I found a sweet campsite, and the new shoes felt good. Just before going to sleep, an owl showed up. I could see its profile and it was smaller. I called this a polite screech owl. It made a measured screech every minute or so, but nothing as loud as a real screech owl. Regardless, it was not enough to keep me awake.