Instant Regret
Josh and I had been trying to get out for a while. We kept throwing ideas around of places we wanted to go but never were able to make any of them happen. Finally, a day lined up, but the weather was looking rainy. We figured big vistas weren’t on the future agenda of our hike so we decided to go to a cabin. After some research, we realized the initial cabin we planned to go to was boarded up due to Covid. Another option we thought of was a cabin neither of us had ever been to before. I’ve heard it mentioned by friends in the past asking if I’d ever been but never had the chance to go. We did some pre-trip research finding as much info as possible. I’m a pretty frequent user of Google Earth so once I had a general idea of where it was I was able to zoom in and find the exact spot of the cabin and plot a route. I’m not personally a huge fan of sharing locations, (I wrote about my thoughts on that here) so wasn’t surprised that I had to do a bit of leg work to find some info.
We had a good idea of where we were going but still weren’t entirely sure of what to expect. Would we be bushwhacking, or were we going to find a trail? Josh had some beta from a friend that it wasn’t crazy, but he definitely mentioned bushes. The overall distance wasn’t long but would take some time if we were route finding through thick undergrowth the entire way.
After a few stops on the way up to check out some views and a deer, we pulled into a turnaround at the end of a cut-block. After getting ready to go, we took some time to spray an expired bear spray can to get a feel for the experience. It’s something we carry all the time, but neither of us had ever actually sprayed. I was surprised to see how close the bear would be to you before you could spray it, but would be interested to see how a non-expired performs. Once done with the test and our newer cans of bear spray at hand we adventured off. From the beta we had, we know we needed to bushwhack a bit, cross a creek and there should be a trail on the other side.
Since the forecast called for rain I had brought my raincoat to stay dry, but due to not owning any rain pants that was as far as my rain gear went. Almost immediately I felt the water soaking through my pants from the trees I brushed up against. It was an uncomfortable and wet and made me instantly regret my layering choice for the day knowing that I would only get wetter. We safely crossed the creek into a talus field and found some cairns marking the trail we hoped was there. We pushed on out of the open and into the forest as the rain started falling harder and harder.
Luckily there was a trail to follow, but it was overgrown through the valley bottom, so wet branches brushed up against me with nearly every step. At this point, I was soaked through, and while they were synthetic this didn’t do much for warmth. Knowing the overall all trip wasn’t far I pushed through.
Not long after I started to feel the water in my boots. The waterproofing of the Gore-tex normally holds up, and I rarely, if ever get wet feet, but the constant wet steps and the water soaking down my legs was more than they could handle. Fortunately, my raincoat was up to the task and my upper body stayed mostly dry with the exception of where the camera pouch on my chest caught water and rubbed it through the fabric.
The rain continued at a constant rate as we hiked. Finally, we got to the cabin, which was amazingly built, headed inside and were able to catch a break from the downpour. This particular cabin is one of the best-built backcountry cabins I have seen, super solid construction, well insulated, and clean. It’s definitely on my list to come back to, spend the night and explore the nearby peaks. I was able to get off all my wet layers and dry off as best I could.
Normally I try to be prepared but I don’t know what happened on this trip. While I was prepared on the planning of the route, I was the most underprepared I had been in a long time. I did have a warm Oyuki Merino wool layer with me that was dry but that was about it. All I could think of was my toque sitting on top of the washer which I looked at before I left deciding I didn’t need it. Or my puffy in the front closet, that was still hanging on a hook. In addition, my boots were soaked and as I dumped out the water pooled in the bottom I regretted not having extra socks. I think because I’ve been hiking in such nice weather lately I got complacent and didn’t think ahead.
It was a great reminder that even though it’s the middle of summer in August, mountain weather can be inclement and you should be prepared. I hate to admit that I wasn’t prepared and disappointed in myself that I didn’t bring along the extra gear I needed especially when it doesn’t add much weight to my pack. I decided at that moment I would put together of list of things for the future I always want to have regardless of the weather.
After chilling for a bit and making coffee with Josh’s stove (he was much better prepared than me) we took back off into the rain. We briefly explored around the lake and meadow the cabin was set in before starting down. We both had commitments at night so made the decision to move quickly. No reason to spend more time in the wet and cold than necessary, plus at this point we were already soaked through.
As we got closer to the boulder field we discussed the possibility of changing course slightly. The boulders were wet, slippery and slow going, and the potential for a fall was high. We figured we couldn’t get any wetter so we opted to walk through a creek to get back to the far end of the cut block we were parked in.
Back at the truck the wet boots and socks immediately came off and the sandals went on and we cranked the heat. All that was left was a bumpy ride down a logging road. While nothing went wrong and everything worked out this was definitely a good reminder to be more prepared in the future. Being wet and cold was inconvenient but could have easily become something worse if anything had happened. Something as simple as a rolled ankle would have kept us out longer than expected.
While I try not to dwell in the past I do regret my decision making, and being properly prepared, mainly because I know I have enough mountain experience that I should have known better.