Tour 3

(First part of the trip, myself and Kristian were sent up to Holden to dig a path through an avalanche fall on the Holden Lake Trail.)

Day 1. Office Day
I really dread office days. Staring at a computer screen at endless words- taking some training course- all the type blends together and I feel like I'm turning into a zombie.
Put on a fat suit and took the pack test today. Walking 3 miles in 45 minutes wearing a vest that weighed 45 lbs. It felt easy- I mean, we were only walking in circles on a flat surface. Round and round the track (nothing like what we do in the field).
Since Kristian and I were staring at computers all day, and worked through lunch, we got ourselves milkshakes on the way back to the office. Made the rest of the crew jealous.
Didn't even have to explain to the boss that we got lost on the way back and had no idea why there were milkshakes in our hands- he didn't even notice.

More paperwork. Two trails people hovering over the fax machine trying to make it work.

Day 2.
Another day at the office. It really makes me go insane.
Today we were issued all our fire gear. I got nomex pants that don't fit- but will suffer them anyway.
Went for a drive w/ the boss. Just because. (Kristian and I needed to get our government driver's licenses.)
Helped Margie clean up a camp. Trash detail. It at least got us outside. Then we hid in the warehouse until almost 1630-just in time to say bye to the boss as we fled the premises.

Day 3.
Uplake to Holden! We took the put put boat (forest service boat). Saw some awesome mountain goats grazing on some rocks by the lake. Then we had to help load a toilet and drive it up to the village. We thought they meant just the toilet part- they meant the whole house.
Managed to load it w/ help. Then there were three of us to unload it. A quote from Kristian 'I'm so glad we get to experience this- and w/ just the three of us.'

Home sweet home- moved into our awesome one room guard station- we feel spoiled. Then up to the avalanche on the Holden Lake trail. Lots of adventuring trying to figure out the best place to put a trail through it that is llama passable. Thunderstorms threatened and then went away. Ate a good dinner at Holden, and then returned later for icecream! We really are spoiled. Toured their awesome pool hall and bowling alley. Attempted pool and failed. The wall artifacts are fascinating.
Pulled out the mattresses and slept in the guard house. Nice and cozy.

Day 4. A snake, a bear and a llama
(and a few giant mice).
Hiked back up to our avalanche today. A snake was lying in the path looking dead. We poked it. nothing. poked it again and it flicked it's tongue a couple of times. Maybe it ate something big and couldn't move.
A little further up the trail we heard a huge rustling all of a sudden. My first instinct was that a tree was falling, but there was no wind. Kristian and I were on opposite sides of the movement. We realized it was a bear and froze-almost sure it would bust out of the trees. But it went the other way. We were really hoping to see it, but never did.
Then to our avalanche. We plotted the rest of where our trail would go thru it. To do this we had to ask ourselves the question 'If I were a llama, would I go here?- the answer was invariably-no- not any sane llama anyway, but they will have to go through there, so we found a way.
Our half dead snake was gone on the way down-but we saw plenty of giant mice. They stand there staring stupidly asking to be shot. We figured we would be a rugged crew if we made snakeskin toothbrush holders, chipmunk ear muffs and deer hide waterbottles (The critters around Holden are not shy, and we find it irritating).

Someone has moved into the guard station. We were a little taken aback when we got off the trail this afternoon. Had to actually set up our tents- we would have slept out w/ out them, but the weather said rain. It's not raining, but it probably would have if we didn't have tents.
Got icecream again and played bananas in the guard station (it's a fun word game).
We are very spoiled at Holden w/ a kitchen, lots of good meals w/ fresh fruit and veggies!

Day 5.
We enjoyed hiking w/ our flora expert Barbara. We really like learning plants and trees and such. There were lots of mosquitoes at our work site and Barbara also showed us how to look 'officially stupid' I didn't know it could be official, but mosquito netting makes it so.
Back up to our avalanche. Stayed late to finish our trail. We have an awesome llama passable- at least for now- reroute.
A storm was blowing in as we finished. But we decided to try and make it to Holden lake. We were so close- w/ in a mile. Got a good way up the trail until a clap of thunder crashed right over our heads. We looked at each other and said 'let's get the hell out of here.' Booked it across our avalanche trail to the safety of the treeline. Grabbed our tools & hauled ass down the trail keeping an eye on the sky.
At the edge of the treeline, we had a decision to make. There was about a mile of open switchbacks to get through before reaching cover. 3 options: A-take the tools & book it. B- stash the tools & book it. C- sit it out.
We hadn't seen any lighting yet so we went w/ option B. A ways out of the treeline and just past an alder thicket we see lightning flash across the trail. We immediately duck down and sit on our helmets. Thunder follows instantly. We are still 3 miles to camp- so we high tail it back to the last alders we just passed and hunker down- we then realized we weren't in the safest place sitting in the middle of the trail, so we climb onto the bank and sit in the middle of a bunch of slide alder. Pass stories as we wait out the storm. were waiting for about 45 min in faulty rain gear, it left, and we radio in before heading back to camp.
Arrive soaking wet from rain and wading through brush. But we were still in time for icecream at the village. - the important things in life.

Got jipped on icecream (I got a small serving instead of lots), am beat from the trail. Had a cool tree lesson at the guard station - spruce are sharp, fir are flat, pine come in packs-
Need sleep now. It's weird having someone live in the station. she went into the village, we were just chilling around the table and she says 'make yourselves at home', and I thought- but I am home.

Day 6.
We took a recreation hike to Hart Lake. 4 miles there. Ate a quick lunch and hiked back. It was a nice stroll through the woods and we had nothing better to do w/ our morning.
Downlake on the Lady.
Some friendly fishermen helped me fish my boot out of the lake. It flew off my pack right as I hefted it on at the dock. The boot was much cleaner afterwards.
Got icecream on our way back into Chelan and we were happy campers.