The Swan Song of the Snow

Day 33 7/15
Mileage 12
Camped at mile 2238.55

We woke up bleary and confused around 10:30 this morning, and stumbled out of camp around 12:40. Progress was slow on the snow, and it was hot. It sort of threw us all off to throw ourselves into the heat of the day by getting up late. We crossed paths again with Eleanor, who was glad to have some footprints to follow. We wandered around in the snow for a while, but finally descended out of it. We entered a burn area that was actually really cool. It wasn't nearly as barren as the first one we saw. It was dotted with undergrowth and flowers. So many flowers today! The brown landscape became increasingly green as we wound down into the lower elevations. The smells were new, too. Lupines filled the hillside, bathing us in their fragrance. It was so nice to smell something besides ourselves. The afternoon was generally great after a drowsy morning. The burn ended and we were right back in open, golden evergreen forest. This time, though, there were almost no mosquitoes! Snow must have melted fast from the burn area, which is above us, allowing this part of the forest to dry out sooner. Whatever the cause, it was wonderful. Also, earlier today, we got to drink out of another spring, this time with a bucket to lower into the water. Neat-o. Then, exhausted, we found a great campsite, our night-hiking experiment a complete failure, and called it a night.