The Alaska Story - Part 4

Winter in July

We awoke the next morning to find the rain still falling from the sky. To say the least, this was unexpected. Not only was it still raining, but the temperature had also dropped by about ten degrees. All of our equipment was soaking wet and we were fighting to keep ourselves dry. Annie and Nick were the only ones who were smart enough to pack rain gear, and they were now very thankful that they did.
As we gathered around our “kitchen” to make breakfast it was obvious that we had some decisions to make. The previous day’s hike had not gone as planned and we were now behind schedule. Dusty thought that we’d be much farther than we’d gotten and no one knew what lay ahead of us. At this point I was already thinking that we could just go back the way we came and follow the creek all the way out. Dusty was very determined to stick with the original plan of hiking over the ridgeline near Sugarloaf Mountain. I was concerned that if we stuck with the plan, we would find ourselves in another situation without water and many miles to hike still. I didn’t want to end up farther behind schedule than we already were, and frankly, I knew that hiking uphill through tundra again wouldn’t be any faster than it was before. I was very worried about slowing everyone down and essentially ruining the trip. We were in such a beautiful place and I found no shame in changing our route.
I should mention that Annie and Nick are super-athletes. They train for and run marathons for the pure enjoyment of it. Annie and her brother host a party in Washington State every year that involves Olympic-style competitions and relay races. True, it’s done while consuming large amounts of alcohol, but competition nevertheless. They enjoy a challenge and, in fact, almost welcome it.
In an effort to make a better decision about our next step Dusty, Annie and Nick volunteered to take a sort of scouting hike. They would hike along the route that Dusty had mapped and take inventory of what they found and whether it would be feasible for all eight of us to follow. The rest of us would stay behind and enjoy our surroundings.
The rain hadn’t let up by the time Dusty, Annie and Nick were preparing to leave. Carrying only what they needed for the day they started out from our tent area. We watched as they ascended the hillside, which was covered in willow and other dense vegetation. Our eyes tracked them as long as they could, and then, suddenly, they were swallowed by the emerald abyss.
While our comrades tried to find a way out, the rest of us tried to enjoy our time in the Alaskan wilderness. The rain was making our task very difficult however. Eventually we climbed into our respective tents and just tried to stay dry. One of the luxury items that Husband and I take backpacking with us is a Walkman with two small attachable speakers. We have a variety of cassette tapes that we also take, so we listened to Crosby, Stills and Nash and Grateful Dead while the rain pounded our tent. At some point we all fell asleep and took a much-needed rest.
When we woke up it was still raining. Our scouting group was not back yet even though it was nearing late afternoon. Husband and I climbed up to our eating area, had lunch and took pictures. We were ever vigilant for the rest of our group, scanning the ridgeline and hillsides for any sign of them. At last and around 4:00 pm Dusty, Annie and Nick emerged from the forest. They were tired and wet and didn’t seem particularly uplifted by what they’d seen.
As they told us about their journey I began to prepare dinner. I made some sort of pasta and Mary brought out her soggy vegetables, Swiss chard this time. The news was less than encouraging. There were no clear sources of water. They made pretty good time, but weren’t carrying their packs, which would be about ten pounds heavier after packing up wet gear. The hike out would be very long and we would be hiking most of the night and the next day. While I’m not afraid of challenging hikes, Husband and I were in Alaska on vacation and I wanted to enjoy myself as well. Packing up 70 pounds of wet gear and hiking for maybe 15 hours was not exactly my idea of a good time. During our discussion about what to do it became clear that I was not the only one with this opinion. When all was said and done Mary, David, Nate and I thought it would be best to go back the way we came. Dusty, Nick and Annie wanted to go over the ridge. The main concern for Dusty was that the cars were parked over the mountain and someone had to get them. Husband could’ve gone either way but decided it was best to stay with his wife. After all, we hadn’t even been married a year yet.
Reluctantly we decided to split up the group. Dusty was not at all thrilled with the idea, but that’s what we decided. Early in the morning at around 4:00 am Dusty, Annie and Nick would set out over the mountain. They would pack only what they needed, leaving many of their belongings for us to carry. Since they were going to have the longer hike, we offered to pack whatever they didn’t want to pack. A few hours later Mary, David, Nate, Husband and I would head out. We would hike to the spot we started from, or as close to it as possible, and wait for the other three, who would pick us up. We were carrying two-way radios so we would try to contact each other throughout the day.
Very soon after they ate, Dusty, Annie and Nick climbed into their tents for bed. They would have a long day and a very early morning. Although it was still early it was darker than it had been in several evenings thanks to the rain. The rest of us did what we could outside and tried to enjoy our remaining time. It’s pretty miserable to be wet, though, so we soon joined the super-hikers already in a deep slumber.
Husband heard Dusty, Annie and Nick getting ready to depart the next morning. He got up with them to help with whatever he could. Dusty had mentioned that the creeks and rivers would be higher due to the rain and snowmelt. He was especially concerned about us crossing Healy Creek, which was inevitable. As Husband helped Dusty filter the water they would need for the day’s hike, Dusty reviewed the river-crossing procedure with Husband once again. Find a good place to cross, with a strong, flat riverbank downstream. That way if someone should fall in they can easily get out on the other side. Form a pack line with each person holding onto the pack in front of them. Walk slowly but steadily through the water. Husband promised him we’d be careful and assured him that everything would be fine.
By the time they were packed up and ready to leave, I was awake also. Husband and I said goodbye to our trekkers, our stomachs tingling with concern and anticipation. They were packed very lightly, but were not taking even a tent or stove. The weather hadn’t changed, if anything the rain was stronger now. We watched them leave again, praying that they would be protected and safe until they reached the cars.
Husband and I began to pack up our things and take stock of the extra items we’d have to carry. We now had charge of the three BRC’s, Nick and Annie’s tent, Dusty’s tent, and various other items like their stoves. Soon everyone was awake so we took a breakfast break and discussed our strategy. We did have a map, which we were hopeful would help navigate us through areas we hadn’t hiked in before. Even though we were going back the way we came, we were not ascending the same drainage we came down so there would be many places we were unfamiliar with. Eventually we got everything packed up. Due to the rain and extra gear Husband and Nate were carrying packs that weighed close to 100 pounds. Mine was also heavier, though not by much. We took one last long look at what had been our home for three days and made our way down to the creek. After filling our water bottles we were on our way. I felt so strange, at once so excited, exploring a strange land with no guide, relying only on our experience and a map. On the other hand I felt scared a bit. We were in a strange place with dangerous animals and no guide with only our experience and a map. I did feel confident that whatever happened, we would make it out of the wilderness.