It all started when Mark and I decided we should take Betty the big blue van to Sunrise (Mount Rainier NP) for our resupply mission to friends on the Wonderland Trail. We got a late start because the interweb clearly said it was nasty up there. We figured we'd save ourselves from the mid-day deluge by walking out to Sunrise camp in the afternoon; just in time for Krista, Eve, and Julie to be finishing off their long day. It was a good call. The views that we had were fantastic.

I wouldn't say we got snowed on so much as that we got slushed on. It was mighty cold in the Cascades this weekend and cheers goes out to those who may have also enjoyed amazing Labor Day weather. Note to self: if you're ever on the Wonderland Trail and it says it's gonna snow at 6500'; bail.

I went back to try and find the weather report I read on weather.gov mid-way through the weekend. It was a special advisory. It said something to the effect that the upcoming “cold and wet storm” would be especially hazardous for those in the “mountain back country.” It was like Barrack Obama himself warning of impeding doom in the Cascades for Labor Day.

We brought a lot of important things to Sunrise Camp, the girls seemed happy about it: 2 bags of salad, fresh bread, Odwalla (which was later used as a mixer), Rogue and Rainier Beer, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes, chocolate cake. Funny how the 4 day ration that Krista laboriously home-dehydrated took up as about much space as our 1 dinner? I was really sad that they weren't able to put their ration to work for them (those food bags don't pack themselves, ya' know). None-the-less they were still smiling.

Dear Black Diamond,

I don't much like the Firstlight tent you generously sold to me. I think I could have found a better tent in the children's toy section of ShopKo. I can't tell if the fabric is suppose to attract or repel water. Funny, cause my Mirage tent is the best tent I've ever owned. What gives?

Ianoutthere

We did a lot of pointing out the clear parts in the sky. There were indeed many, especially early in the evening when we got a nearly complete look at the stars and the temperature dropped to probably around freezing. The weather came in from so many different directions – the mountain still loomed above and made itself known.