We woke up to the sun at 7:15. Mandy and I are not early risers. Last night I had terrible gas, which kept me awake for several hours. Camp food will really mess me up. I packed up my sleeping gear and started hot water for tea/coffee. Today there is a 9ish mile water carry, but we don’t know how long precisely. We think the first two creeks Alder and Pole, are dry. There is also 12 miles of burn scars from the 2017 Mill fire and the 2012 Pole Creek Fire, which burned a combined 50,000 acres of dense forest in the Sisters Wilderness. I’m feeling a little nervous about a full day of burn and sun exposure. Mandy and I drink extra water before leaving camp and each carry 2 liters.
Leaving Matthieu lake, we turn our feet east towards the sun. The first descent was in a mix of burn and live trees. It is a quiet morning and we don’t see anyone on the trail. We begin the first climb of the day – 1000 feet up a ridge of burnt trees. I check my water, and still have 1.5 liters. It’s 11:30 and starting to get warm. Soon, we meet the group of 4 from yesterday, we learn they are from Sacramento. They had camped a couple miles before the Matthieu lake, and did not stop to fill up before heading into the burn. They were unaware that the first 2 streams in we would cross in the burn are dry, making the water carry over 11 miles for them. We wish them well then keep moving. Shortly after, Mandy suggests that we turn around and give them some of our water. I agree. They welcome the extra water. I’m fact, one of the people in the party is completely out of water.
It’s hot and the sun is relentless. I check my phone – 3 more miles till a spring with running water in it. I eat a snack and keep pushing up the hill. I’m super sweaty. To pass the time, Mandy retells the plot of a book she read. It was about an abusive mother and it’s based off a true story. I’m horrified. Finally we arrive. I take off my shirt and dunk my head into the icy cold water. It feels incredible. I can feel my brain cooling off. Mandy and I find a sliver of shade from a burnt tree and sit down to lunch. Tuna and cheese in a tortilla, almonds and mango. We keep an eye out for our friends. We hoped they would make it to this wonderful cold water, and didn’t bail at the pole creek cutoff. Finally they arrive, one by one. Each thinking us for the water we gave 5 miles before. Before long, an hour has passed, time to move. It’s only 3 more miles of burn, and then back into green forest!
Mandy and I walk and talk. We talk about our families, friends, memories of our childhoods. We laugh at stupid jokes. It’s good to laugh and walk with my friend. We walk along with south and middle sister in clear view.
All of a sudden we’ve run out of trail. We crossed a stream – cloudy grey with sediment from the glacier – and then stumble around a huge field burnt fallen trees. We pull out our phones and check our gps on our maps. Walk towards the direction of where we think the trail should be. It’s there! We hop back on and continue our chatting.
Walking by a small, green lake marked the end of the burn. 12 hot miles but it wasn’t too bad, we decide.
The last 3 miles I enjoy the smell of pine as the trail wanders through the forest. We arrive at the extremely picturesque Park Meadows. At the south end of the Meadows, South Sister juts into the sky. Her layers of colorful rock amplified by the setting sun. I stop and look, do some camp chores, then stop and look again, to see how the light has changed her visage. The glaciers look formidable, but tired in the summers heat. I’m tired too. We make dinner, brush teeth, inspect some scat near our tent site, and finally settle in. It’s only 7pm but the sun has wore us out today.
Leave a Reply