[Ski]

After sitting here for almost 6 hours, trying to catch up on the back-and-forths, reading the great trip reports, and looking at the incredible photography, I'm almost embarassed submitting my piddly little report, but here goes: Apologies for no pretty pictures yet. The film is still in the camera. Worse: there's a piece of schmutz inside the camera, and I have a bad feeling that all the shots are going to have a little black speck in the upper left hand corner. ( But then, it could just be dirt in my eye. ) Left Monday morning about 6:30, got to end of road 3 hours later to find 2 vehicles. Loaded pack, laced up boots, and started about quarter after 10. Met a party of 4 along road coming out. They said they'd gone in about 3 miles, hadn't seen anyone, and that it rained hard Saturday. Got to end of road about 12:30. Crossing at Sams almost knee-deep. Weather sunny, warm. There was enough rain Saturday that road surface and everything under canopy is still wet. Got to Andrews Field about 1:30, hung a flag in SE corner of meadow. After thorough examination and careful consideration, have determined that Cut-Leaf Blackberry (Rubus laciniatus) has superior flavor to Himalaya Blackberry (Rubus procerus). Had an apple at Coal Creek. Brush and trail wet to lower crossing junction, but drier past that point. A Douglas Squirrel scolded me at Spruce Bottom, where the river has scoured out a nice new pool just below the bend. Got to upper crossing junction and thought I heard a cat ( but maybe my ears were just playing tricks on me ). Got to campsite, set up tent, and went for a quick dip. When I walked down to river to jump in, 2 or 3 cow elk upstream wandered out onto gravel bar from behind the alders. When they saw me they walked back and hid. Pulled out rod and started walking upstream a ways. A young buck elk walked out and crossed river, taking his time negotiating around the rocks. When I got upstream with rod, a small herd ( 15-25? ) made an appearance, led by a massive bull with a huge rack. They saw me and bolted up into the alder flat across the creek. I got just a few nibbles from small trout while I listened to the elk whistle across the river. Walked back to camp and made dinner, then watched venus and the bats come out again. Tuesday woke up about 5:30. Still chilly, so I fell back asleep until about 8:30. Got up and had a cup of tea and watched the sun come through the hemlocks on opposite bank. Left foot in rough shape: won't be going farther up-trail today. ( Probably wishful thinking anyway, as weather guy on TV said rain Thursday, which would mean literally running up and down the trail to Pelton and back. ) Made some oatmeal, took a nap, and waited for the sun to hit the swimming hole full force. Went for an afternoon swim and laid down on rocks for a while. Went upstream a ways with rod. Not much action: a 6" rainbow and an 8" and a 10" whitefish ( fat and ready to spawn ). Retrieved an empty Cuervo Gold bottle from bottom that some idiot filled with water and tossed into river. ( As though I really needed some additional weight to pack out. ) Surprised to find deepest point in pool is only neck-deep. Water is real low. Had dinner about 7:30. Pink clouds wrapped around Pelton Peak. High cirrus clouds blowing in off coast. Only critters today were a raptor ( sharpie? ) fishing above river, and some sort of very weird-looking light-green caterpillar about 3" long crawling along the ground. Laid down and watched one meteorite and the moon rise in the east about 10:30. Wednesday woke up about 7. Front blew in off coast during night. Cool and cloudy. Clouds dancing in trees on ridge-top- doesn't look good. Took a couple photos and then laid down for a nap. Got up again about 9:30- clouds look like they're here to stay. Had a cup of tea and some oatmeal. All quiet except the occasional "peep" from the dippers. Sun is trying to break through above hemlocks on opposite bank, but clouds are right down on the river up at Harlow. The view west doesn't look good. Packed up after breakfast. Saw a baby racoon up in a vine maple just below Spruce Bottom and talked to him for a minute before he climbed down and off into the brush. Cloud cover thickening, but Kloochman is in view from Andrews Field. Got back to truck at 6:00. Two bow-hunters drove in, in the same truck that had been parked there Monday. Again the entire river valley was empty. Had dinner in Aberdeen and got home about 9:30. photos here