Today we left the back country. I am relieved to be done. I love how scenic Glacier is but, after yesterday, I’m glad to be out of it (I think my nightmares will be haunted by visions of being pushed towards a cliff and the sounds the winds make going through the pass – they sound like a jet engine that’s really close).Sleep was rough. Given all the aches and pains, getting comfortable was a chore. Around 2AM, we were treated to the sounds of a rock slide in the distance; it lasted longer than I would have guessed they do.

Around 8AM we woke up. It was sleeting outside our tent. We packed up the inside and got ready to leave. My left arm was practically useless – the range of motion is extremely limited (I can bed my elbow from about 15ºto 90º but not more and it can’t go straight ) and my grip is weak. Lara had to help me with pretty much everything. I hate being a burden and I want to make Lara’s life easier, not harder.

Once we packed up, the sleet had stopped. I went to go get the food down from the hang line while Lara took down the tent. As soon as I got to the food prep area – hail. I swear, Glacier hates us.

The father/daughter group offered to wait and head out with us. We were able to keep up with them for the first hour. My right leg was still in poor shape, but enough movement uphill or on flat terrain, without stopping, eased the stiffness.

The hike was relatively easy: 6.4 miles, 400ft ascent, and 1300ft descent. Overall, it was uneventful. The snow and rain made it muddy (and soaked through my shoes). The trail was covered in horse shit. When I was on point, I’d let Lara know when we were coming to things in the trail (mud, puddles, uphill portions), I think I said “horse poop” more than anything else (even “ow”).

The hike was pretty (minus mud and manure), but I was mostly focused on the pain in my knee and being done. The last mile was the worst due to my knee getting worse and the anticipation of being done. After 3.5 hours, we reached the road. We were out and done! We had officially (though, narrowly) survived the ordeal.

We threw the packs in the car and went to the ranger station. We gave them a suggestion to warn hikers about the strong winds possible on the pass (FWIW: if the weather forecast calls for winds >15MPH or gusts of any sort, don’t go over a pass). One of the rangers, a retired physician’s assistant, gave me a quick look over and an ice pack for my left elbow. He did a quick check to make sure I hadn’t been concussed. Another ranger stopped by a few minutes later to do a more official checkout (I am a fan of Park Rangers). We mentioned that we were going to try to get through the park and find a motel for the night and he advised us to leave soon as they were discussing closing the pass due to the storm.

We got through the park and made our way to a motel in Kalispell. We got a break on the price because the website had the wrong price and, I suspect anyway, the fact I looked like I had lost a bar fight also probably helped. We got to the room, cleaned my wounds much better, dressed them, and then took well needed showers. We ate some soup, did some laundry, and decompressed a bit.

So, back country camping… Despite what happened yesterday, I think I’d like to try again. A bit better prep would help, and some strength/endurance training would be good. I’m glad I made it out with only a strain (knee), a sprain (elbow), and some lacerations (face). I wish I had been able to make it enjoyable for Lara, instead of painful and harrowing. I’ll have to figure out a way to make it up to her.

Anyway, tomorrow we’ll head up to British Columbia (to bypass Idaho), then down to Okanogan, WA for another night of rest in a motel. Then, on to North Cascades and Rainier.

Stats: 4 hikes, 36.6 miles, alive but damaged.