We woke to a misty morning and could barely see the water below. Smoke from forest fires or normal mist? We weren’t sure.

We packed up and cleaned the shelter a bit (packing out some large pieces of trash) and started hiking south. Soon we came to an old clear-cut and we spied two juvenile black bears hanging out across the way on an old logging road. They paid us no mind as they wrestled amid the tall fireweed.

The trail once again presents us with lots of climbing and rooty/rocky footing. It’s tiring. We climb straight up for 5 steps, then straight down for 3. Up for 10. Down for 7. It works our legs like nothing else can. Thru-hikers have the most epic and strong legs out there, and we were earning ours with some first-day pain.

We made it to the next hut with hopes of a swim, but the water was surrounded by mud of the kind we didn’t feel like sinking in to. We had lunch and took power naps.

We climbed and descended. Climbed and descended.

Late afternoon we got to Sliammon Lake and had a nice overdue swim. We didn’t linger too long because we were due to meet Courtney in a few hours and hang at her house for the night.

Lake bagging

Tired.

Courtney met us about a mile in and gave us the extra oomph to finish a long day.

Pizza and beer.