Dawn is rain free but things are pretty wet. No signs of Freddie the raccoon this morning. Breakfast is instant oatmeal packets huddled under the pop up. It is a very nice pop up with side meshing and everything. We have a table in the middle. The table has magical properties - it seems to magically gather random stuff from around the camp - bowls, shoes, fishing gear, knives, etc. An alternative theory is that the ym simply plop stuff down a and dont take care of it, but I'm still holding out hope for magic..... But with all the magical items it is a very tight squeeze for 10 let alone the 13 we have so often a couple folks are over by the cooking area which also has a small tarp over it.
It seems clear at this point that rock climbing at 10:30 is not going to happen - wet rocks and climbing are not a particularly friendly combination. So we search for alternatives. And when I say "we" I mean it works something like this - zac (HaPpY 18th bIrThDay) gets on a phone and says well, what can we do and when and what does that cost and then I'll talk to my group and get back to you. He hangs up and we have a brief conversation in which the youth vote and the adults consider liability etc. Zac then gets on the phone again - usually with another company and you repeat. We finally end up with another trip down the river, but not until tomorrow afternoon. Which leaves us with today empty.
Weather apps tell us there is about a 5 hour window from noon to 5 where rain chances are reduced. Since our hike day on Friday has now turned into another event, we decide to do a hike for lunch. Information around here is very hard to come by - they need about 50 Eagle Scout projects here - including someone to make a better map! We spend about 30 minutes of our rain free window just trying to find the trail head. Frustrating to lose the dry weather but it's also hard to see from my eyes watering from the pungence coming from the 5 ym in the back - not a point in the week you want to be in close quarters with most of them for anytime let alone an extended period. Odd thing is they have very nice WARM showers and most of them claim to be using them... maybe a discussion about deodorant is needed? Unknown...
We finally manage to find our trail and off we head. Not only are the maps lacking, as previously noted, so are the distances given for hikes. One internet site said this was a 3.4 mile hike - it didn't say if that was round trip or one way... we told the boys it was round trip of course... the start was pretty steep but it turned into a more gradual incline. The most challenging parts were navigating ones way across the bogs that had come up due to all the rain today. Usually involved waking on 45 degree angles at the side or skipping across roots and stones to traverse the muck.
We finally arrive at Beaumans rock. Nice out look where you can see just how thick the trees grow given the chance. Boys also noticed a parking lot 50 feet from the overlook - but not too many complaints we didn't "cheat." We knew it was there but that wouldn't have wisely used our dry hours! But if you come with your family know that is an option.
We took a different path back hoping to see cascades falls. About half way around we realized that the falls were actually on the other side of the river and on another trail so we didn't get to see those sadly. Another time. We got back to the cars after about a 6 mile hike. With dry time remaining we offered them two alternatives - hike a mile or so to a waterfall or walk .2 miles to a waterfall. Not sure if they didn't trust our distances or just really wanted to see cucumber falls but it was a pretty unanimous group vote for the short walk.
Cucumber falls is down in a ravine which creates a beautiful valley which seems like something out of land of the lost (dinosaur times) with ferns and large boulders and a mist hanging in the air. It was quite peaceful - until our ym started to walk behind the falls and scream and agonize when they got pelted by the water from the falls. But they had a great time.
Dinner was mountain house so everyone had plenty to eat and prep and clean up were a breeze.... but the rain did return briefly. It helped that bro Bennett arrived With another pop up tent.
At some point Eric received a text from a Spokane cell phone claiming to be Freddie the raccoon. Eventually it progressed from a desire to a Sherlock Holmes like investigation where every phone was checked for any 509 area codes into a full on inquisition including the threat of burning at the stake (of a shoe) should the guilty party be found.
Sleuthing was put aside for a spirited game of ultimate frisbee down by the showers. As we gathered for devotional led by Gabriel, the "real" rain started - the rain that may go all night. After devotional mafia games started again prior to a 10:30 special meeting in the jumbo tent to try to get to the bottom of the Freddie mystery. I managed to fall asleep before they concluded (and any thing or anyone got burned - thankfully the fire was out before then anyway.
Sorry - no pics. Roaming data running out.
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