Tremont Hike

Dad and I had us another great overnight hiking trip. We used the Rhododendron in bloom as our excuse for this trip. After lunch we hiked out of Tremont on the Middle Prong Trail up to Lynn Camp Prong Trail and stayed at campsite 28. About six miles and 1600 foot up. We had beautiful weather and I guess Dad had proved whatever he had to because he didn't try to hurt me this time. We passed a few day hikers and one group of overnight hikers that were coming down.

Our hike up was rather peaceful and uneventful. I did find a railroad spike from the old rails that were used up in these parts. We stopped at Indian Flats waterfall where Mom had once tried to fall in and Dad showed me the claw marks on the rock.

We were the only campers when we made camp so we picked a remote site that was down a twenty foot drop from the main trail. It was right on the river. We heard the Thunder Gods talking so we set up our tarps first and then got water, fire wood and then dinner started. It never did rain so we enjoyed the fire and talked Man stuff. I was quite exhausted from a sleepless night at the fire hall so I apologized to Dad and dove into some serious snoring.

During the night we had a few visitors. Dad heard a deer stomping when it saw our hammocks and a bear was destroying a stump up on the trail looking for grubs. Something, I would assume a coyote, brushed under my hammock and Dad said that it had brushed his. By the time I got my light on I couldn't see anything.

After my second bathroom trip I noticed that my hammock was about six inches off the ground. I checked my knots and everything looked fine so I tightened up the strap on the foot end and climbed back in. Just as I settled in I heard a loud snap and my head hit the ground. I found out why my hammock was so low. The strap had stretched to its breaking point. Luckily it wasn't the foot end. I had tried out some lightweight three quarter inch straps that were good to 350 pounds. They were suppose to be better than the nylon. I found out different. I tied a granny knot in it and slept good the rest of the night. It's weird that you go to all of these ropes and knots classes and the granny comes through every time.

The next morning we got up and had a good breakfast. On the way out we checked out the stump the bear found so exciting. They are powerful critters.

We hiked the Miry Ridge trail and Panther Creek trail back to the Middle Prong Trail about nine miles and up 1300 feet and then down 2900 feet. We did have a beautiful view at Jakes Gap. Dad showed me a trail that used to be there but isn't anymore. We chased some deer down the trail on the way out and we saw some trout fishermen back at the trail head that said it was easy catching with the water down so low.

Since lunch time had us close to the trail head we saved up and went into Townsend for a hamburger and ice cream. After we got in the truck and started heading out the rain started. We put the packs in the back seat and by the time we got to Townsend the bottom dropped out and we could barely see the road. We got back to the ponderosa and visited with Mom until dinner. Had a safe trip home.

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