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Along
with the lunch we had brought, we enjoyed some bowls of nice warm soup
that the croo had prepared. The two daughters from the through-hiking
family provided the entertainment in the form of a skit and a couple of
amusing songs. It was the perfect place and atmosphere for a long rest on
a fall day.
By
the time we were getting ready to leave, Toi's legs were feeling much
better. But since we had lost so much time, we figured we'd give up
climbing Mt Madison and just head on over to Thunderstorm Junction. If her
cramps didn't return, we could quickly go up to the summit of Mt Adams and
then head down the Spur Trail as we had planned. If she didn't feel good
enough, we'd just start going down the Spur Trail, resting at Crag Camp
for a while.
Sometimes,
making these elaborate plans pays off; sometimes, it's just an exercise in
futility. The cramps returned a short distance up the Gulfside Trail, so
we figured it was best to just head down as fast and easily as possible.
Although Toi isn't fond of sharp dropoffs, we decided that it would be
best to take the Airline Trail down because of the slippery conditions on
the Valley Way. A good portion of the Airline Trail is above treeline and
is rocky and dry, and she would be less likely to slip there.
Heading
downhill was a bit easier on her leg, so we did pretty well until we came
to the junction with the Chemin des Dames Trail. At that spot, both of her
legs started to cramp, so we were forced to take another extended rest.
Toi was starting to lose hope about getting down under her own power, but
I told her we'd make it, even if we had to go slowly.
After
continuing on down, we quickly reached treeline and began making a little
better progress. My hunch about the trail conditions had been correct, as
the Airline was considerably drier than the Valley Way. When we reached
the steep portion of the Airline Trail just below the Scar Trail, we took
our time, as Toi had to choose each step very carefully. Although she
wasn't plagued by any more cramps, her legs felt weak and she fell a
number of times, even though I was helping her through some difficult
spots. Luckily, the steep portion doesn't go on for long, and things got
considerably easier when the terrain leveled off. Before we knew it, we
reached the Randolph Path and were pretty much home free. At that point,
we took the Randolph Path back to the Valley Way and finished our descent
by the route we had come up so many hours before.
Finally,
back at the car, Toi was relieved that her ordeal was over. We stopped at
Lowe's Store for some snacks and to hit the bathroom, then headed home.
After giving it a lot of thought, we decided that not only had she been
dehydrated, but was also suffering from an electrolyte imbalance from a
lack of salts. |
Welcome
chalkboard in the Madison Spring Hut dining area. The croo were
enjoying their last few days at the hut, which was about to close
for the season. |
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