Winter to Spring and Back

Our main work area and what will become the new dining room. (95/365)

Tuesday 4/5/11, 9:00 p.m.

Things change quickly in the mountains, and it all starts with the weather. Most of the hike up yesterday was typical for early spring. Deep snow but packed. Most of the crew barefooted, some used crampons. I went with snowshoes for the added traction.

You expect the weather to deteriorate as you gain elevation, but the downward spiral in conditions we experienced in the last 1000 yards to the hut was some of the worst most of us had seen.

I’ve mentioned it before, but the last 1000 yards of the Valley Way trail, our main access to the hut is notoriously steep, you gain elevation quickly and leave the protection of the trees which have sheltered you over the first three miles.

Yesterday any semblance of a trail on the upper half of the 1000 yards was gone, covered by falling, blowing and drifted snow. Tristan was not of far ahead of me, but his tracks were already wiped clean. The big yellow sign warning that the area you are entering has some of the worst weather on earth, to turn back in foul weather, and that many people have died above treeline, was buried. When each of us crested the steepest section, with a short easy uphill remaining to the hut, we were hammered head on by a southerly wind that blinded you with snow and ice pellets, hurdled at you with hurricane force.

Later at the hut we talked about how each of us had difficulty finding out way to the hut over this home stretch, wandering without a trail, hoping to run into the hut we’d all hiked to dozens of times before.

My sleeping area for the week

By last night, everything had changed. The temperature went up and it started to drizzle. By 2 a.m., we are all awake, alarmed by the sound of rushing water. Water from melting snow was cascading from the slopes above. finding its way under the hut and begin to make its way up through our floors. This is normal for the hut during spring thaws, a result of the difficult location, but normally its unoccupied. By 6 a.m we had significant water making its way inside and by 6:30, all five of us were outside, lightly dressed in the warm spring air, up to our shins in wet slushy snow, our boots soaked, digging and chopping drainage ditches into the snow and ice around the hut. It worked. We diverted most of the melting runoff around and away from the hut. Success.

Now, as I write this in bed, 14 hours later, everything has changed again. Its the harshest of winter conditions outside. Hurricane force winds. Blowing snow. Total whiteouts. Ice pellets being driven uphill from the north, peppering the window at the head of my bed. Our snow trenches are frozen solid and covered with drifted snow. I shoveled snowdrifts away from the back door before bed, but I am sure it will be blocked by another massive pile by morning.

Goodnight.

A typical evening at the hut. (96/365)