Gold Mint Hut

Thursday I found out my collar bone was still infected, Friday they tell me they need to admit me.

Thankfully, the wonderful nurses at the Multi-Service Unit (MSU- affiliated with internal medicine), remembered me and said that if the doctor would just put in orders for the antibiotics, they could treat me in the infusion clinic out-patient.

That's what they did. 

I should find out this upcoming week just how many rounds of infusions I will need. 

There is not any benefit to guessing at this point.

I felt socked in the gut at this news, but after a day or two of adjusting to the idea of it, I knew I needed some nature therapy and that is what Sean and I have been doing.

I've been eyeballing Gold Mint Hut for sometime, but knew it would be a long, hard one.

To my surprise, Sean agreed to do it.

Saturday morning, I woke up and carbo loaded some Oreo cookies (the breakfast of champions).

Sean had to carry all my things: water, food, and rain jacket.  

My surgeon implicitly told me absolutely no backpacks on my new collar bone while they are waiting for the bone to heal.

We got on the trail just before 8 am.

At miles 5 to 6.5 there was SO much mud!

Ankle deep, but not so bad that anyone lost a shoe.

There were some muddy spots we could side step, but then others we just had to slog through.

There were also parts where the willows and alders had overgrown the trail.

That was annoying, but not terrible (I've definitely seen worse-- Bold Ridge).

At mile 6.5 there was a small boulder field which I managed even with an arm in the sling.

At mile 8, we reach the point where it is time to start going up.

I was starting to get really tired.

We were getting close to our turn around time.

I sat on a rock contemplating quitting.

Sean turns around to me and says, "do you want me to run up and come back and tell you how far it is?"

Yes!!!  Let's do that!

After about two minutes of sitting on the rock, I just knew there was no way I could quit right there.

I had already done 8.6 miles and I knew the dang hut had to be near, so I got up and started going again thinking I would bump into Sean.

I called out to him occasionally, but I have to say, on this part of the trail, the trail isn't so obvious and there is more than one way to go.

I am climbing up some boulders and when I look to my left, I see that there is a trail.

So I start making my way that way.

Eventually I see some cairns and start following them.

They take me around the left side of the ridge that I am on.

I walked through what use to be some sort of tarn and come up to some steep cliffs.

I peek over and see the hut, but still no sign of Sean.

I snap a few photos and then make my way back the way I came.

On my way down, a lady tells me that my husband is looking for me.

I eventually see Sean and make contact with him through a wave.

I was so relieved!!  He had all my stuff!!

Anyway, we did 18 + miles and 2,900 feet of elevation gain.

If I were ever to do that hike again, I would definitely either ride my bike the first four miles in OR do an overnight backpack trip.

It took us just over 8 hours.

We hurried home, I showered with dog shampoo (the only soap in Autumn's shower) and headed in to the hospital to get my antibiotics.

Here are the pictures.