Late last night/early this morning around 1am I had a visit from a nosey bear. It never got more than 50 feet from the shelter but it did get in my head a bit and keep me from sleeping. I wish I had a camera crew to film the ruckus I made. I bet it was quite a show. I banged my sticks on the picnic table, gathered rocks, and made a big fire. I had some difficulty falling asleep and got a very late start.

Sarver Hollow is a great shelter, spacious with a covered deck so you can sit at the table out of the rain; but it is very far off trail and very steep. The water is very good, cold and delicious, but also far away. Even the privy is far away. The terrain is very rocky and while there’s space for camping I don’t imagine it’s very pleasant.

On the ridge I found a few cairns.

I finally left camp about 10 am. The day was somewhat uneventful. I came down from sinking creek mountain, pausing to lay on a shaded boulder to cool off before strolling through some pasture.

I found some berries and I only picked up one tick coming through the pasture.

Leaving camp at 10 it was already super hot. I found a friendly amphibian coming down sinking creek mountain.

Right as I was almost out of the pasture I got hit with a rain. I snacked under my poncho and went up into the woods before coming down to laurel creek shelter. On the way I found a pretty purple fungus.

And the previously majestic Keefer oak.

The water at laurel creek I would describe as cool and refreshing, not quite as cold as Sarver Hollow. I stayed here for an hour waiting out another rain.

I don’t need to be a scholar to know the trees are in trouble.

I packed up and went up again, finding my only phone signal for the day. Right when I reached the top I got another rain, more wet than the first two. I trudged along a ridge and then down to War Spur shelter. My boots were completely waterlogged.

At the shelter I found 3 friends: High Maintenance, Pivot, and Mama Duck. We enjoyed some conversations and I assisted with the finer nuances of bear hanging around a fire.

I didn’t document much fighting the rain all day. When it’s raining on the go I just try to get through it. I waited for the fire to burn down to embers before closing my eyes for sleep, hoping for an early start to beat the heat.