Day 3 Information
Sunrise Camp - Night Two - 0 WT Trail Miles
Saturday, September 7th 2002

It is about 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Today I’m at Sunrise Camp. Last night I got here at 8:45 p.m. I made a large bowl of pasta which was very good. The temperature is 45 degrees, but it is probably a little colder since that is inside the tent. I talked to some guys last night and maybe 1 or 2 girls. They were college aged. They started at Sunrise and 30 minutes later they were passing me on the trail. I asked them where they were headed and they said Forrest Lake, and I asked if they meant Frozen Lake. One of the guys said that is what he thought but the guy with the map said no. I looked at the map and sure enough, there was a Forrest Lake and they were going the right way. When I passed them it was about 7:30 pm. Then I got to camp at about 8:45 and set up camp very quietly. Then I heard several people entering camp, very loudly. They were pointing there flashlights everywhere and at all campers that were attempting to sleep, as they were walking all around looking for a tent site to sleep at. Then about 10 minutes later I realized this was the same large group of hikers that were headed to Forrest Lake. I think they had hiked to Frozen Lake then realized they had missed their turnoff and just decided to hike the 1.2 miles to Sunrise Camp, which is exactly what I should’ve done. I ended up hiking an extra 1.5 for no reason. Today I’m gong to hike up to Sunrise and get my food and throw away my trash, and get some water.

Today is Saturday at 8:20 p.m. It is now dark. I’m trying to get ready for tomorrow and I’m pretty much done. I’m trying to go to bed now. I’m still at Sunrise Camp. Today I woke up around 9 a.m. and got out of bed around 10 am. I went down to Scout Lake and pumped about 3 liters of water. Then for breakfast I had pop tarts and a nutra grain bar. After pumping water I came back to camp and emptied everything out of my pack except for my stove and my jacket. Then I walked up to Sunrise and used the bathroom to put in my contacts and brush my teeth. Then I got my food and sorted it out. I left a bag of rice for other people and in return I got some tang drink mix and some chocolate pudding mix. I talked with the rangers, one of them being a younger ranger, Nate, who is 21 and volunteering his summer at the ranger station answering questions that the visitors ask. Today he hiked up to Burroughs Mountains. There was another ranger, Jack, at the age of 60 or so, a very nice and talkative man. Earlier before I got to the ranger station, Jack had taken a picture of a short tailed weasel that had run into the ranger station. After I sorted out my food, I walked up to the Sunrise Snack Bar, where I bought a fleece beanie for $18, which I’m wearing right now. I sat down and ate for a while then Nate came up and got some hot coco. We talked about his job as a volunteer ranger and what he does in his free time. Then I walked over to the visitor’s center and looked for a while at all the displays, pictures and postcards. Then I walked back toward the ranger station to call home at the pay phone but someone else was already using it. So I waited in the ranger station for a few minutes. Then the other people finally got off the pay phone, and I was able to call home. But no one answered so I started to leave a message but only spoke for a few seconds before the message machine beeped at me and stopped recording. After leaving a message, I headed back to camp. On the way I decided to go to the Emmons Glacier Vista Lookout. This lookout has a log to sit on with a small narrow roof over the top of it.


Emmons Glacier taken from the Emmons Glacier Vista Lookout

I took a few pictures then started heading to camp again. As I was hiking back, snow began to fall.


Snow Falls on my way back from the Emmons Glacier Vista Lookout

When I got back to camp I hung my jacket on a branch, to dry for the next day. I knocked the mud from my shoes and put them in a bag for the night. I then went through all my food and other belongings. Then I cooked dinner consisting of 1 cup of potatoes and some pasta. I also had Hot & Spicy Pringles and Old Country Time Pink Lemonade drink mix. Today for lunch I had the tangerines that come in the plastic cups, and two cups of applesauce and some pink, orange and brown sugar wafers. After dinner I cleaned out my dishes and took a few pictures of the lake and reflection.


Shadow Lake at night with an interesting color and reflection

I wanted to take one earlier this afternoon but unfortunately the wind was blowing making the water not as reflective. So I waited and then it finally cleared again so I took two pictures and then my camera gave me the “Card Full” message so I spent some time erasing images I didn’t want. Then once I was finished, the wind picked up again so I decided to just forget about it. I fed a few camp robbers from my hand for a little while. I also saw two squirrels fighting down the trail, which was quite funny to watch. Then I hiked up to Sunrise.

Well I'm going to bed now. If I can get up early and the skies are clear I will try to hike up to Freemont Lookout to get a panorama of the sunrise. Then get back to camp, pack up and head out for Summerland. But I will probably not get up that early. Tomorrow most of my trek is downhill, the first half of the day to White River, then after that it is all up hill to Summerland.


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Extra 5 Miles is from hiking From Shadow Lake to Sunrise then back to Shadow Lake. Also from hiking from Shadow Lake to Emmons Glacier Vista Lookout and back.