Remember when Matt and I scouted the TNAB Tarns? We found they were gorgeous and an absolutely perfect destination for a Lunatique hike. (Lunatique hikes are the winter version of our Thursday night TNAB hikes.) Back then we gave instructions like, "Look for the side trail on the right just after the third creek crossing and before the waterfall."
Oops.
Our bone-dry Summer turned into a stupendous deluge in early Fall. Instead of three creek crossings in the few miles we were now faced with three creek crossings in sight of the trailhead. And it would be dark before anyone got to the hard-to-find side trail.
No problem. This is TNAB. Treen and I got a head start with a load of firewood wrapped in Gore-Tex to protect against the driving rain. At the side trail (just before the three billionth creek crossing) I stuck a glow stick into the duff. We're TNAB, but it's always a good idea to help others find the trail. (Maybe it's an especially good idea because we're TNAB.)
I wasn't the only one that showed up. In fact, we had six arrive. The fire was an amazing success and was aided by the wind that funneled through the small vale we were in. (There was an established fire-ring sufficiently far from the water so we weren't causing too much extra damage.)
The rain only let up for very short periods so as soon as the wood was exhausted we bailed. It was good to spend time with my fellow hikers in the "off-season," but it's too bad it was pouring rain the whole time and they didn't get to see the beauty of the tarns.
Maybe we'll have to work this into an early season TNAB next year. Or maybe we'll start hiking during the day.
Nah. That wouldn't be very TNAB.
