Park Butte — Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012

North Cascades > Mount Baker Area

The trail was incrediblily colorful, bright reds and oranges in all directions. Visibility was very limited, never more than 200 hundred feet. Trail was in good shape. Moderate to heavy rainfall the whole way up. The hiking register indicated no one was headed to the top. 2 hikers passed us and we agreed we would share the lookout for the night. Once we got to the top it was occupied by a couple who intended to make it their love shack for the night and they had no plans of sharing. We turned around and headed back to the closet camp sites, already saturated, and set up tents and cooked in a rain storm. For me, worst night of camping ever. Torrential rain all night with high winds most of the night. Skipped breakfast, packed in a rain storm and hiked out. Thought I had pretty good rain gear, Arterix backpack, useless. Northface rain jacket, useless. 2 different Marmot rainjackets both useless. I thought I was prepared. They only thing that did not leak was my Navaro bike pants. Would love to have somebody tell me a truely waterproof jacket. May Karma strike the love couple!!