Despite the narly looking morraine pile all around us Raina and I managed to find the equivalent of the yellow brick road leading us out of camp.
Outside of one or two treacherous leg swallowing glacial muck piles, we both managed to make it through with our shoes on. Once we reached what we dubbed coffee bean lake the walking dried out for a bit and we walked on with our mouths constantly in exclamation of beauty mode.
Some people blow up their boats and float across Skolai lake, but Raina and I were walking into a stiff head wind and even if we had two boats it would have been painful paddling.
The easiest looking part of the day ended up being the worst. We thought the mud was behind us, but there was a lot more muck to come!! So gross, and a little unnerving, but we made it down valley to the Skolai airstrip, (not the one on topo maps) and hunkered down in the willow trees with hundreds of tundra chickens.
Within a couple hours we heard a plane overhead and met the two Jen's and pilot from Wrangell Mtn air to pick up our food, boat, drysuits and pfds.
We were hoping the two Jen's would be able to stay the night, but with the weather looking iffy, and a huge low moving in, they had to bail. I've never gotten a food drop before and I have to stay it was freaking awesome!!!
D.9.5:EG.1100
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