Day 33 (September 18)

A morning of beautiful smells, starting with a hearty Fish Lake breakfast. Hike over Brown Mountain is damp and fragrant with fruit and flowers.

We opt for a short day in order to dodge the rain again, shacking up in the Brown Mountain Shelter just offtrail. It's not fancy like the Maiden Peak Shelter, but it's a cozy little room with an old wood stove and a generous supply of firewood. Ron and Don, who are hiking north to Fish Lake, drop in to help us light the fire. Very warm in here! No need to try out the Dr Pepper can tonight since we can boil water by setting our cup right on the stovetop.

Ron and Don are friendly guys with a lot of wit and booze to share. We all tuck away into a warm pleasant slumber while the storm pelts the tin roof all night.