Trail's End Party

For the first time in recent frog crew memory, our weekend off fell on the same weekend as “Trail’s End” – the big end-of-the-season party that trail crew throws each year. 

After this weekend, I was slated to demobe another site, Bench Lake (or Pinchot), with Mary – my field partner from last year – while Christi was going to Demobe Center Basin with Sean.  The rest of our crew had to leave to go back to school.  The trailhead to Bench Lake on the east side is Taboose, which starts at 6,000ft elevation and goes up to 11,300ft in 9 fun filled miles.  To get there from the west side (where the party was) starts at 5000ft and goes up to 12,130ft in 23 miles (and then 3 more miles downhill to the camp).  After much discussion and thought, Mary and I decided to drive around to the west side to attend the party and hike in from the west side to Bench Lake.

The party was fun.  All of the trail crew people I knew were there (which is quite a few at this point!) as were numerous people from other divisions.  Frog crew made an impressive showing, with all of its female members attending, as well as our boss Isaac and his girlfriend Stephanie.  There was a fire pit that pork was roasted in, there was a cross cut saw competition, an impromptu pull-up competition, mud wrestling, a dance floor, and much good food to enjoy.  More of an experience than anything else.  

The mud wrestling pit is getting prepped.

Kyle and Greg from the Rae Lakes crew compete in the cross cut saw competition.  The officiator, Tim from cabin crew, is on top of the log.