On our last morning we cut our packing time down to about two hours (breaking down camp, eating breakfast, getting the gear down to the beach, packing up, and repacking to make everything level.

There was another waterfall by our campground, May Creek. Smaller but still worth a paddle over.

We went the six miles back to Ross Lake Resort to ask for portage back to Diablo Lake.

Once there we had an easy paddle, having started early enough that the winds had not picked up.

Until we got to the end that is.

There was an online warning that the lake levels would be lowered but we called three times and they assured us they wouldn’t start draining until Tuesday, and we were coming back Monday, on Memorial Day.

I dragged us as far as possible since Alex had given me his booties for my blisters, so the freezing glacier-fed waters didn’t bother me. Alex had to get out when we bottomed out then we got as far as possible.

With at least twenty feet to go to the rocky shore we had to trudge our way through glacier silt.

The Alaskan in me was screaming “people die from getting stuck in the silt every year!”

Every step we take we sank to our thighs and had to push ourselves up using the surface of the boat.

Eventually we made it and had to spend the next couple hours washing everything off in a spicket in the parking lot.

We had the time though, since  we had to wait for AAA.

Since the car was sitting in the parking lot for 4 days we put a steering wheel lock on it. Unfortunately you need a key, that was left in a drawer 2.5 drive hours away. Cell phone service to call for help was 11 miles away.

Unfortunately for someone else, and fortunately for us, the sheriff was in the parking lot for an accident and he was kind enough to call AAA for us.

The AAA guy came about the time we were done cleaning everything. Between him and Alex they were able to pry the lock off the steering wheel, “because your husband has the strength of a gorilla” per the AAA guy.

If you haven’t read Part I and Part II check them out!