Thrice Rebuffed, 3.5

Finally the Tree Line...
The storm clouds above were rapidly converging but once we arrived at the stable terrain of the Jennings Creek Basin we hustled. Or more aptly stated - Caleb hustled and I hobbled like Festus from Gunsmoke...remember that I am wearing only one good shoe.

We made the treeline before the storm hit but only by 10 minutes or so. It started raining on us when we made it to the "Stairway to Heaven" and we could hear the thunder rumbling back in the Basin from where we had come. We began to worry about Nic, still up on the Ridge or near the Tab Summit as far as we knew. There was a lot of lightning up there...

When we made it deep into the forest below the treeline most of the lightning danger was gone. Now we had to try to stay as dry and warm as possible. And trudge back down to the car, still about 3.5 miles away...