WHIRLPOOL LAKE TO COWAN LAKE - RMNP - AUGUST 22-23

Having completed the Moon Lake hike with Roger on the Saturday - I was rather wet to say the least!  There was no message from Marg (Nestor) to say she wasn't coming - so I headed off to Whirlpool Lake camp ground where we were planning on camping.  My first priority, was to get a fire going in the shelter.  I had some dry kindling - but finding dry logs wasn't easy!  My second priority, was removing the thousands (literally) of green burrs that my canine companion had acquired during the Moon Lake hike!  Eventually the fire was producing some heat, and the shelter was warming up.  Marg arrived - but having left some good weather at home - she hadn't even thought of not coming!  We ended up getting our tents up in the shelter - then moving them out side when there was a break in the rain!  The wind continued to howled and the rain obviously wasn't going to quit in the very near future.

We were greeted by RMNP staff first thing Sunday morning.  We were reminded that our tents were not pitched on the designated camp spots - as we had put them as close to the shelter as possible.  However, it wasn't long before it was suggested that we should have stayed in our tents in the shelter....!  The morning started dry, and after packing up our tents - we enjoyed a 4.5 km hike into Cowan Lake.  The trail and camp site were all well maintained which was good to see.  During our stop for snacks at Cowan Lake - sure enough, it started to rain yet again!  It really was beginning to feel like fall.....  Our hike back was uneventful - just a couple of frogs here and there, and evidence of the busy beavers!

Thanks, Marg, for making this rather wet trip more amusing!    Di Ingram