(Daily Mi: 12.6) Brother and Laura came in very late last night. Turns out I had passed them at the first shelter in the park still asleep. Probably decent light to walk by on the open ridge, but they are frankly a little daft to have done it.

As I broke the ice from my "trail socks" by beating them against the bear gate this morning, I made a fateful decision: I will remove my socks no more forever. From now on, no matter how wet, filthy and month old, I will sleep my socks as close to dry as possible every night.

Spectacular day. Still very wet from the ice last night and the slow melt of the now two day old snow pack. But just spectacular daytime weather.

Cloudless azure skies with enless views from 6000' ridges. Caught some sun which greatly revived my spirit.

More people today. It is Friday and we are now closer to high-elevation road access. Met a maintainer hiking north with a shovel and saluted him.

Ran into Brother and Laura about 2 miles from the shelter. We took a side trail to a view called Charlie's Bunyon. Generally against my religion, but worth the walk in this case.

Pretty shelter with an amazing view and a gushing spring. Flutterby and Brown Trout come in about an hour behind us. Big hugs all around. Brown Trout spends a frustrated evening determined to build a fire with profoundly damp wood in the shelter fire place (a local feature).