I totally get what you mean about the trail being muddy after all that rain. We had the same issue last spring when we tried to do the loop near Pine Creek. Honestly, the views at the top made it completely worth it though. I'm glad you guys made it back safely and had a good time despite the conditions. Let me know if you want to borrow our poles next time, they really help with the slippery parts. Also, thanks for the tip on that little diner in town, we'll definitely check it out next time we're up there. Anyway, talk soon!

Yeah, it was a great trip overall. The weather held up nicely for us on the summit day. We saw a family of deer near the lake which was pretty cool. I'll send you some of the photos when I get a chance to sort through them.

Oh, you absolutely have to watch the new season of that nature docuseries. The cinematography is just incredible, especially the episodes filmed in the rainforest. I know you said you weren't sure about it, but I promise it picks up after the first episode. The way they tell the story of the ecosystem is just fascinating. I binged the whole thing over the weekend while I was stuck at home. Let me know what you think once you've seen a few episodes. I think you'll really like the narrator too.

Also, I started reading that book you recommended last month. It took me a bit to get into it, but now I'm hooked. The character development is really something else. I'll probably finish it this week.