Day 5 – Port’s Water Race to Martin’s Hut

I was half joking with myself yesterday when I said I wouldn’t get out of bed till it stopped raining, but I spent a long time this morning waiting for a dry spell. None came, so eventually I packed up my hammock in the rain and got moving. I was still about an hour’s walk from Cascade Rd, the end of the Port’s Race track. When I got there I was thrilled to get out from under the trees and have open sky above me, even if it was grey. From Cascade Rd the trail to Martin’s Hut was steep and muddy but well blazed. My ankle was bothering me again so I decided to stop early and spend the night at the hut.

It’s a cute old hut - very old and basic. But it had four walls and a fireplace, which is more advanced than the shelters along the Appalachian Trail. It even had bunks made of chickenwire and burlap. I made a little fire and had a nice evening drying out.