This backpacking experience reminded me of "The Ten Little Indians" or "And Then There were None" by Agatha Christie. The party started out with nine and dwindled down to two, via unforeseen circumstances, last minute occurrences and weather related incidents. Our core group consisted of Judy Smoot, Debby Edmonds, Lim Lee and Susan Bly. We met up with Jack Slocumb and Ed on Sunday morning who had searched for us the previous day. The last of our Little Indians.

After arranging our car shuttle between Elkins and Parson, we proceeded across Dry Fork’s cable bridge and into the forest. Dry Fork contained some most interesting criss-cross geological formations on the bedrock. We took our time hiking the first 1-2 miles to our Friday night campsite, just inside the wilderness.

Things went well until the midnight thunderstorm soaked Judy’s exposed backpack.

4 minus 1 = 3. While eating breakfast, Debby reiterated her plans of leaving the group that she had made last evening because her son-in-law’s backpack was too heavy. 3 minus 1 = 2. Wise decisions made by these ladies to return to their cars. After a bit of readjusting, Lim and I forged on with the original plan of hiking the Otter Creek trail stem to stern.

We spent our time enjoying the "typical" delights of Otter Creek: water roaring around Volkswagon sized boulders, water rushing headlong over cascades and falls, flute-like melodies from the throats of wood thrushes, rhododendrons coming into bloom, the last hurrah made by blooming mountain laurel, and jungle like enclosures of rhododendrons. I am very thankful that God allowed us to spend some time in a corner of paradise placed in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.