Unfortunately for us, some dip shits from the Forest Service has posted a sign banning fires around Purple and Duck Lakes. There is literally a massive snag of dead trees piled all over the hillside behind us rotting. Thousands of tons of wood that will make any natural fire in the area burn hotter with more devastating impact. But hell, when you're a liberal bunch of jack wagons, destroying the environment by mandating mercury filled light bulbs, or cash for clunkers, is what you do. Act first, engage brain... never.
We quickly decide we are not staying two nights if we can't have a fire. I have just enough fuel left to heat water to clean up (not full showers), make dinner, and breakfast the next day. The tent behind the tree belongs to Natalie from the Netherlands. She's hiking the entire PCT and averages between 22 and 30 miles everyday. Since we now have more food than necessary, we invite her to dinner. PCT hikers eat terrible diets to save weight in their packs. Some survive days on Cliff bars alone. We figure our food will be a major step up for her and she quickly accepts our invitation.

I go down to get some water as the sun begins to disappear.
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