I knew I better do something about my hand when I reached into the pouch of my pack to get my keys, and couldnt feel them.

I got out the flashlight and found the keys by sight. I then put on my fleece gloves and tried to rub some feeling back into my fingers, quick.

This trip had started out fine. I loved that it had snowed my first hour up the trail. I even stopped and took a picture of Ben and Maggie, snowdogs. Only Maggie carried the pack. Her disposition is such that she comes forward when I get it out, like she enjoys it. Ben on the other hand will hide under the truck when he sees the dog packs.

What a pair they make though, and the affection they show each other is heart-warming.

That night as I sat up the tent I seemed to not have a lot of energy. Then in the night I broke into a fever, and had great difficulty keeping warm.

Twice I added more layers during the night, and eventually ended up in my winter coat, two layers of long underwear under snow overalls, all within a nylon vapor barrier and fleece body sock in my minus 15 degree synthetic bag, with an outer waterproof shell over all of it. This plus two barclava's got me through the night. Normally I use only half this stuff, even on a night that dips into the teens, but the chill from my fever made me crave every piece of gear I had with me.

I have never gotten sick on a backpack trip before. I can tell you it is not easy carrying a full pack when you are fit. It is grueling when you are feeling poorly. Then on top of that the morning was well below freezing at 9000 feet, and a stiff wind was blowing east to west. The good thing was that I managed to get back to the truck, without frostbite. I was so spent though that I couldn't drive for quite a while - just sat in the cab with my head leaning on the window.

I hope to never have to go through that again.