I might add that my wife and are a little disappointed we missed being stranded above the slide. While our lives were less disrupted than yours, it sounds like an inconvenient situation became one of warm comraderie and friendships.

This is a heartwarming follow-up! Thanks very much. Indeed, it was our campsite, and my wife and I are very pleased you were able to use it. I flew in today to the Cashmere airstrip (I'm a private pilot), got a car, and retrieved the gear from the Eight Mile CG host. Obviously you were conscientious in packing things up -- much appreciated. I'm very glad things worked out. Warm regards to you, your hiking companion, and your husband.

My wife and I were camped at Ida Creek. We had gone to Leavenworth for supplies, on our way back when we saw Icicle Creek had turned muddy/brown, then came to the roadblock. So we were stranded from our campsite and gear, but at least we (and the car) were on the right side of it. The local word on site was that the heavy equipment the Forest Service needs to dig out and/or create a temporary road is somewhere across the state -- sounded like it could be a few days to really get to work. We don't know when we'll see our gear again. Yesterday evening we were told by phone that most of the 31 stranded had been consolidated at one campground (Johnny Creek, I believe), were pooling food and resources, and a party appeared to be underway. We'll see how the party mood holds if they're still there in a day or two.