Rain in a desert climate

It's raining today.

Coldfoot is in a desert climate zone. Deserts can be defined as areas that receive an average annual precipitation of less than 250 mm (10 in), or as areas in which more water is lost than falls as precipitation.

Now, less than 10 inches? We're allready close to 4 inches thus far in the summer. Of course that's an estimate, but i'm never wrong. Areas in which more water is lost than falls? What we have here up on the perimeter is permafrost, a layer of the ground about 6 feet below that is frozen, thus keeping any water that would normally seep into the soil laying dormant on the ground, creating wonderful things like bogs and tussock (a tuff or clump of grass, repeating adnauseum, creating large ankle breaking fields of pain).

I'm not complaining, however. I like rain, I really do. I especially like waking up in the tent to hear drops pattering against the nylon, creating little beats and drum lines. I have music in my head all the time, and nature is always welcome to join in the song. But at the same time, I would enjoy some clear skies to hike in.

Perhaps it's just too much to ask, but with such a small window of time to enjoy summer, perhaps mother nature could do me a favor, and just stop the water works.

I promise I'll do the same.

Maxwell Crabb