8/27/03 We climbed down a ladder to a beaver pond and began descending on "challenging ledges." The ledges were more challenging because of slippery, slimy green mold and mosses covering them. It was very difficult to find a safe way down. Tumble tells the tale: " I heard Rough's poles scraping and sliding behind me and then I heard the frightening sound of his feet slipping. I turned around just in time to see him airborne with arms and legs flailing. He sailed off a ledge, his pack pulled him forward and twisted him 180 degrees and then slammed him into the ground -- on his head. He landed only a few feet from me and I was at his side in an instant trying to turn him over. He was tangled in his pack straps and it was hard to get him free, but he kept saying he was OK. Through my tears I massaged his neck, but he was more worried about his knee. We cleaned his knee with Purell, put Injure on it, and then he took some Tylenol for the pain. After a few minutes of making sure he was really OK we collected his pack and poles and my poles from where I had tossed them in a panic and got back on the trail." We still had many more "challenging ledges" ahead and were greatly sobered by Rough's fall. We went over our emergency procedures for rescue should one of us be unable to continue as we picked our way along, carefully testing each step.