Now it is time for some fun! We don our gortex pants and head off, sliding down the most excellent bobsled-run like trail. Ewart is a bit uncomfortable with the idea of controlling one's destiny on one's butt, so he forgoes the sliding and sets off to descend, tiringly, on his feet. It doesn't take long, even with several scripted photo stops, for us to catch up and slide by him.

Once down at the col, we head down what is a new trail for me, down to the crossing at Ausable river. We hope the trail down is as good as what we've just come down, but it turns out to be a bit more broken up and less packed. Still, there are a few good glissading sections. At the bottom of the steep stuff, and after a good 15-minute wait, Ewart arrives, curses the whole trail, and wonders how we haven't mangled ourselves on the way down.

The steep vertical is over now. It is a gentle and short descent down to the bridge over the Ausable brook, and from there onto Lower Ausable Lake. I've never been in this particular spot in the high peaks, and the new views and vantage points are an interesting novelty to me. Way off in the distance we can see the prow of Indian head. Its farther than it looks - almost 2 miles away from us.

Although we are grateful for the flat and easy walking, it does get a bit monotonous after a while. The scenery is grand, though, and I quite liked hiking through this section.