You’re about three-quarters of the way to the scenic overlook when you reach a small lodge, the kind that people can rent out for birthday parties or events. It’s a bit nicer than the average park canopy, as it’s a fully enclosed building with rustic wooden furniture and even a fridge and electric stove inside. A rough road goes down the mountain here so people can access it.
It seems inviting, so you head inside and decide to stop here to eat your lunch. You realize you can toast your sandwich on the stove and find some dingy pots and pans in a cabinet. The warm, crispy bread provides a nice contrast to the soft, cool roast beef and cheddar cheese, and the bright flavors of the tomatoes and pickles round it all off.
As you eat leisurely, you realize the snowfall has picked up considerably, and the wind speed has too. You can even feel it as the lodge is a bit drafty. With conditions deteriorating, it might not be the best idea to keep pushing on. Do you wait here for the storm to clear and continue your hike, or give up with the hike and attempt to head back?