Shortly after reaching the top of the Headwall, the trail reaches Tuckerman Junction, the intersection of four trails. It acts as an impromptu meeting place, and we ran into a small band of Quebecois who were also on their way down. We traded questions with them about the conditions of the trail ahead for each of us, and they answered in thick French-Canadian accents.

Though the trail to the summit headed off to our right, we went in the other direction, heading for our destination for the night at the Lakes of the Clouds hut.