Emilie Bikes and Hikes

Day 62: June 16 Cont

After hitting 900 miles it was a cruisy 3.5 mile off trail walk to Horseshoe Lake. Normally we’d walk to Red’s Meadow Resort, which is right on trail, and catch a shuttle into Mammoth. Just my luck, the resort is only open on weekends this season because of road work during the week. So it adds another 7 mile detour to the trip.

When coming down the trail we talked to so many locals enjoying the beautiful day and the beautiful McCloud Lake. So many people were curious about our journey. We even received some trail magic from Kim, who just dropped off her son and ex husband off to the trail.

We got a ride into town with Jolene and her dad. They dropped us off at the brewery where we experienced more trail magic. Jeff just finished a hike with his daughter when they saw us roll in. After asking a few questions he bought us lunch – a delicious burger and fries. It was truly a blessing.

After lunch we mosied around town. Last time I was here Mammoth was buried in a blanket of smoke. It was nice being able to actually see the mountains this time. We ran into Birdmaster and a few other familiar faces before checking into a motel that really is more like an apartment. After watching a bit of Survivor, it was off to bed.

Day 63: June 17; Zero in Mammoth

In an effort to rest my shin in preparation for more miles, I took this rest day extremely seriously. I barely did any walking – just the bare minimum. It looks okay, still hurts, but I’m confident it’ll slowly get better. I’m pretty sure I bruised my tibia. It’s often said a bone bruise can hurt worse than a fracture. With all the broken bones I’ve had, I can’t be too sure that’s true.

With a lazy resupply (I’m going to definitely be hungry this next stretch) and a delicious lunch, the rest of the day was spent planning and catching up on other duties (like this very blog). It was an early bedtime in anticipation for getting back on trail.

Day 64: June 18; 17 miles + 3.5 bonus miles

Once again, it’s so difficult getting back on trail after a zero day. The first shuttle to trail wasn’t until 9am so it wasn’t a rush to get going. I love Mammoth and wish I could’ve spent more time there, but alas it’s not feasible.

The rest day did some good with the shin, I’d say it’s at least 50% better than a few days ago. I’ll take any progress!

We got to the trailhead and were met with trail magic. It was an assortment of burritos and donuts. After just having a lot of town food and having a low appetite to begin with, I forwent the food and settled for a Capri Sun, memories of grade school flooding back with every sip.

The trial today was brutal. Not because of climbs, not because of ice, and certainly not because of lack of views. I had no energy. Plus the pack was extremely uncomfortable. The bear can was pressing firmly against my back and my hip belt can’t get any tighter, so it’s just bears down on my hips, my right one in particular getting the brunt of it. I probably complained more today than I have all trail.

The one positive was a gorgeous view of Shadow Lake. The PCT and JMT split during this stretch, with the PCT going higher in elevation through Agnew Meadows. Though the JMT passes through Shadow Lake, seeing it from further away at a higher vantage point was truly breathtaking. The lake with mountains in the background with dark clouds surrounding it all was truly dramatic and impressive. I couldn’t stop looking. It may be my favorite view this whole trail. Okay maybe second – nothing can ever beat the north face of Forester.

Speaking of those dark clouds. They boomed with thunder and dropped just a little rain on us. Which was welcome given how hot and humid it was. Doing some of those climbs fully exposed to the sun would not have been enjoyable at all, not that they were anyways.

Eventually, hobbling from fatigue and some pain, we made it to 1000 Island Lake. I blew past it in 2018 and was excited to camp here now. It’s stunning with another dramatic view of Banner Peak commanding attention.

The sun never made it out from the clouds, which didn’t really matter because we got here so late. Exhausted, I refused to set up my tent or stove. Cold dinner and cowboy camping it is! While eating, a JMTer Jessie came over to talk with us. As we were chatting, she looked over at me and what I was eating, eating, “that is the most PCT thing I’ve seen on trail yet”. I was eating Cheerios that I was dunking into canned frosting. I didn’t think twice about what I was eating – it’s high in calories and easy, and what’s not to love about canned frosting?! I guess when you’ve been out here 64 days, you start to forget what’s normal and devolve into whatever gets you through the day, which today was Cheerios and canned frosting.

Cowboy camping may end up biting me later… though it stopped raining hours ago, dark gloomy clouds are rolling in as I type. I pray I won’t be awoken by rain drops at midnight!

Day 65: June 19; 26 Miles

Well, it didn’t rain, but it may as well have. Woke up in the middle of the night to find my sleeping bag absolutely soaked from condensation. Dripping wet. But the good thing about my sleeping bag is it holds heat amazingly, even when wet. So I figured it was the morning’s problem and went back to sleep – after staring at the stars for a few brief moments.

Packed up the soaking wet bag and went onward at 6:18am on the dot. Because of camping restrictions, we knew we were in for a doozy of a day. We cruised over the speed bump known as Island Pass on our way to conquer Donahue Pass and enter Yosemite National Park.

In 2018 I couldn’t see anything on the top of Donahue. The whole basin was filled with smoke. But today I got to see it in all its glory, complete with more snow navigation on the descent, which was quite a doozy. My shin does feel less painful, though I know it’s not loving these long mile days.

After finally getting down Donahue, it was 8.8 miles in Lyell Canyon to Tuolemene Meadows. Those miles were at least flat, but they kept going, and going, and going. They were so annoying and boring that even with a quick dip in the river, I was going crazy. But finally, we made it to the very crowded Tuolemene Meadows. This is where I ended my 2018 JMT experience, crying in disappointment. Today was a much different feeling. I conquered the high Sierra and was ready to move forward on the PCT.

After burgers, fries, and a milkshake, it was time to depart. Already 5:30pm, we had 6.1 miles to go to a campground outside of the restricted camping zone. My feet hurt, shin was angry, and I was just plain tired, but it was what it was. 6 miles really isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things.

And they were pretty awesome miles. Most people explore Yosemite Valley to catch glimpses of El Capitan or Half Dome. It was such a privilege to see the rivers, meadows, mountains, and waterfalls in Yosemite’s backcountry.

We got to the campsite at 7:30pm, but didn’t actually find a suitable spot until 8pm. Given that it’s the first available camping from Tuolemene, it’s understandably packed. And we’re certainly not the last ones to arrive. At 9:30pm currently, people are still walking in looking for a space. But I’m pooped. After a dinner of half a pita, some canned frosting, couple bites of cheese, and a fruit rollup, its eyes shut time for me.

Day 66: June 20; 25 miles

It has been a few days since this fateful day has ended, so I feel less traumatized writing about the sequence of events that led to my worst day on trail yet.

I went to bed with an uneasy feeling about where we were camping. Deep in the woods, it felt dark and heavy. I had a horrible nightmare this night in which all of my animals were ripped one by one from my arms in huge tsunami waves. I’m sure it had a lot to do with the fact I was camping very close to a large very loud waterfall, but let’s just say the day did not start off on the right foot.

The day was nothing but climbing and descending heavily steep grades. It was unbelievable. Going up Benson Pass was the worst yet. I had many moments where I cried, I was physically and emotionally drained and just wanted to sleep. I have never thought about quitting more than I did this day. But I knew these days were going to happen and it was simply a matter of just getting through it.

The day meagered on. And on. And on. After getting to the top of Benson Pass, it was still a number of miles to the intended camp, Benson Lake. I was recommended this spot by many people, referring to it as the Riviera of the Sierra. I was excited to check it out, but by the time I got over Benson Pass, I couldn’t be motivated to even care about any kind of lake, as gorgeous as it may be.

Finally, we were half a mile from the lake. My feet were killing me, desperate for a new pair of shoes. I could not wait to throw down my pack and call it quits for the day. That’s when we descended into the 7th circle of hell. Down and down we went into a full forest full of hungry mosquitoes. They were rampant, and of course the trail was nothing but confusing water crossings. We spent well over half an hour navigating the crossings and trying not to lose all our blood to the mosquitoes. In the panic of trying to get away and not fall into the river during a harrowing crossing, I lost my sunglasses in the process. It was a worthy sacrifice to get out.

Eventually the idea of going half a mile off trail to Benson Lake was thrown into the trash in the effort of trying to get away from the mosquitoes. We climbed out a couple hundred feet to where the infestation was at least half of what it was in the pit. It was 8pm and we had been hiking for nearly 14 hours. I was so done with the day and spent the rest of the short night seeking refuge in my tent. I was too tired to cook dinner so tuna packet it was. The end of a day, I was ready to put it behind me and move on.

Day 67: June 21; 25.5 miles

With the trauma of yesterday worn off, it was a new day. I even had a dream that all my animals were happy and healthy. I felt good and ready to take on the day… until, that is, I got a garmin message that neither of my cats had eaten a morsel of food for two days. I went into instant panic mode, thinking the worst, as usual. I started to plan how I’d get back home if things took a turn for the worst and how I’d get back to trail.

With tears and constant thought, I was in autopilot mode. There were three very steep climbs that I know were bad, and were bad in the moment, but the thought of my cats suffering distracted me from it all. I was so happy to hear that they were fine – no infections, no kidney failure, just two cats being cats. Who knows why they do the things they do. But let’s just say I have saints for parents who are handling all of my animal messes.

A thought I did have during those climbs was that of Sisyphus, a figure in Greek mythology who was condemned to roll a boulder up an extremely steep hill for all eternity. Once he neared the top of the climb, the boulder would roll back down, forcing him to start all over. Going up steep climbs to come back down even steeper descents only to climb back up, I thought I was suffering his same fate. It felt like eternity and that maybe I had been condemned, but at least every time I looked at the map it was forward progression towards Canada.

After all the steep climbing, it was 10 miles of gradual climbing to Dorothy Lake, our original stop. The climb was actually wonderful compared to the last 2 days of nonsense steepness. Although, I did have another tumble and bashed my knee, just more scars to commemorate the trip. There was rumor that there was one spot just 2 miles ahead with great reception. Wanting to hear that the cats were indeed okay from my parents as well as wanting to wish my dad a happy Father’s Day through phone pushed me those extra few miles.

We are 0.3 miles from the 1000 mile maker, so I’m just including it now. I think after doing 100 miles in 4.5 days it’s earned. I am so grateful to have gotten this far. 1000 miles is a huge accomplishment for me. These past 100 miles really made me question what I was doing out here. With the steepness, long days, river crossings, constantly wet feet, and mosquitoes, it’s been the roughest 100 miles yet. But with the bad comes the good and I know more good things are coming.

Day 47: June 1; 14.8 miles

It’s hard getting back on trail after a great few days. Kennedy Meadows South was definitely my favorite zero day yet. It was great being in such a hiker friendly environment full of support and understanding. But after a great breakfast, it was right back on the trail. A little later than usual mainly because I had to figure out how to put my bear can in my pack. But oddly enough, it fits perfectly and somehow makes my pack more condensed, though way heavier.

First day in the Sierra! But still felt so much like the desert. In fact, we had 2 rattlesnakes bid us farewell a little bit too close for comfort. But I’m fairly confident this should be the last we see of them for a while. Funnily enough, it’s also the first day we’ve seen the mascot of the Sierra, the marmot. It’s so strange seeing the two cohabitate, but I guess that’s what happens when two biodiversities collide.

We’re walking with Just Walking, a really nice guy from Maryland who’s sticking with us until at least Whitney. We talked with him last night and he said he was pretty nervous about summiting and was going to skip it entirely. We convinced him to at least give it a shot, especially since it’s such a low snow year. Seems to have done the trick, he seems pretty stoked to try it out.

Eventually the scenery changed into what I remember the Sierra being. Gorgeous meadows, water everywhere, and snowcapped mountains in the distance. We’re camping by a river with a lovely bridge, home to many swallows busy making nests. I sat there as I soaked my feet and watched them going back and forth from mud to bridge. It was fascinating watching them work.

Andrew met up with us pretty late. We had a bet going as to whether or not he was going to live up to his trail name and get vortexed at KMS or actually get on trail. It was a draw – he left way later than he planned, but did make it to trail!

Decided to cowboy camp, I have a feeling it’s going to be a cold one.

Day 48: June 2: 25.3 miles

Well, it was a cold one. One of the first times I have been actually cold sleeping on trail. Enough to keep me awake. Which now has me super concerned. If I’m this cold just under 8000’, what the heck is going to happen at 10k’+? I’m not scared of freezing to death, but I am scared of how bad sleep can affect every other aspect of performance out here. I want (well really need) a new pack, but now that I’m sleeping cold, I may have to switch the budget over for a 0 or 10 degree sleeping bag. I can deal with being uncomfortable during the day, but not at night. Luckily, Lone Pine has two gear shops that I’m hoping will have some in stock, and we’ll get there tomorrow.

We set out early for the day, freezing our butts off. We decided last night that we were going 25 miles, no biggie, but seeing as how we need to gain loads of elevation, we knew it was going to be a full day of climbing. Which started right from the first step. We had a 7.8 mile climb that went quickly but also so slowly at the same time. We were rewarded with a gorgeous downhill stretch that didn’t feel quite long enough before going back up.

We encountered our first taste of a Sierra staple – the dreaded mosquito. They’ve been at us everywhere today, including camp. Which is annoying because it’s a beautiful space, but we had to retreat to our tents to prevent getting attacked by the blood suckers. I hope they don’t stick around, but it seems we’ve arrived just in time for a huge hatch.

We hit 10,500’ elevation. I’ve been drinking water nonstop in an effort to prevent any attitude symptoms. The water plus the last 7 weeks of constant activity I think has effectively staved off any potential altitude issues. I just pray the same will be true for going up Mt. Whitney. It’s shocking to think that’s only a few days away.

We’re camping at 9,600’ so I’m expecting another cold night. At least this time I’m prepared, if only mentally.

Day 49: June 3; 8.5 + 4 bonus miles

Woke up to the sweet “cheeseburger” song of the mountain chickadee, a bird that I’ve come to really enjoy during the 7 past weeks out here. They have a three syllable song that is extremely distinctive. In my drowsy half awake state, it sounded like they were singing “Em-i-lie”, jolting me awake. I woke up rested and warm, truly shocking me. The temperature didn’t dip down too low, but I’m still fairly certain I’ll get a new bag in town. Another reason to wake up happy – it’s a town day! I’ve been to Lone Pine before, at the start of my 2018 John Muir Trail journey. Cut 20 miles short at Tuolomene Meadows for a major fire in Yosemite, I’m hoping this year won’t meet the same fate.

The 8.5 miles to the junction were pretty but monotonous. It was mostly climbing, which I already know is going to be the theme of the Sierra. The junction of the PCT and Cottonwood Pass is where I started the JMT. As I approached the junction I felt an air of familiarity. My brain immediately recognized the rocks and the greenery. I felt a pit in my stomach. The last time I was here I was crying and puking, not sure if I’d even make it past the first day. I was sick as a dog with altitude sickness. It was one of my worst days on trail, but I persevered and had the trip of a lifetime. I knew the same fate wouldn’t befall me this time.

We set out for the long descent down to Horseshoe Meadows. My body decided that it wasn’t going to be easy. The very first switchback down my ankle gave out, as it tends to do 472942x a day. But this time it was bad. I could tell instantly a decision had to be made – either suffer from a broken/sprained ankle or go down. Not wanting to be airlifted off the mountain, I opted to go down. Right on my left knee. All was fine, I wasn’t hurt, but dang that knee got banged up. All bloody and smashed, I continued on. My poor left leg has gotten so beat up on this trip. Just as all the old scabs turned into scars, it was only natural it was time to sport a brand new wound.

It was shocking how intense the descent was. Having already gone up it 8 years ago, I didn’t remember it being so drastic. I had no desire to go back up in 48 hours. But with the knowledge that I’d done it before plus another 10 miles, I knew I’d be okay. Happy about it? Nah, but I’d be just fine.

We met David’s dad in the parking lot of Horseshoe Meadows and high tailed it to Lone Pine. It’s crazy how the memories come rushing back. All the restaurants I’d been to before, the hostel, the gear shops – it was like I was just there yesterday. Lone Pine is a tiny town that basically is operational only because of its close access to Mt. Whitney. You could walk from one end to the other and back in less than 10 minutes, but its charm is undeniable. It’s comfortable and cozy with sweeping views of the Sierra, Mt. Whitney being front and center.

Day 50: June 4; Zero day in Lone Pine

Zero days are hardly relaxing, but I gotta say today’s was as much relaxing as it gets. Sure we did laundry, resupplied, and planned out a strategy for conquering Whitney and Forester Pass, but we managed to get in some fun too. Even though Lone Pine is a super small town, there’s still plenty to do.

After looking at the gear shop, I decided that I’ll have to suffer through the cold. They didn’t have a sleeping bag that would meet my needs, so it looks like I’m sticking with the one I have. I drowned my sorrows with a milkshake and sitting by the hotel’s pool. It’s about 97 degrees in town so a pool is a blessing.

Got to bed early after a Mexican dinner, ready to get back on trail in the morning.

Day 51: June 5; 10.2 + 4 bonus miles

I’m so excited to get back on trail. Lone Pine is truly a gem, but time is ticking and I’m anxious to get moving and deep into the Sierra. The debate of the day was whether to take an ice axe or risk transversing ice fields without it. Pros: it could save your life. Cons: it’s added weight and I don’t know how to use it and the snow is melting and even if there’s enough snow on Forester to justify it you’ll slide into the rocks and perish before you even have the chance to deploy it. Phew… looks like the cons win so moving on without the life saving equipment was deemed the wise choice.

Fully loaded with the bear can, we ventured onward back up Cottonwood Pass. Today I conquered it. No falling, no puking, no clutching the SAR in fear of impeding death. Was a tear shed? Maybe, if only because I was so happy none of that happened. I stayed on my feet and I had zero altitude issues.

It’s funny walking the same route I did 8 years ago. A lot of the JMT is seared into my brain. It feels so different now, almost a decade older and questionably wiser. I have learned so much from that trip that I still use daily all this time later. I’m proud of that person for getting out there and doing it, cause without her I wouldn’t be sitting on a log next to a creek typing this very sentence.

We made it to camp early enough to dip into said creek and dry off in the late afternoon sun. With so much time left, it was discussed to keep moving on, even all the way to Crabtree Meadows, the junction for Mt. Whitney. With only 5 miles it was easily doable, but this site is too perfect to give up. Besides, what’s the rush? We’re going up Mt. Whitney in two days, let’s enjoy the blessings we have now.

Day 52: June 6; 8ish miles

Woke up to a brisk morning. It got down to 32 degrees and I was a bit cold, but nothing that really bothered me or my sleep. Because we knew we had such a short day, we decided it was okay to sleep in. I slept until 6:20am which really surprised me – I must’ve really needed it!

The hike today was actually tough. Not because of climbs, not because of terrain, but mainly because my body is tired. I think the main culprit is the high altitude.

We got into Crabtree Meadow late morning with plenty of time to relax and set up. We set up camp right by a stream crossing which was beneficial in so much as we could talk to everyone coming off Mt. Whitney. We got mixed reviews, and just about everyone had an ice axe. Basically, from what I gathered, if you have microspikes and poles you’ll be totally fine. An ice axe was more for peace of mind. There are allegedly 3 “sketchy high risk” fall zones on the switchbacks and one large ice field to cross. Doesn’t sound horrible but also doesn’t sound fun. With good boot pack, though, I feel confident that leaving behind the ice axe wasn’t a critical error. One Australian girl gave me the most hope, however. She was adamant for us to not “believe the bulls-“ that other people were exaggerating, according to her. It was reassuring to hear such an honest down to earth reaction.

Whitney was obviously a big topic of the day. Everyone who summited today left at 11:30pm yesterday night. And they still didn’t make it in time for sunrise. Yikes. Because we want to see sunrise we decided on a 12am departure from Crabtree Meadows. That’s extremely early, but we’re guessing that the snow will slow things down.

We met Nightingale who attempted a thru hike last year but had to get off trail from injury. She started where she stopped – right at Cottonwood Pass. What a tough way to start the venture. We had dinner and now are ready for bed. With an 11:15pm wake up call, 5:30pm is bedtime.

Day 53: June 7; 10 miles + 15 bonus miles (Mt Whitney!)

After a few restless hours of sleep it was time to go. I was happily surprised by how warm it was. I only slept in a fleece and shorts, by far the least amount of clothes I’ve ever worn to sleep. Which made getting up at 11:11pm that much easier.

Woke up to a very dark night but the stars were abundant, moon nowhere to be seen. I started to see people going up at 11:30pm, their headlamps easily spotted guiding them through the night. Soon it was our turn. Right at midnight we started our ascent up Whitney, with the homage “don’t believe the bulls-“ flowing through my mind.

This was one of my favorite mountain climbs yet. It had it all. Stars, the Milky Way, headlamps bobbing in the distance, the feeling in the presence of great tall giants, and harrowing snow crossings that one poorly placed step could send you sliding to your death.

The whole way up was in the complete darkness. With nothing but the dim shine of your headlamp to guide you, it was one to remember. The whole ordeal was wonderful aside from the snow banks covering small portions of the trail. Being that it was so early, the snow was truly ice and microspikes were definitely necessary for traction. But all snow fields had flat boot pack – meaning that plenty of other hikers have already come through, leading to packed down trail to provide a somewhat safe passage. I made the mistake of looking down during the first ice field. In the spotlight of my headlamp the slope of the ice field below looked hundreds of feet long and at an angle that would definitely not be survivable. I was beyond scared, but was able to shake it and lock in, passing over all the ice safely.

We got to the summit of Whitney at 4:55am, plenty of time to spare for sunrise. The sky was already turning shades of orange and pink in anticipation for the big reveal. Eventually the sun peeked out, bringing slight warmth to the summit. At 23 degrees, it was welcome. By 6am I was frozen to the bone and decided it was time to get down off the mountain. I had a headache, some nausea, and felt a little drunk. Classic altitude symptoms- meaning it was time to go. Which was a delight.

I gleefully bounded down and realized the ice patches that elicited such fear only hours prior were actually not bad at all. The daylight exposed them – they were hardly anything to bat an eye at. If you fell, sure it wouldn’t be great, but you certainly wouldn’t die.

After a quick nap back at Crabtree, it was back to trail for another 10 miles to Tyndall Creek. None of us wanted to, especially after a Whitney summit, but it was necessary. This puts us in a safe zone to cross over Forester Pass early in the morning. This is crucial because Forester Pass holds on to a lot of snow, particularly the last little bit going up the south side (that if you fall puts you into a huge rock chute, with a potential 500’ drop you won’t survive). The north face of the mountain is nothing but snow fields the entire way down. Early morning is the preferred time to do the pass to ensure solid snow. Sliding down slushy snow or postholing not only slows you down, but puts you at a high danger risk.

So, with heavy legs and heavy hearts sad to leave Crabtree Meadows, we departed for 10 miles to the creek. Andrew stayed back. After a failed summit attempt likely because of altitude issues, he is trying again tomorrow.

The ten miles to Tyndall Creek were mostly uneventful, aside from 3 large stream crossings. The Sierra is melting and it’s apparent from all the snow meltoff creating gushing streams. This can make crossing dangerous. But with steady feet and good confidence, we all managed to cross without getting swept away.

We have a lovely mosquito free campsite right by the creek. It’s another early bed time with an early wake up call to conquer Forester.

Day 54: June 8; 14 miles + 2 bonus miles

A 4:15am wake up call is so much better than a 11:11pm one. It was time to conquer Forester Pass, which has been weighing on me since day one of this trip. Like I said before, Forester can be extremely dangerous. But I had faith we’d find safe passage.

I was eager to get to it. Coming down the pass during my JMT experience was a highlight for me. I remember like yesterday the gorgeous mountains, the green meadow, and the abundant streams flowing throughout. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere as beautiful as the north side of Forester Pass and could not wait to see it again.

The approach was much like I remembered. It felt like I was teleported to Middle Earth. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you can imagine what that might look like. Intimidating mountains but also lush green grass and even a waterfall. This time, however, the approach was covered in snow. I didn’t need microspikes to cross it, but put them on as soon as we got to the switchbacks of Forester.

Just Walking and I got up the icy switchbacks easily. Then there it was – the dreaded chute. All the planning and worrying led to this moment. It was only 30’ of walking, but the slope of the ice and rocks beneath it provoked fear and caution. So with a cautious cadence, I put one foot in front of the other paying close attention to not look down. Mission accomplished and I made it across and to the top of Forester Pass in one piece! The highest point of the PCT complete!

And the views were nothing short of breathtaking. Exactly as I remembered, but this time accented with snow. I was back in heaven and enjoyed every second walking down from off the pass.

Well, not all of it was walking. Forester is notorious for glissading, really just sliding down the snow on your butt. It is a lot faster than walking, plus it’s fun. I did it twice. I certainly don’t regret it, but let’s say I regret doing it in shorts. I now have a pretty nasty road rash on my butt. Battle scars!

Eventually I said goodbye to my favorite place on earth and had lunch by a rushing creek. What a stark difference from the desert. We could go days without hearing any water. Out here it’s a constant soundtrack. Sure helps keep the pack light when you don’t have to worry about 20+ mile water carries.

I had a difficult time finding motivation to keep going after lunch. I was coming down from the emotional high of Forester and just didn’t want to do the miles, especially with a hefty climb coming up. But like any other day, I strapped on the pack and kept it moving. We’re going off trail today to start Kearsarge Pass. Most people have to do the 15 total mile detour to resupply. We’re heading halfway up the pass to Kearsarge Lakes to spend the night before heading into Bishop. This is a first for me. I opted for a mule resupply for the JMT to skip having to get off trail. I don’t regret that decision at all, but I’m excited this time around to experience the pass and the town of Bishop.

The last 2 miles of the day were wicked. All the action from yesterday plus going over an ice covered pass in the morning finally caught up to me. Not only was I tired, but I was extremely hungry. I am a bottomless pit. I could eat everything in my bear can and still want more. They call it hiker hunger, I call it annoying. It’s hard to pack enough food and maintain discipline to ration it, especially when limited by the size of a bear can. But I’ll survive, I just might be a little hangry.

The skies were dark and threatening rain. We opted for a protected spot that would handle wind and any precipitation that may come our way. Just as everything was set up, wouldn’t you know the sun popped out, followed shortly by blue skies. This was great, but we would’ve opted for a site closer to the lake. Oh well!

The lake is unbelievably gorgeous. It’s still too cold to take a dip, but it was nice to admire from the shore. It’s so peaceful and relaxing, there is nothing quite like an alpine lake. While taking in the views, I couldn’t help but notice something in the sky flying erratically. At first I thought it was a plane falling from the sky, but soon realized it was much smaller than a plane when it made its way into the lake area. Only for a minute or two – I couldn’t make heads or tails of what it was. It was small, but not a drone. Almost as quickly as it came, it left. It went higher and higher into the sky until it left view. No drone can just go off into the sky like that. I’m not an alien believer, but I can undoubtedly say that it was truly an unidentified flying object. It’s a mystery that will plaque my mind for the rest of my life.

It’s pretty chilly here so after the sun went behind the mountain, we retreated to our tents. I have a lovely view so I’m not complaining. Plus I have plenty of sleep to catch up on!

Day 55: June 9; 6.26 bonus miles

With a short day of mostly just getting up and over Kearsarge Pass, I was happy to sleep in a little. I woke up to cotton candy clouds dancing in the sky in the glow of the rising sun. Watching it while sipping a hot cup of coffee was sublime, it’s the little moments like this that really make the hard times worth it.

We’re fairly certain a bear walked through camp in the early morning. Something that sounded like someone walking heavily walked right by my tent around 5am. It woke me up but for whatever reason it didn’t bother me and I went right back to sleep. Upon waking up I discovered very fresh bear scat only meters away from the tent. With everyone seeing bears in the Sierra, I’m confident I did have a little furry visitor. Thankfully it wasn’t interested in anything more than a spot to do its business.

We said goodbye to Kearsarge Lakes and started the short rest of the ascent up the pass. It was a little over a mile of relatively steep climbing, but first thing in the morning before the sun peeked over the mountain made it a little less troublesome. Once at the top it was nothing but 5 miles of descent. At a gentle grade, it was nice stroll. I was dreading having to do it all over again the next day, but at least it wasn’t steep.

David’s dad was waiting for us at the trailhead. We hopped in the car and high tailed it to Bishop. This is apparently the go to town in the Sierra, where many hikers unintentionally get vortexed. I never visited it during my JMT trip, so I was excited to see what the hype was about this time around.

We stopped at the renown Schaat’s Bakery, which was certainly worth the hype. The sandwiches were huge and delicious. The bread reminded me of the bread from home. The west coast just doesn’t do bread like the east coast.

A lot of the time in town was spent doing chores. Laundry, resupply, planning the next few days. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but when facing the snow covered Sierra, strategic planning is a requirement. There are 10 major passes along the route, all with various levels of snow cover. If I was postholing on Forester Pass at 9am, I couldn’t imagine what disaster could befall on other more covered passes. It was necessary to map out each pass and attempt to guess the level of snow cover of each. The ones that have more (Glenn, Mather, and Muir) would need to be done early morning. This limits how many miles can be done each day, particularly tomorrow.

Originally we wanted to get over Glenn Pass. But at 10 miles in and an hour ride back to the trailhead, getting to it before 9am was deemed impossible. But after careful consideration, doing a shorter day tomorrow actually makes sense and sets us up better for the following passes. At least that’s the hope!

Bishop is a cool town, but not at all what I was expecting. It’s the largest city in Inyo County and as such is relatively busy. There’s a lot to do, but I didn’t find it as great as it was hyped up to be. I would love to zero, but don’t find it necessary. I’d rather conquer the Sierra and continue to move on. Plus this 100 mile stretch has taken forever to complete. I blame the nearly 50 miles of bonus miles with all the side quests (Cottonwood pass, Whitney, and Kearsarge pass). But that’s just how it goes when the Sierra is so remote.

Day 56: June 10; 4.7 + 7 bonus miles

With an anticipated short day, there was no real need or rush to get out of town. After sleeping in until 7am, it was time to get back on trail at 10am. On the way back to trail the news was being reported on the radio. Wow I do not miss not knowing what’s going on in the world. Going weeks without knowing what messes are happening has been such bliss. It’s definitely a perk of being on trail.

We started back up to Kearsarge, 5 miles of consistent climbing that I was dreading. Not going to lie, it sucked. Really sucked. Mainly because of heavy packs. I definitely think they’ve been heavier before with water carries in the desert, but the bear can adds a totally different feel to the pack. Having a big heavy plastic container poke you in the back for miles is anything but comfortable. But that’s just how it goes in the Sierra.

Eventually we got to the top and descended back down to meet back up with the PCT. Those few miles were beautiful, we took a different route than exiting and I loved it. Even though it’s 15 miles added to the trip, Kearsarge Pass was worth the effort and detour because of its pure beauty.

Glenn Pass continued to be a topic of debate today. Most of the PCTers we talked to were going to go over it. There’s definitely strength in numbers. I talked to someone doing the Rae Lakes Loop and asked them how their journey over Glenn was, as they were going the opposite direction and just went over it. At first she said it was fine and we’d be fine, but then backpedaled, cautioning us that it would be messy in the afternoon. It was 12pm and already pretty hot. The sun is intense at 11k’, making any snow on the north side of the pass a slushy mess.

But after talking with a guy who said he didn’t care the condition of the pass, it was too early to quit, we decided to adopt the same attitude and just get over it to spend the night at Rae Lakes. And so we did.

I don’t remember Glenn Pass being that steep, mainly because I was battling knee and hip pain going up it in 2018. But my goodness was that a horrible terrible climb. With exhausted legs I made it up. The heavy pack certainly didn’t help. Upon getting to the top we could assess the snow situation. There certainly was a long snow field to get over, but it looked well boot packed. We were on the summit with 4 other people who were going to go across it as well.

And so it was time to descent. The snow itself wasn’t horrible – it was slushy and I did posthole a few times, but it was fairly easy. I again made the mistake of looking down, even in the daylight it looked terrifying. One slip and there is no coming back from it – you’d steeply slide hundreds of feet down into rocks. It shook me but I continued on.

After the snow field I thought the worst of it was over. I was wrong. A lot of the switchbacks were covered in snow, so it was a pick your own journey of rock scrambling. The north side of Glenn Pass is steep under normal conditions. I remember feeling sorry for SOBOs in 2018. I still do, but getting down that was nothing short of a nightmare. Loose rock and jumping from boulder to boulder made crossing an ice field seem like a piece of cake. It took so much time getting down, but we did it safely so that’s all that matters.

Eventually we made it to Rae Lakes, which again feels like it belongs in Middle Earth (Rivendell, more specifically). We found a perfect camping spot and are only sharing it with mosquitoes. Lots and lots of mosquitoes.

I am a little nervous about bear activity. The rangers have been telling everyone about bear sightings and the Rae Lakes Loop crew said they saw 5 in their 26 mile journey, including a mom and two cubs. Yikes. But with a bear can, I’m hoping the bears won’t be interested in harassing little old me.

Day 57: June 11; 20 miles

It was a beautiful night. I stayed warm and was awoken by a lovely trio – the sun, birds, and fish jumping in the lake. It was only 5:03am, but I was awake and ready to take on the day. After all, it’s finally the day we hit 800 miles! It’s about time.

The day started with gorgeous views of Rae Lakes. I was already anticipating the views that were coming. In 2018 I remembered descending down into one of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever beholden. My hip, knee, and feet were aching but that all disappeared once I looked up. Before me were mountains of epic proportion, complete with a waterfall accenting its beauty. It was raining (as usual) and the dark clouds really made it look epic – so much like Mordor. I was so excited to see this again!

While still absolutely stunning, I don’t think it lived up to that fateful day in 2018. These mountains need dark gloomy clouds to really make them pop!

I’m so excited to have finally hit the 800 day mark. Keep tuned to see how the rest of the day went… it was a doozy and one I hope to never repeat.

Day 32: May 17; 20 miles

Oof was it a rough night. There is a wind advisory for the area with gusts up to 60 MPH. Listening to that all night and having wind whip your face made for poor sleep, even with ear plugs. I’m not sure if being in a tent would’ve been the better option, given that the tent likely would’ve flapped around like crazy.

But despite it all, got up and had breakfast provided by Scout. We got out later than usual but I didn’t care. The scenery is still boring, but at least the wildflowers provide something beautiful and colorful to look at.

During our lunch break today, we were all sitting together enjoying the time off our feet. That’s when David (Alchemist) looked behind and calmly stated, “there’s a rattlesnake right behind us”. Unchoreographed but in coordination and haste, we all shot up from the ground smoothly and under as much control as one can have when a deadly creature is slithering right behind you. Sure enough a big old rattlesnake was slowly perusing only a foot behind us. With some kind persuasion, we got him to continue on with his journey without minding us too much attention. Second close encounter with a rattlesnake in 24 hours, can’t say I like the trend.

It was a quick descent into Hikertown, which has a bit of a reputation on the PCT. The last stop before conquering the aqueduct section, it garners a lot of attention. I won’t go into detail here, but it might be worth looking up to read some interesting stories. My original plan was to completely bypass it, but part of me did want to walk through to see what it was all about. Lo and behold, it was a ghost town. Not a soul in sight. I was shocked, but then again we’ve been in between bubbles. There are a ton of hikers ahead of us, and a ton behind us. We’re lucky if we see 2 hikers a day. I wasn’t expecting to have this little social interaction and kind of wish there were more people to meet and talk to, but it does make for less competition when finding camping.

Alas, we moved on from Hikertown to go to the market a few miles down the road. After eating and lounging, we made our way to the aqueduct. We’ll be getting up early in the morning to get it started. This is common practice, as this section goes right through the Mojave Desert, which is notoriously hot. We actually learned at the market that the trail originally bypassed the desert through surrounding mountains, making for a less exposed and safer journey. However, a big corporation came and bought all the land, forcing the trail to go through the Mojave. But, like anything else, hikers adapted and now have made this section into a bit of a party. Lucky for us, the weather doesn’t look too bad and actually quite favorable for a Mojave crossing.

Day 33: May 18; 19 miles

It was a quiet night void of wind. We were up at 3:30am with a strict 4am start on the aqueduct. Again, we’re in a weird bubble and didn’t see anyone on the entire journey across this staple of this trail.

And I’m kind of glad we were alone if only because cause I had a major wipe out on the aqueduct – right on the rivets. Leaving a big gash on my leg, I kind of wish I was up to date on my tetanus shot.

Once the sun came out it was beautiful weather all the rest of the way. We were extremely exposed but didn’t really know it because the temperature was moderate, for the desert at least. And we were rewarded with trail magic – twice! The first was drinks from Keith (who gave us a ride way back when to the trail terminus) and the second was a full spread from Leciento just shortly after.

He had a full blown camp complete with chairs, food, and drinks! And the food was amazing. We had bacon avocado grilled cheese that really hit the spot. We got there around lunch time and didn’t leave until 6pm. Mainly because we were tired from the early start, but being comfortable and having him drive Oats and Alchemist to town to pick up a package also led to a delay. At this rate between all the trail magic and town food, I think I’m gaining weight. Which isn’t a bad thing at all, my hip belt can’t go any tighter so a little extra is welcome! I just didn’t expect all this good fortune on trail.

Eventually we walked away and are sleeping under some windmills. We entered a wind farm earlier today and have seen hundreds upon hundreds already. They’re great big giants that offer a different view of the desert. Though the windmill farms are notorious for being people’s least favorite part of the PCT. I’m glad we were blessed with good weather this section of the trail with a beautiful sunset as reward.

Day 34: May 19; 21 miles

Slept the best yet under those windmills. Sure I was exhausted from the hectic day, but oof I was out like a light.

The day was a blur. It was mainly defined by windmills. And more windmills. Andddd more windmills. Definitely offers a distraction to the mundane desert.

Being that we’re close to town, I put out some feelers to trail angels to see if there was anywhere in town we could stay. Joy responded quickly that we were welcome to stay with her! Originally we were going to camp outside of town and get in early in the morning after an easy 8 miles to the highway. But seeing as it was early, the campsite was infested with flies, and Joy seemed overjoyed at hosting us, we opted to stay with her overnight and get dropped off in the morning to finish the 8 miles, which is the last 8 miles of the first map of the PCT!

We got a ride into town to get pizza and wait until Joy was done with her pickleball game. When we got to her house we were so happy to have a bed to sleep in right near a lake! And even got to meet Little Gray, a kitten Joy is fostering. He’s such a little cutie! And small enough to fit in a backpack without much of a weight penalty…

Day 35: May 20; 8 miles

With only 8 miles for the day, we had a late start complete with loads of strong coffee. Joy took us back to the trial head in her jeep, which proved to be a rough ride. I got extremely car sick and as soon as we got dropped off the flood gates opened and I projectile vomited right on the side of the road. Which instantly caused panic, as norovirus is apparently running rampant on the trail. Having experienced it on the Colorado Trail, I’m extremely afraid of having another go at it on the PCT. But if I’m gonna have it, getting it on a light day near town is about ideal as you can ask for.

I took the day slowly and eventually felt less nauseous as the miles went. I chalked it up to too much strong coffee and being carsick. Maybe it’s me just getting sick of all the windmills. Eventually we made it to the end of the map and found the jeep parked near the highway overpass. Joy trusted us to use her car to drive around town for resupply or just plain joyriding.

We got lunch, resupplied, and had a lazy afternoon. We were lucky enough to be around for Joy’s family dinner. All at once her cozy home was filled with about 20 happy loud people, including very energetic kids. We got to have a great meal with good company, making me miss my own family dinners.

Day 36: May 21; Zero

After a lazy morning at Joy’s, we were picked up by Alchemist’s friend Mariana to spend the night with her and her family. They live in the same area as Joy, only 5 minutes apart in what is known as the largest HOA community in the country. When talking with them, I was shocked by how cheap it is to live here! Given that California is known as an extremely expensive place to live, I was expecting the HOA fees to be near my mortgage. I couldn’t believe that it’s actually cheaper to live in Tehachapi CA than where I am in my tiny little jersey home! And I don’t have a spectacular view!

We had another family dinner and got to be entertained (or maybe we did the entertaining?) to her twin 9 year olds. I always wanted twins – but after seeing how much energy they require I might have second thoughts. Just kidding – they are lovely and bright kids.

Day 37: May 22; 16.2 miles

We got picked up in the morning by Joy and off we went back to trail. This time I didn’t get wickedly car sick – what a win!

We said bye and a huge thanks to Joy. Then we were off. And what a horrible day. It was hot, I was still exhausted, and I was having GI issues. Sure I wasn’t puking, but something just wasn’t sitting right. Noro? Pretty sure that wasn’t the case, but again, any little symptom always raises alarm. Overall just a dumb annoying day that I was happy to be done with.

I had new shoes shipped to Tehachapi because my old ones weren’t cutting it after 500 miles. My feet were full of blisters and I could feel every rock under my feet. So out with the old! It’s a completely different brand of shoe, so I certainly was making a risky gamble making the switch, but I’m confident after a few days my feet will be happy to have a new home in these cute Topos.

We got into camp late(ish) and shared dinner with Lizard Queen, a forensic pathologist from Germany who obviously had some gruesome work stories. I was happy to put not only myself to bed, but the day as well.

Day 38: May 23; 22.9 miles

Another windy night. No wonder there are so many windmills around here. I’m officially over the desert and ready to move on. After the last few days of heat and exposure, I’m ready to take on the challenge of the Sierra

I didn’t sleep well at all since a whole group of hikers came in late to camp, which wasn’t a big deal. What was a big deal was a mouse who wouldn’t leave me alone. After running over my face (did I catch wind that hantavirus is going around?) I decided enough was enough. I shooed it away which it didn’t like and showed as much when it charged me. After a swift hit from my pillow and switching my position, he decided he lost the battle. Between him, the wind, and a bright moon I didn’t sleep well.

The bright point of the day was finally being done with the windmill farms. It was cool to walk amongst the giants in the beginning, but the novelty soon wore off. They became overbearing and irritating. I noticed that there were no birds to be found, my reliable alarm clock were gone. It was a quiet existence that I didn’t enjoy. I was so happy to hear birds chirping today as we finally escaped the windmills.

It was a blazing hot day. It made the climbs feel near impossible and water was scarce, leading to long water carries. In fact, we grew incredibly close to running out of water. With 4 miles left I only had 3/4 liter of water left. I started with well over 3, but was drinking so much from the heat my thirst felt unquenchable. With 4 miles to go, I was getting nervous that it would be an extremely uncomfortable sufferfest. That’s when I saw a FarOut comment that promised trail magic in just 2 miles. Powered by thirst, we quickly made our way to find a cooler full of fruit, veggies, and pizza. Sure it wasn’t water, but it made “eating your water” very manageable. It was enough to get us the next couple miles to the next water source. As we were enjoying the good fortune, we saw a truck pull up. Tim and Carlos live nearby and stock the fruit cooler from time to time. They offered us water bottles, beer, and a soda. We couldn’t believe the blessing, under a 10 Commandments sign no less!

Refreshed, we made our way to the water source and to camp. Which is a gorgeous camp in an area that looks and smells so much like the Sierra. We’re definitely getting close!! Only 100 miles left of the desert!

Day 27: May 12; 23.8 miles

Woke up to a chilly morning, but not chilly enough to have any rattler snuggle buddies. That’s a win in my book!

The day was very nondescript. There were climbs. It was hot. There were long water carries. But there was also trail magic! We caught up with Dan and Max at a firehouse to grab water where we met Cornbread. He’s following his wife Little Bear in a sprinter van as support. He gave us fresh fruit, popsicles, and drinks as we took a long lunch break.

Afterwards it was another long climb where I just put on music and got through. These days aren’t necessarily fun or exciting, but they’re not horrible either. It’s expected that not every day is going to be amazing. It’s a 2650 mile journey, some days are just going to be “eh”, and I’m okay with that. But at least the last mile or so was filled with gorgeous views!

Another cowboy camp with a ton of people. At this point I should just send my tent back!

Day 28: May 13; 14 miles

It’s amazing how the body recovers overnight. I went to bed with painful feet and woke up refreshed and ready to take on the day. I put on new injinji liners and the blisters cried out a little less in protest for the day’s miles.

And what a day! We woke up giddy knowing it was a short day into town. Our goal was Acton, a small town with burgers. With that on the brain, we set out quickly and were rewarded with a treat – cloud inversion. The majority of the morning was nothing but a sea of clouds in the valley for as far as the eye can see. It was a nice change from what has been a bit monotonous. It also supplied refuge from the heat, though it was the first time I experienced humidity during this hike. Felt like I was back home!

After descending most of the day we reached the highway. There were 5 of us, including Birdmaster, who we had been leapfrogging the last few days. This made getting a hitch difficult, particularly on a less traveled highway. But lo and behold, we had one guy in a truck slow down. After seeing that there were 5 of us, he tried to speed away but I used my charm to convince him that we all could fit. It was a success and we all piled into Fingers truck. Though he has all 10 fingers, he did lose one breaking up a dog fight. He was able to get back and salvage the finger and sew it back on. Interesting guy.

He dropped us off at 49ers Saloon where we had burgers and set up camp for the night. They allow hikers to camp in their backyard. It was a good spot to spend the afternoon just relaxing.

Day 29: May 14; 16 miles

Discovered the downside of cowboy camping – the dew point. Woke up to a soaked sleeping bag. At least everyone else did too, so we were all in the same boat. Not having a super taxing day, it wasn’t the end of the world to wait around until the sun dried them out. Besides, we were all zombies from a poor night sleep from trains rolling through all night. The saloon backs up right against the tracks, so it didn’t foster the best sleep.

After getting dropped off back on trail, we had an easy day to Agua Dulce. We walked through Vasquez Rocks with amazing views of very interesting rock formations. You just don’t see this kind of thing in Jersey!

We got lunch and had a quick resupply in town before having a long climb to camp. I love this type of climb so I was having a great time. I was actually shocked when I arrived at camp! I thought I had at least another few miles when I was pleasantly surprised by seeing David (who definitely has gotten his trail legs) waiting for us. It’s a great spot right at the top of the climb with a great sunset view.

Day 30: May 15; 16 miles

Another day, another town. We’re certainly getting spoiled. Woke up warm and ready to go. We started out with Dan and Max with a bit of a climb but the day itself wasn’t bad.

We bounced into Green Valley after our miles and stopping for some quick trail magic hosted by Two Trees.

We are staying with Joe, who was referred to me by a cycling friend Kevin. He hiked the trail in 2013 and stayed with Joe and Terrie back when they hosted consistently. But after years of hosting 2000+ hikers a season, they burnt out and retired, only taking hikers in based on referral. So I was lucky to have Kevin’s good word for me, cause we had a great time getting to know them and their dogs.

Day 31: May 16; 20.1 miles

We headed out from Joe and Terrie’s after breakfast. Terrie dropped us off back on trail and once again we faced the heat and a climb with a heavy pack. Par for the course at this point.

I am getting a bit tired of the scenery. This section everything seems to look the same. A lot of the day is spent looking at the ground with an occasional look up to acknowledge that nothing is worth looking at.

At one point I was walking a few feet behind David, minding my own business in La La land probably thinking about Addie when out of the blue I hear a terrifying hiss. I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard a rattle directly to my right. I backed up slowly when I saw a rattlesnake right next to the trail coiled up and ready to attack. I made the mistake of making direct eye contact with the beast which I guess he took very personally because he started racing towards me. I retreated, hearing my dad’s voice in my head, “you should’ve had insurance in case a rattlesnake gets you!” But alas, the snake called off the attack and slithered back to his den, leaving me with a pounding pulse and relieved to have made it unbitten.

The day was made better when during a break I saw that there was trail magic scheduled for where we planning on camping. With a pep in our step we hustled over to camp to meet Scout. She hiked the trail last year and was giving back by supplying a bunch of us with snacks, dinner, and breakfast. It was such a blessing to not have to worry about making dinner and sharing good food with good company.

Day 22: May 7; 24.5 Miles

What I didn’t expect to wake up to this morning was a soaking wet sleeping bag. Apparently the dew point was low (or high? I’m no meteorologist) and caused condensation everywhere, even cowboy camping… in the desert. I packed it up wet and intended on drying it out during a break.

When I looked at the date this morning, a fleeting but nagging thought popped in my head. “The baby is coming today” rang loud and clear the second I saw May 7 as the date. My sister in law Cari is due with baby number three just under two weeks from now, so the fact this thought was so strong didn’t seem appropriate, but it’s all I could think about for the first 4 hours of the day. So imagine my shock when I got a text from my mom that Cari was in labor! I mean, I guess I shouldn’t have been shocked, but add it to the (short) list of premonitions. I am happy to announce that I have another niece, Mae Joanna, who bears striking resemblance to her siblings. Mom and Mae are doing great.

Today was dictated by one thing only – the infamous McDonald’s. Did I ever think I’d be excited to walk over 24 miles for McDonald’s? Nope. But thru hiking does crazy things to you and my hip belt is already as tight as it gets, so I need all the calories I can get.

The morning was highlighted by walking through Silverwood Lake recreation area, a huge lake and shining gem in the desert. It went on for miles of stunning scenery dotted with full bloom wildflowers. If we didn’t have such a long day and such a noble goal, I have no doubt I would’ve jumped right into that lake. It was so inviting on such a hot day. But alas, McDonalds was calling.

There was more gorgeous scenery and views of Mt. Baldy as we descended down towards the interstate. But unfortunately that scenery was negated by a harsh descent that ruined my poor feet. I could feel blisters coming in on the balls of my feet, but there was nothing I could do other than get through it.

And all was made well once I got my order at McDonalds. Burgers. Fries. Chicken nuggets. Milkshake. All the gluttony in the world and my appetite still wasn’t satiated. Hiker hunger has kicked in in a big way and I feel like a bottomless pit. I even ordered burgers and fries to go.

Oats contacted a trail angel offering his home to hikers. Carlos picked us up and took us to his and his girlfriend Brittany’s home in Claremont. Carlos hiked the PCT 2 years ago and hiked the CDT with Brittany last year. Now busy as a forest firefighter, he helps out hikers when he can. He offered us dinner, but with bellies full of fast food we couldn’t bear another bite. Showers, laundry, and a bed were more than enough for us.

Day 23: May 8; 20.1 miles

After a good night sleep we departed Carlos and Brittany’s place with the best breakfast sandwich and coffee I’ve ever had. It was such a good stay, they are a wonderful and kind couple. We got dropped off back at McDonalds and set back out in the trail.

With a late start, we knew we were in for a long day. It was hot, a long water carry, and all day climbing. Literally, climb all day. I was initially really hesitant about today – I was prepared for it to be a bad day to just get through. But lo and behold, it was one of my favorite hiking days. It was gorgeous views the entire hike while being able to see where we came from the whole time. It’s so rewarding to see your hard work in real time.

We came around a bend and had a full view of Mt. Baldy. Just off trail, it was under consideration to go up tomorrow. However, our path would be going up the north face of the mountain, which was still holding onto a lot of snow. Infamous for being the most deadly mountain in California that had already claimed a number of lives this year, I wasn’t too keen on trying my luck on it. The north route of Baldy is more treacherous and technical than the eastern or southern approach, both of which I have already experienced. Having already done it, I dragged my feet at making a decision. But that’s tomorrow’s problem.

Because of how long of a day it was and long mileage, we didn’t get into camp until around 7pm. And we weren’t alone. There were about 10 of us staying in the same spot, including Mango. Before this trip we connected through social media because of a close start date and being from the same area. It took me a second to recognize him, but it was great to finally meet him. Another night of cowboy camping – I could get used to not setting up a tent!

Day 24: May 9; 7.5 miles

After the best cowboy yet, woke up early to discuss if Mt. Baldy was an option. After doing some research on the north approach I had made the decision that I did not have the experience to make the summit safely – it simply was beyond my comfort level. Oats had made the decision not to the night before. I told David that if he wanted to, I’d wait at the junction for him to go up and back. He ultimately decided not to do it alone, so we set off, him a little disappointed.

That disappointment changed quickly once we passed a large group geared up to head up the mountain. And they were geared up to the gills. Crampons, ropes, ice axes, you name it they had it. Geared with only trail runners and trekking poles, we knew we were nowhere close to prepared to summit the mountain. The decision was made for us and onto Wrightwood we went.

The hitch situation wasn’t great. Due to a fire in 2024 that nearly consumed Wrightwood (the entire morning walk was through the wreckage) the highway to Wrightwood is partially closed, greatly limiting the amount of traffic. Once we arrived, we scoped out the trailhead parking lot for potential rides. It was slim pickings, but I was prepared to chat people up in an effort to get into town. It was only 9:30am, we have a whole town day to enjoy and didn’t want to waste time.

Right when I was about to approach a car, I spotted a sprinter van pull up and I instantly thought, “this is our guy!” Well, mark me definitely psychic, cause only a minute later he asked us if we wanted a ride into town. Heck yes! Before we knew it he handed us gatorades, beer, and ice cream sandwiches. What did we do to deserve this good fortune?! Sprinter is a trail angel who travels up and down the PCT providing help to hikers. We just happened to catch him right at the exact moment we needed him. How kismet – a word I used to describe the situation. Sprinter wrote it down as his word of the day.

Because it was just me and David, Sprinter went back to pick up the rest of the group. We got seats at the brewery and waited. Oats, Mango, Gator, Stallion, and Andrew all showed up and we spent the rest of the morning relaxing. The afternoon was spent doing chores and resupply. I have blisters on the balls of my feet that are extremely painful and make walking difficult. Just when the nerve pain goes away something else pops up! I’ve never had to deal with blisters before, so this is really disheartening. But I just have to get my feet to toughen up I guess! We have a great hotel that will hopefully foster good sleep.

Day 25; May 10; 15 Miles

After wishing my wonderful and selfless mother a happy Mother’s Day, I can’t say I was ready to leave the comfortable bed to hit the trail. But after coffee and catching a ride to trail with Sprinter I had no other choice. My feet were sore, it was already hot, and it was later than we normally start. I was starting to feel sorry for myself, only to remind myself that I opted for this. Misery is part of the attraction, so better get moving.

And so I did. And down we went only to make it all up and then some. Mt. Baden-Powell is just a short detour from the PCT, so we had to summit it. It was a gorgeous day for it. Blue bird without any wind. We spent a good amount of time up there in the company of many PCT hikers, including Marissa, a day hiker who completed the trail a few years ago. I even was able to FaceTime my family where I was able to meet little miss Mae, she’s a total cutie.

It was already 5 O’clock and 6 miles were left to complete. They were honestly pretty miserable. I was tired and ready to be done for the day. My feet are covered in blisters, I have no idea why. Every step is painful, but manageable. I would think after this many miles, they’d be toughened. It may be time for new shoes.

I rolled into camp late with barely enough time to eat dinner and make camp. At least with cowboy camping you don’t have to waste time setting up a tent.

Day 26: May 11: 19.5 miles

It was a bit of a rough night with wind and a tad chilly, but wrapped up in my sleeping bag I made it through. Feet still are blistered and unhappy, but the show must go on. The day was centered around a route detour to protect an endangered frog species. Which apparently has been working because the population has stabilized.

The detour involved a 5 mile road walk through an active construction zone. Not the worst, but also not the best for blistered and sore feet. Eventually we met back up with the trail and met a few new faces. Dan and Max are well known on the trail, given that Max is a dog and someone I saw on a YouTube video a ways back. I recognized him instantly and was so excited to meet him. Although, it did make me miss Addie even more. She’d never be able to handle the trail, but still, I wish she was here. We also met Birdmaster, who we’ve seen here and there but never officially met.

Then it was the 400 mile mark! It’s funny how the hundred mile markers aren’t only coming faster, but also with less impact than previous ventures. By this time on the Colorado Trail, the end was in sight. With only 500 miles to go, it was bittersweet. I was ready to be done, though. This time around it’s only the beginning. I’m not looking far ahead at all, only the next 100 mile marker. It makes the trail a lot more manageable mentally at least.

We got to camp not long after the achievement. Mango, an Eagle Scout, made us a small campfire and we were all going to cowboy camp… that is until a huge rattlesnake slithered right through where Mango was going to camp. I was unbothered and decided not setting up a tent was worth the potential snuggle buddy.

Day 15: April 30; 19.6 miles

After checking out from the casino and grabbing coffee from Starbucks, we weren’t exactly sure how we were going to get back to trail. Sure, there’s always uber, but after spending a bit for the overnight we wanted to save a few bucks. So we did what any hiker would do, we stuck out our thumbs. And surprisingly quickly got a ride from Jay, a chiropractor making his way to the gym. He didn’t mind the quick detour to drop us off and his calm demeanor set a great start to the day.

I had a wonderful start to the day. There were climbs, there was heat, but I had good music playing and spent the morning just jamming in my own little world. I love climbing, so I was in my element.

Then I almost stepped on a rattlesnake. Lazily crossing the trail giving no warning, it felt like it came out of nowhere, giving me the greatest shock. I gave it some space and continued on after it finally cleared out of the way.

I soon met up with David and experienced what I can only describe as the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to me on trail. I was barely paying attention to anything at all when all of a sudden I heard a deafening buzzing noise descend upon us like a dark cloud. “Flies?”, David asked. “No… I think they’re… bees?” I replied. My brain was not computing what was happening. There were thousands upon thousands of black bees swirling around us but I didn’t perceive a threat. Being a gardener and knowing the importance of bees, I love those little guys and thought it was awesome to be surrounded by them. That is until I had about 10 come straight for my face. Still not comprehending what was happening, I got stung right at the corner of my eye. That’s when all pandemonium broke loose and I realized I was in a very dangerous situation. Their target was acquired and that target was me. With missile like accuracy I had thousands of bees swarm me. David had already run off and I followed suit. They were fierce and took about 1/4 of a mile running off trail to lose them. It’s a miracle that between the two of us only one got stung. It all happened so quickly and thankfully it was a fast moving swarm and no one behind us experienced the trauma. I’ll take raccoons any day.

Fresh off the horror we met up with a lot of hikers and cooled off by the river for lunch. The rest of the afternoon was a bit of a drag. The bees really put a damper on my mood and mental state.

We started the first part of Mission Creek. This has been a very anticipated section for me. Tropical Storm Hilary washed out a big section of trail in 2023, leading to detours. Basically my understanding is that you follow the creek for several miles before meeting back up with the trail. Already mentally spent for the day, navigating a rocky creek bed and crossing the creek several times was not my idea of a great way to end the day. But with tired feet we made it to camp where I was ready to crash.

Tomorrow we embark on the rest of Mission Creek, I’m sure I’ll be glad to be finished with it.

Day 16: May 1; 17.8 miles

How ironic today is the first of May, because this day I believe will go down in history as my own personal Mayday.

The morning started out fine, brisk but ready to take on the challenge. I knew we had about 8 miles of navigating through the Mission Creek, a section of trail I’ve been dreading since planning this trip. Based on research, hikers get around this by just following the creek until it connects back to trail. Simple enough!

So that’s what we did. And boy was that a mistake. Apparently there is a spot on this detour where you’re supposed to veer right. We figured it’ll all connect anyway, so we opted to go left. Consciously we decided this was the way to go – there was no warning whatsoever on FarOut or word of mouth to not go left. It was a choose your own adventure!

Well, we chose poorly. After following the creek for a bit, we ended up slowly but surely going up a slot canyon. It all felt fine, even rock scrambling up slightly tall rocks and route finding all felt like part of the experience. Until, that is, we came to a point where I knew people just were not climbing up with full packs. There just was no way. Alarm bells were going off in my head but deeper into the canyon we went.

And we went. Until we could go no farther. We were facing a 35” waterfall that could not be climbed, as hard as David tried, it just wasn’t safe. After almost slipping on multiple other smaller waterfalls and having more near mental breakdowns than I care to admit, I was resigned to the fact that we were going to have to turn around and start all over.

But after a courageous climb up a 60 degree sheer face, David found me and Oats a good spot to get up a wash in attempt to reconnect with the trail. We got up to where we thought we’d be close enough to see the trail, but there was no trail to be found. The wash was too steep to turn around. By this point, Oats and I were obviously and clearly under a lot of duress. I thought one of us was going to fall and crack open our heads. I was thankful to have the Garmin on standby in case this did happen. As we’re all having our own personal meltdowns, I see an angel from Heaven only a dozen feet away walk by. Barely giving us a glance, he casually asked, “you guys okay?” I personally exclaimed with joy when I saw him. He showed us the way to the trail and just as quickly as he arrived he disappeared. Not interested at all in what we went through or why we were 30 feet down a steep wash, I appreciated how nonchalant he was at our complete chaos. I wish I had taken pictures of the ordeal, including the final waterfall, but my brain was in pure survival mode and whipping the phone out to capture the moment just wasn’t top of mind.

Back on trail our nerves were still on edge. It was a slow afternoon to camp. I was so tired that I opted for the first time ever to cowboy camp. I had no energy (mental or physical) to even think about setting up a tent. Plus with the views as epic as the ones at the camp site, I knew I’d at least have something glorious to look at if I couldn’t sleep.

Day 17: May 2; 19.6 miles

First cowboy camp was a success! It was a gorgeous night with a full moon and full view of Palm Springs down below. No critters snuggled up and though a little cold, it was worth it to not have to set up or break down a tent. I was gifted a wonder panoramic sunrise.

Our original plan was to hike and camp as close to Big Bear as possible and get into town early in the morning. The miles were easy and uneventful and once we got to where we planned on camping, it was still pretty early. Back and forth we debated if going into town was worth it. It didn’t take much to convince ourselves it was totally worth it. Having a place to put all our stuff instead of waiting all morning and afternoon for check in is what tipped the scales. So off to town we went through a few hitches.

We stopped at a thrift store to grab some clean town clothes to look and feel like normal people for once. We took advantage of the good food in town and splurged on Mexican food, complete with margs. Sure beats camp food and sleeping in a tent!

Day 18: May 3; Zero

After sleeping in, we had a lazy morning where we enjoyed a good breakfast and did laundry. The town of Big Bear is pretty big and has a free shuttle around town. It was handy to use to get a very pricey resupply. The rest of the day was just pure blissful rest. My foot is as painful as it’s been, so keeping off it and icing it has been very helpful to prevent further pain down the trail. I’m trying out tying laces differently to relieve pressure from the area. Fingers crossed that and the peaceful rest day do the trick!

Day 19: May 4; 10.5 miles

While grocery shopping yesterday we were warned more than once of forecasted cold for tonight and tomorrow. We were told to expect nighttime temperatures as low as 22 degrees. Not wanting to freeze to death was superseded only by our desire to not spend anymore money in Big Bear. It’s a lovely town, truly, but it’s expensive. Though the thought to stay to avoid the cold did pass through our minds, we decided to suck it up and head back to trail.

We caught a surprisingly easy hitch back to the trailhead with Melissa and Uncle Matt. Her driving was second only to the infamous Crazy Carlos. But regardless we were back on trail by early afternoon for an anticipated easy day. And for once, the expectation met reality. Got into camp with just barely enough sun before clouds came to steal the warmth. And boy did they. The temperature dropped, as did my stomach. I was hit with really bad nausea and laid down, only to be dead asleep by 6pm. Thankfully I was prepared for what I was sure to be a freezing night.

Day 20: May 5: 21.8 miles

Because of all the hype surrounding the cold, I preemptively got “Hot Hands” hand warmers to make sure I didn’t freeze. I awoke from my 6pm bedtime with a slight chill around midnight and used them to take the edge off. They did a darn good job and I woke up warm and without nausea. It was the type of morning I was happy to have a stove to make hot coffee, especially when the snow started to fall. Yes, snow.

And it snowed all morning. And those Hot Hands don’t lie when they say they last over 10 hours. I kept them in my gloves hiking and they got the job done until the sun finally peeked out after lunch. And boy did it heat up these cold bones. But it was very welcomed.

By 4pm we were done with our intended mileage. We thought about going further, but didn’t know what camp spots lied ahead. Plus, camping was prohibited for the next few miles. So we decided to stay right where we were, which is a pretty nice spot to be. Right by a creek with a tall scenic bridge, there’s not much to complain about.

Day 21: May 6; 19.5 miles

Woke up a bit chilled and not ready to go. But there were miles and hot springs in our future, so it was time to get moving! After warming up it was quick to the 300 mile point and even faster to the hot springs.

Not really sure what to expect from the springs (we were told multiple times by multiple people clothing was optional), we were met by Alex, who appeared to be the local groundskeeper. Armed with an air rifle, he was a bit alarming to see but soon we learned he had a very important job – squirrel hunting. Apparently the springs have a big squirrel problem. They have been known to rip through a hikers pack in search for food. So Alex helps control the population by sharpshooting them.

We spent a few hours at the springs, it was truly one of my favorite parts of the trip so far. There were a few different pools of various temperatures, but naturally I went for the hottest one. It was especially nice because I could have foot in the heated pool and the other in the cold river. It was perfect for icing my bad foot – which, knock on wood, has been hurting less and less! What a win.

After the springs it was 10 miles of hot heat to camp. Luckily there was breeze, but also a lot of bees. Thankfully they were friendly honey bees just interested in the abundant wildflowers and not swarming me. Just the sound of them sent chills down my spine, I hope this isn’t a recurring thing because I truly do love bees.

Got into camp with enough time for dinner and set up another cowboy camp. I’m pretty thrilled with cowboy camping – it removes the tedious task of setting up and breaking down a tent. The risk of something wild curling up next to me is worth the risk.

Day 8: April 23; 22.2 miles

Based on all the frigid faces we saw on trail after just leaving Ian and Jen’s warm home, I was happy to have slept indoors. With frost coating all surfaces, it looked to be the coldest night yet. Ian dropped us off early and we barreled through 14 miles before noon. Like anything I do, I like a good productive morning. Especially when getting through a lot of elevation early when temperatures are cool. David and I passed time by guessing the exact elevation of a climb. I guessed it within one foot. I was rather impressed with myself and credit my running career. I’m pretty good at guessing distance and pacing, so I guess elevation isn’t too far of a stretch.

Again, water is of upmost importance and scarce because of a low snow year. We had to go off trail to Mikes Place, a notorious trail angel who supplies hikers with water via large tanks. Given that the tanks were almost empty and no ones seen Mike for a bit, I really hope all is well. With the heat getting the rest of the hikers there down, we decided to move on and finish the day. The heat doesn’t bother me too much, though the sun has proven to be quite the mood killer.

With gorgeous views leading the way to camp, we got into camp with enough time to have a big dinner, necessary after a long day.

Day 9: April 24; 17.5 + 1.5 Bonus Miles

Had a surprisingly mild night that lent itself to good sleep. Slept in a bit with a lazy morning break down. The miles to a water cistern were quick and cruisy. Given that I still had a lot of water from Mike’s (I’m trying to get better at not over carrying) I gathered a liter of water for emergency only. The water in the cistern was dodgy, to put it lightly. Getting it out was a little terrifying- it was liable to crumple and get a hiker very wet in some very yucky water.

On our way to Little Bear Hostel, we found trail magic on the side of the trail. Cold drinks, sandwiches, and chips. What more could you want?

We marched on off trail to LBH, it felt like forever. Run by Little Bear, the hostel wasn’t much and I’m not sure it was worth the detour. Sure it had hot dogs, beer, and loads of snacks, but I wouldn’t go back. The best part was walking back to trail getting stopped by an extremely friendly non-English speaking local who greeted us with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen and cold beers. He was definitely the highlight of the day.

The plan for tomorrow originally was to nearo to Paradise Valley Cafe, get a ride into Idyllwild, and zero for a full resupply. However, after talking to a few other hikers it seems all of Idyllwild is booked up for Stagecoach Music Festival. No room at the inn, so plans must pivot. We’ll still go to PVC, but get into Idyllwild a few days later by exiting trail further north. By then there should be plenty of vacancy and cheaper rates. I don’t have enough food for the 2 additional days, but I’ll pack out food from PVC.

Day 10: April 25; 3 miles

Well, plans changed again. Have to be able to adapt! Or, in today’s case, just let whatever happens happen. We woke up to cold and clouds. Apparently the weather for the next few days is less than desirable. The mountains are predicted to get snow and 20 degree lows. Less than optimal for hiking, camping, or summiting a 10.8k’ mountain. Our new plan isn’t likely to work.

We decided to get to Paradise Valley Cafe early and come up with a plan then. We got there in record time thanks to Dave, who quickly picked us up during a hitch and saved us a 0.7 mile road walk. In that short amount of time I learned he also rode the Southern Tier bike route and was a super sweet and kind man.

We weren’t alone at PVC. It seemed every hiker we ever met the last few days was also there, trying to come up with a safe plan. We were on the fence and very likely to start back up the mountain when a local man and his son offered a ride into town. We jumped at the opportunity and got dropped off at a trail angels house who was willing to host us. Chris just started being a trail angel and was already excelling at it. Laundry, shower, hot meal, and a place to sleep? Could not ask for better.

We got to meet the Mayor of Idyllwild, Max. Being that he’s a dog, he gains a lot of attention. But don’t let that fool you, he’s all business – just look at his professional attire. Getting a picture of him was definitely a PCT bucket list item.

We heard that a few of the guys we started with were also making their way to town. Chris opened her doors to them as well and we all had a great time catching up well past everyone’s bed time.

Day 11: April 26; Zero day in Idyllwild

It’s amazing when things just fall into place and a decision you weren’t sure about proves to be the right one. Maybe it’s all the praying my mom is doing a couple thousand miles away, but waking up this morning to cold rain and snow up in the mountains confirmed that staying in town was truly the right thing to do.

Given that it was freezing and raining all morning, there wasn’t much to do besides just rest. Which, I guess is good for sore feet. But my body and brain both are on the same page when it comes to rest days. They don’t like them. I get antsy for the miles yet to do and almost feel a sense of guilt enjoying creature comforts when the goal is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Eventually the weather cleared and we said our thanks to Chris and departed her home. We saw just how much snow actually fell up in the mountains and felt sorry for whoever was up there. If Dan hadn’t offered a ride, I’m fairly certain it’d be us I’d feel sorry for.

I saw on an instagram post that a hotel in town was giving comped rooms for PCT hikers for a 2 week period. Unsure if or how this was possible, we booked 3 cabins between the whole crew. Certain enough, the night was free and we didn’t even have to put down a credit card. After much contemplating, we surmised some kind (and wealthy) soul must have anonymously paid for all PCT hikers during that two week period. The cabins were beautiful, so thank you anonymous stranger!

Day 12: April 27; 19.1 miles

Another cold night that I was happy to be inside for, we all woke up early to catch a ride back to trail with Dan, who graciously offered as he dropped us off just a few days before. “I’m retired, what else do I have going on?”. I can truly say that the stars aligned for our time in Idyllwild. It saved us from a freezing and potentially dangerous weather situation at elevation. Plus, it was just a fun time.

We said bye to most of the crew, they opted to stay another day. Matt, David, and I hit trail early, good being that it was a long and exposed climb early on. I’ve diagnosed myself with nerve entrapment in my left foot. If the first metatarsal is pressed, even slightly, it sends a massive wave of pain down into my big toe. Wearing shoes is not optional, so that spot is constantly pressed when walking. It’s pretty severe, but not debilitating. The good thing is after 1.5 miles, the pain disappears. Completely. It’s the strangest thing, but has been consistent. So I’m going to roll with it and hope it doesn’t get worse. If this is the worst I have to deal with, I’ll take it.

Once again, the decision to stay in town was solidified by how much snow we encountered in the mountains. It was actually gorgeous to see the tall mighty pines half covered in snow. Wind blown and heavy, the branches proved their strength. What made it slightly more fun was dodging the large chunks of ice that were falling from 50’ high randomly as the sun melted them off the trees. It was a bit unnerving, but truly my favorite part of the day.

We got into a crowded camp a little later than usual and nabbed the last two spots in a relatively busy site. We were greeted by Oats, who we met way back in Julian. She’s crushing miles and seems to have the same mindset as us when it comes to hiking, so it’s likely we’ll be seeing more of her!

Day 13: April 28; 21 miles

Today is the day we’ll summit San Jacinto, a topic up for debate ever since the snowstorm in Idyllwild. Given that it’s well over 10K’, it’s bound to have snow and ice up there at some point. Without microspikes, I certainly was more than a little nervous about how safe getting up there was going to be. Slipping off a mountain isn’t exactly the adventure I was looking for on the PCT.

As we gained in elevation, we continued to dodge frozen ice dropping from the sky and more than our fair share of icy trail. The novelty of it wore off quickly. It was impeding progress and even all of its beauty couldn’t make up for how annoying it was starting to be. Along the way we talked to a few day hikers who reassured us that the trail was clear and summiting was safe. That’s all I needed to hear.

Eventually we made it to the junction to summit. Already 10 miles in, we didn’t realize it was a 6+ mile trip up and back down to connect to the PCT. I thought it was only 4. With another 5 miles after to camp, I knew it was going to be a long and exhausting day. 5000’ of climbing wears you out. But, it’s what I signed up for so suck it up buttercup and get climbing.

The peak of San Jacinto was slightly underwhelming, but I’m glad to have done it. I know I would’ve regretted it if I hadn’t.

Now the descent down into camp – that was a whole ordeal. For about 2 miles we slipped and slided over an icy trail. It luckily wasn’t near any cliffs, so we weren’t at risk for falling thousands of feet to doom, but it was nerve wracking nonetheless. It’s a miracle that of the 3 of us, we only had one fall (of course it was me). After what felt like a century, we slammed down our packed at camp happy to call it a day. And a day it was.

Day 14: April 28; 19.3 miles

After yesterday’s big climb and long day, I was happy to have a “short and easy” day with town being the goal. From camp, it was literally all downhill to our target – Cabazon. I was a bit hesitant, though, as my nerve pain is still very present and seems to be worse with descending. But there were no other options so down we went.

And the scenery truly distracted me from the pain and fatigue my body was feeling. It was such a fun descent with epic views of a snow covered peak right in front of our eyes. Wildflowers were everywhere and though the sun was out, it wasn’t scorching. We saw so many other hikers enjoying the views and hitting the 200 mile mark midway down. Those miles truly are flying!

Eventually the descent ended and we were faced with a 4 mile exposed road walk to catch a ride into town. At a lower elevation, the sun was hot. I was not looking forward to it at all. After a short rest huddled in the only shade we could find and soaking our heads in the only available water source for miles, we headed out. And just like that, the wind picked up, relieving us with a refreshing cool breeze. Suddenly it wasn’t so harrowing.

We were greeted by trail magic just before getting to the road we were going to try to hitch into town on. It had everything you could possibly need! But knowing that we were on our way to In-N-Out, we didn’t stay too long.

Unfortunately we didn’t have much luck hitching, so I got an Uber into town. Originally we were going to go to Banning, a much cheaper option for overnight stays, but we were advised by Mercy our uber driver that there’s a reason it’s cheaper – it’s downright dangerous. After eating a good meal at In-N-Out, where I was severely judged with a wicked look up/down for being so dirty and likely stinky, we decided to spend a little extra and stay at the casino in Cabazon.

What a totally different setting than what I’ve been living the last 2 weeks. From quiet wilderness to loud noises, crowded space, and blinking lights, I was overstimulated and already ready to be back in my tent. But we got to enjoy a hot tub and lazy River, and even met Stink Daddy, so maybe it was all worth it in the end.

200 miles done, only 2450 to go!

Day 0: San Diego

The day is finally here- with a packed bag and eager legs, I left New Jersey with sights set on San Diego to start the Pacific Crest Trail. I said goodbye to pets and family and had a hassle free plane ride and bus trip to Ocean Beach. I got to experience a taste of Cali coast life and see the Pacific Ocean with a hotel right on the beach. I got last minute supplies and tried to eat as much as I could in preparation for the trail. So many tacos!

The next day I caught a bus to meet up with Keith, a trail angel providing free rides to Campo, the start of the PCT. On the shuttle I met a few of the other hikers I’d be starting the trail with. We all got along well right from the get go, couldn’t ask for a better start.

Getting up to the terminus and seeing it for the first time was incredible and surreal. All this time planning was finally here. Got to have coronas right at the border and even stick a foot into Mexico, a PCT necessity.

Spent the evening getting to know all the other hikers starting the next day at CLEEF, a spot that lets hikers stay overnight and get a good breakfast the next day.

Day 1: April 16; 15.3 Miles

Woke up bright eyed and ready to go, first day on the trail! After a breakfast at CLEEF, got some better pictures at the monument first thing in the morning.

After that I set off with Matt, one of Keith’s Crew members. We got to see some of the highlights of the trail, the one mile signpost and the trail tracks sign.

Throughout the day we picked up new folks to hike with. I truly could not ask for a better crew to start this trip with. We’re mostly all the same age with roughly the same story. Burnt out from work, we either quit our jobs or took leave of absences to refresh or pivot. It’s so nice to be with a group of like minded people all with a similar goal. Everyone is so personable and there are a few with fantastic senses of humor. Smiling and laughing through the miles is a great way to start the trail.

Which was a great distraction, particularly since day 1 was quite the awakening for me. There was a large climb out from CLEEF and the sun was out to cheer us on. Hot and exposed, I had quite a few, “what am I doing right now, this is going to be a long 4 months if I even make it through the day” thoughts. Didn’t help that David pointed out that the spot 4 of us were taking a break at was swarming with poison oak and I got poked by a yucca plant, causing hours of neurotoxin provoked pain. Everything in the desert is trying to kill you! I felt overwhelmed, but I calmed myself by blaming it on first day jitters.

And just like that we made it to camp. Later than anticipated, we found just enough room to house our small crew. Seemed like a popular spot given most of the CLEEF crew had the same end point. Day one in the books, let’s just hope the rest of the days are a little kinder.

Day 2: April 17; 10.7 miles

After a restful night, our small crew headed out early. After yesterday’s rude awakening, I wanted to get out with the sun to ensure I complete the day with time to spare. We had an amazing climb that with coolness of the early morning was absolute bliss.

We got to Morena Lake in time for breakfast and infamous malt shake. With full bellies we trekked on. It was hot, but the temperatures we encountered were a lot more merciful than people who started 2 weeks ago. They had a wickedly hot start took its toll on its fair share of hikers, make dropping out. We were blessed with 80s, way more manageable than 100+.

We got to Boulder Oaks campground early. I had planned on going further another 5 miles. But with everyone deciding to stay put and rumors that campsites further up were already full, I also decided to stay put. There were about 30 of us at the campground chit chatting and getting to know each other. I wasn’t expecting the trail to be so social. I knew there would be a lot of interaction, just not to this level. It’s not a bad thing – everyone so far has been great. But I do have a feeling I’ll be happy to split off and have some quiet time and solitude.

Day 3: April 18; 21.5 miles

Another early start for a long anticipated day. Miles seem to really be dictated by water and campsite locations. With a restriction on camping in Mt. Laguna, I knew I was in for a long hike. I started the day with Dave AKA Buccee with another great early morning climb. Got a picture with a sign that I passed on the pacific coast bike trip, a sign I knew I’d see again!

We soon picked up David, another member of Keith’s Crew from day 1. We all trekked through the miles necessary to get to Mt. Laguna for burgers at Pine Valley Cafe. We were told they have the best burgers on the PCT. While good, I hope that’s not true. We ran into Fluffy, a retired guy from Boston I’m sure we’ll never see again given his aggressive timeline. I noticed I talked to the guys about Sheena a lot. I definitely miss her, I referred to her as the ying to my yang. Everyone I’ve met has been amazing, but it’s nothing like having someone I trust by my side.

After burgers Dave decided 15 miles was enough. Not a bad call considering it’s only day 3. But with it being early afternoon and a nice day, David and I marched on. I learned a lot about the flora and fauna of California, as he seems to know a lot about it given he grew up here. The views that followed the burger were magnificent and best of the trip by far. Sweeping views of the desert just couldn’t be beat.

We got into Laguna Campground with just enough time to shower and set up camp. Robert, the camp host, gave us a ride to the site, what felt like a 10 minute ride I for one was grateful to not have to walk after such a long day. My body felt great, up for the challenge. But I can’t deny I was tired and ready and happy for bed on such a chilly night.

Day 4: April 19; 20.7 miles + Bonus Mile

It was such a frigid night. I had every piece of warm clothing on and still managed to have a bit of chill all night long. Turns out the low was 33 degrees. I hope this isn’t what’s to come down the trail. Regardless I survived, with relatively good sleep. It was a good thing the trail was cruisy and the weather was favorable. The views kept coming which was a good distraction from tired feet and legs.

The desert has been absolutely alive with bloom and flowers. I’ve never seen so many cacti with radiant flowers. The birds are also very active. The desert doesn’t feel so desolate and quiet with such a colorful and chirping vibrance. Even saw the first rattlesnake of the hike. Hopefully it’s the last. This guy was a little too close for comfort.

There was no intention to hike this far today. After finishing 16 miles quickly, we decided to continue on an additional 2 in hopes of catching a good sunset spot. Well, it was already taken so we were forced to go another 3 on very tired and aching feet. But at least that gets us into Julian all the earlier tomorrow for a “nearo” day. We cruised into camp with enough time to make camp, cook dinner, and catch a sunset. Just around bedtime we had someone come into camp late. We met Sunshine (PHR) just a few hours before at a water source. Given that it was so late and already dark, we helped her set up camp to make her night a little less stressful. Then it was straight to bed.

Day 5: April 20; 9 miles

While last night’s stay may have been the best camp site yet, it was a far cry from the best night’s sleep yet. For once I was actually really hot and that made the night fairly uncomfortable. There was also some sort of 4 legged creature perusing around my tent all night. Scared of a mountain lion, I was on high alert. Eventually I realized after a few hours, whatever this creature was it wasn’t interested in me. So I put in my ear plugs and said a prayer. Ignorance is bliss, after all.

It was a lovely and quick 9 miles to Scissors Crossing, a road crossing where we’d pick up a hitch into town. After throwing down the pack and throwing out a thumb, we got a ride in less than 5 seconds. I kid you not, it was the quickest hitch I’ve ever gotten. And unfortunately, it was the most terrifying. We were picked up by Carlos, a seemingly nice guy with a propensity for messy cars, seat belts that don’t work, replaying 3 minute “change your mind with three easy hacks” videos on loop at max volume, and driving extremely windy mountain roads extremely fast. But, we made it into town, in record time I’m sure. It took a minute for color to return to our knuckles and my face – all the fast turns also caused my stomach to turn.

All was made well with a stop at the infamous “Mom’s Pies”, a bakery known to show extreme hospitality towards thru-hikers with free pie and coffee. It was awesome to check off another PCT staple, and a delicious one at that!

Still reeling from the Carlos ride, we headed next to the nearest brewery for pizza and beer. All was delicious and calmed some still frazzled nerves.

After running a few resupply errands (I caved in and got a stove – after the last few frigid nights, cold soaking just didn’t cut it anymore) we caught a ride with FossilLady to Stagecoach RV park, where we’d be spending the night.

We seemingly had the place to ourselves. After showering and laundry, I was so happy to see that we weren’t alone after all. Most of our OG Keith Crew showed up just before dinner! It was so great seeing everyone in such high spirits doing well. We caught up and had a great time. Didn’t matter that bed time was pushed back to late, it was worth it. It’s amazing how knowing people such a short time doesn’t matter out here, you just want to celebrate another day on trail with great people.

Day 6: April 21; 21.6 miles

I woke up in poor spirits. I somehow acquired multiple blisters on my feet. I blame it on walking in damp shoes after showering. No matter how it happened, I had them. I’ve never had blisters from hiking before, and was terrified of the pain I was about to experience today. I taped them with duct tape and prayed for the best.

We said “see ya later” to the boys and got picked up early by a trail angel to return to Scissors Crossing. The day started with a hefty climb. But in the early morning shade, it was a delight. My feet eventually began to hurt as the duct tape moved from moisture on my feet. David luckily lent me some leukotape that fixed the issue immediately. My feet felt amazing! Thank God, cause I needed good feet to complete the day.

We ran into a lot of people we met in Julian. They’re all pretty young and really nice. It’s starting to get difficult to keep track of everyone!

A tale as old as time, we had no intention of going this far today. But after our intended spot was deemed horrible due to exposure during an especially windy day, we decided to keep pushing on to a more protected spot. Small and not ideal, we set up our tents right in the nick of time. It started to rain! Not what I was expecting out here in the desert, but nonetheless I kept dry.

We turned in early, exhausted from another long day.

Day 7: April 22; 11.8 miles

That was by far the best I’ve ever slept in my tent. My eyes closed and I was dead to the world for a solid 9 hours. Apparently I was the only one, as I was accused of snoring the whole night long.

I had some pep in my step today in anticipation of hitting 100 miles and seeing Eagle Rock, an iconic landmark on the PCT. A natural rock formation, Eagle Rock is aptly named as it resembles in odd detail just that – an eagle. It was surreal walking up to it and seeing it in person. I was smiling ear to ear.

Another reason to smile is we got some amazing trail magic there! Hamburger Helper was there with tons of goodies to give to us desperate and tired hikers. We gladly accepted his kindness and had great conversations with him and fellow hikers.

Eventually we made it to Warner Springs Community Center, a refuge for tired hikers. I was able to just relax and get a small resupply. It’s funny how after a few really long days, nearly 12 miles feels like a “nearo” day. My feet and body feel great. I’m really happy how it’s handling the challenge. The only thing that worries me right now is weight loss. I’m already sinching my pack hip belt as tight as it goes. I’ll likely have to get a new pack because Minnie is going to start hurting my hips and shoulders.

David has a friend who lives in town who was gracious enough to let us stay with him. Shower, laundry, dinner, and a couch to sleep on? Sign me up. Ian, Jen, and little Viggo were so kind and welcoming. It was great to have some time away from trail to relax and recuperate.

Another early night to bed for what I’m sure will be a long day tomorrow! So relieved to have 100 miles done and dusted. Hopefully the next 2550 are just as fun.