Day 145 11/4
Mileage 0
Staying in Idyllwild
We just couldn't bear to leave Idyllwild this morning. It's such a great little town, and we decided to spend another night. We got lunch, made tacos for dinner, played Scattergories, did some extremely painful but needed yoga, courtesy of Arctic Fox, and napped. It was a lovely, well-deserved zero.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Into Idyllwild
Day 149 11/3
Mileage 9
Staying at Idyllwild Inn
Woke up cold this morning. Air temps in high teens. Yeow. It was very misty and icy overnight, and I was wakened repeatedly by what I thought were the sounds of large animals stomping about, but what turned out to be large chunks of ice falling off the trees. There was apparently a large ice storm here recently, and all the trees were frosted in large ice crystals. Luckily, I had pitched my tent under an ice-free tree, and I passed the night unscathed. I hiked in all my layers, remembering wistfully the times back when I used to be able to feel my hands. The sun finally came over the mountain and by 9:00, it was almost above freezing. We meandered down the switchbacking Deer Springs trail until we reached the highway that led into Idyllwild. After a sketchy mile of road walking I arrived in downtown. I joined Jake and Celestial (Red Fox) for breakfast in a nice little diner, ate two full-sized breakfasts, and ran into Julien! More sobos! Julien was headed back to the trail this morning, and the rest of us, including Stef and Ricky, made our way over to the lovely Idyllwild inn. We rented a cozy little cabin with a fireplace (score!), ordered pizza, and did our resupply things.
Mileage 9
Staying at Idyllwild Inn
Woke up cold this morning. Air temps in high teens. Yeow. It was very misty and icy overnight, and I was wakened repeatedly by what I thought were the sounds of large animals stomping about, but what turned out to be large chunks of ice falling off the trees. There was apparently a large ice storm here recently, and all the trees were frosted in large ice crystals. Luckily, I had pitched my tent under an ice-free tree, and I passed the night unscathed. I hiked in all my layers, remembering wistfully the times back when I used to be able to feel my hands. The sun finally came over the mountain and by 9:00, it was almost above freezing. We meandered down the switchbacking Deer Springs trail until we reached the highway that led into Idyllwild. After a sketchy mile of road walking I arrived in downtown. I joined Jake and Celestial (Red Fox) for breakfast in a nice little diner, ate two full-sized breakfasts, and ran into Julien! More sobos! Julien was headed back to the trail this morning, and the rest of us, including Stef and Ricky, made our way over to the lovely Idyllwild inn. We rented a cozy little cabin with a fireplace (score!), ordered pizza, and did our resupply things.
Ice on the trees
Into the Clouds
Day 143 11/2
Mileage 23
Camped at mile 187.8
Today started wonderfully, with coffee and a morning temperature that was far more reasonable than what we've been experiencing. The Bear was incredibly helpful, and he really made us reluctant to leave. He and Ziggy were so wonderfully friendly and such genuinely nice people that we could have stayed with them for days. However, there were mountains to climb, and we set off, a bit stiff after yesterday, ready to tackle the largest continuous climb on the PCT. This climb is legendary, and it delivered. Just before we started the middle section of the climb, we were caught by Stef and Ricky! Yay! Sobo party! Then, we hit the hill. We switchbacked endlessly, winding higher and higher, inching toward the green ridge that towered far above us, below the cloud-shrouded summit. The whole mountain looked like a little island of high Sierra in the midst of the desert. As we approached the ridge, the vegetation became more and more reminiscent of the Sierra as well. Halfway up the mountain, I found a large knife on the ground and shortly after, saw a group of hunters to whom the knife belonged. I returned the knife, and they offered me orange slices and some tequila. Nice group of guys. They didn't quite believe that I was just walking for fun, I think. It became progressively cooler as the day waned, and soon we were stepping through piles of ice in the trail. The smell was different, too. Instead of the dusty smell of the desert, it had that cold, crisp, pine smell that reminds me of fall and winter in the Sierra. We hiked on through the cloud, then into the dark as night fell. We're camped at 8500 feet, over 7000 feet higher than last night. This means cold. Cold cold cold. Time for foodpillow. I filled ziplocs with air and put them in my stuff sack. Pretty ingenious, I think. Tomorrow, we're taking a nero (near-zero) in Idyllwild, hopefully someplace that has a hot tub.
Mileage 23
Camped at mile 187.8
Today started wonderfully, with coffee and a morning temperature that was far more reasonable than what we've been experiencing. The Bear was incredibly helpful, and he really made us reluctant to leave. He and Ziggy were so wonderfully friendly and such genuinely nice people that we could have stayed with them for days. However, there were mountains to climb, and we set off, a bit stiff after yesterday, ready to tackle the largest continuous climb on the PCT. This climb is legendary, and it delivered. Just before we started the middle section of the climb, we were caught by Stef and Ricky! Yay! Sobo party! Then, we hit the hill. We switchbacked endlessly, winding higher and higher, inching toward the green ridge that towered far above us, below the cloud-shrouded summit. The whole mountain looked like a little island of high Sierra in the midst of the desert. As we approached the ridge, the vegetation became more and more reminiscent of the Sierra as well. Halfway up the mountain, I found a large knife on the ground and shortly after, saw a group of hunters to whom the knife belonged. I returned the knife, and they offered me orange slices and some tequila. Nice group of guys. They didn't quite believe that I was just walking for fun, I think. It became progressively cooler as the day waned, and soon we were stepping through piles of ice in the trail. The smell was different, too. Instead of the dusty smell of the desert, it had that cold, crisp, pine smell that reminds me of fall and winter in the Sierra. We hiked on through the cloud, then into the dark as night fell. We're camped at 8500 feet, over 7000 feet higher than last night. This means cold. Cold cold cold. Time for foodpillow. I filled ziplocs with air and put them in my stuff sack. Pretty ingenious, I think. Tomorrow, we're taking a nero (near-zero) in Idyllwild, hopefully someplace that has a hot tub.
Mt San Jacinto, from afar
Where we were yesterday
Zipping to Ziggy's (and the Bear's)
Day 142 11/1
Mileage 36
Camped at Ziggy and the Bear's
We did it! After a night with tumultuous winds battering our little cabin, we woke to a few wet snowflakes being blown about outside. It hadn't stuck, and we set off down the clear (if damp) trail. The winds were outrageous. We were buffeted about as we ascended. We walked through stands of tall pines, and as during one particularly strong gust, I felt a large thump on my back. I looked behind me and saw a giant Jeffrey Pinecone rolling down the hill next to me. It had missed my head by maybe six inches. Large pinecones were apparently called "widowmakers" back in the gold rush days, and for good reason. Falling from 150 or so feet, a two pound pinecone is going to do more than leave a bump. As we walked, we were treated to maybe the most spectacular sunrise I've ever seen. The storm clouds were making some vibrant colors, and we could see sheets of rain and a few dust storms in the valley thousands of feet below us. We found water in a neat, semi-underground spring just off the trail, where a large hole in the ground revealed clear, cold water dripping from a partially buried tree root. Our bottles filled, we began the day's 10,000 foot descent. The trail wound through a very nice valley, and we listened to some music, took our lunch by Mission Creek, as the landscape transitioned from pines and firs to yuccas and cacti. The end of the day had us climbing one last big hill, with ominous clouds just ahead that were always just ahead of us. The clouds made for a wonderful sunset, and I finished the hill in the dark with Arctic Fox. After a long, cow-eroded, sandy push to the top, we descended to Ziggy and the Bear's. They greeted us very warmly, with gatorade (yay!) and hot chocolate (even more yay!) We cooked dinner outside and sleep for days, maybe. I can't, though, because we're climbing up Mt. San Jacinto tomorrow, a continuous 8,000 foot ascent.
Mileage 36
Camped at Ziggy and the Bear's
We did it! After a night with tumultuous winds battering our little cabin, we woke to a few wet snowflakes being blown about outside. It hadn't stuck, and we set off down the clear (if damp) trail. The winds were outrageous. We were buffeted about as we ascended. We walked through stands of tall pines, and as during one particularly strong gust, I felt a large thump on my back. I looked behind me and saw a giant Jeffrey Pinecone rolling down the hill next to me. It had missed my head by maybe six inches. Large pinecones were apparently called "widowmakers" back in the gold rush days, and for good reason. Falling from 150 or so feet, a two pound pinecone is going to do more than leave a bump. As we walked, we were treated to maybe the most spectacular sunrise I've ever seen. The storm clouds were making some vibrant colors, and we could see sheets of rain and a few dust storms in the valley thousands of feet below us. We found water in a neat, semi-underground spring just off the trail, where a large hole in the ground revealed clear, cold water dripping from a partially buried tree root. Our bottles filled, we began the day's 10,000 foot descent. The trail wound through a very nice valley, and we listened to some music, took our lunch by Mission Creek, as the landscape transitioned from pines and firs to yuccas and cacti. The end of the day had us climbing one last big hill, with ominous clouds just ahead that were always just ahead of us. The clouds made for a wonderful sunset, and I finished the hill in the dark with Arctic Fox. After a long, cow-eroded, sandy push to the top, we descended to Ziggy and the Bear's. They greeted us very warmly, with gatorade (yay!) and hot chocolate (even more yay!) We cooked dinner outside and sleep for days, maybe. I can't, though, because we're climbing up Mt. San Jacinto tomorrow, a continuous 8,000 foot ascent.
Arctic Fox was really excited about walking into those clouds
Just like any other day, but spoooookier!
Day 141 10/31
Mileage 20
Camped in Coon Creek Cabin
I arose blearily, having slept maybe two hours (Murray can snore like nobody's business), not wanting to do anything. We eventually mobilized and headed to breakfast. The portions were epic and I was content. We called another trail angel, Papa Smurf, who generously gave us a ride to the trail, and my journey's next chapter began! It was nice hiking with people. It was hilly and we felt off from the schedule change in town, but we plugged away and got the miles done. We made it to Coon Creek Cabin eventually, a spooky old frame of a building (fortunately still with a roof), around 6:30, after a spectacular sunset. The fog was rolling in below us, and the clouds were gathering above, leaving a clear strip of golden color in between. There's a large storm on the radar for tonight, with snow, 50-70mph winds, the whole shebang. The cabin has a fireplace, and we made a cozy fire, eating our dinner around it as the wind howled outside. It's slightly less creepy and slightly more cozy now. It still feels a lot like the plot of a bad horror movie, though. In an abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods in a storm on halloween. Nice. We're going for a 35-mile day tomorrow, all the way to trail angels Ziggy and The Bear. It's mostly downhill, and this should get us out of the worst of the storm.
Mileage 20
Camped in Coon Creek Cabin
I arose blearily, having slept maybe two hours (Murray can snore like nobody's business), not wanting to do anything. We eventually mobilized and headed to breakfast. The portions were epic and I was content. We called another trail angel, Papa Smurf, who generously gave us a ride to the trail, and my journey's next chapter began! It was nice hiking with people. It was hilly and we felt off from the schedule change in town, but we plugged away and got the miles done. We made it to Coon Creek Cabin eventually, a spooky old frame of a building (fortunately still with a roof), around 6:30, after a spectacular sunset. The fog was rolling in below us, and the clouds were gathering above, leaving a clear strip of golden color in between. There's a large storm on the radar for tonight, with snow, 50-70mph winds, the whole shebang. The cabin has a fireplace, and we made a cozy fire, eating our dinner around it as the wind howled outside. It's slightly less creepy and slightly more cozy now. It still feels a lot like the plot of a bad horror movie, though. In an abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods in a storm on halloween. Nice. We're going for a 35-mile day tomorrow, all the way to trail angels Ziggy and The Bear. It's mostly downhill, and this should get us out of the worst of the storm.
Big Bear, New Friends!
Day 140
Mileage 11
Staying at Big Bear Hostel
Foodpillow/clothingblitz was a success, because I didn't wake up until just before my alarm, and good thing, because it had indeed cooled below the brisk 40 degrees of yesterday evening. And below 30. And 20. It was an arctic 17 degrees when I stiffly left my tent this morning. I had a lot of difficulty moving. It was by far the coldest night of the entire trip. I hiked in all my layers for the first half hour or so before the chill finally faded. Then, I blitzed the last few miles to highway 18. I got lucky with the hitchhike, getting a ride after less than 10 minutes. He was a nice guy who was also going for a hike today. I think we had a slight miscommunication about the difference between Big Bear City and the city of Big Bear Lake, which are in fact two different cities. He dropped me off in Big Bear City, and I walked the last few miles to Big Bear Lake. Sarge at the hostel was super welcoming, and I set up my stuff in a room with Murray, a local who's been staying at the hostel. I did my resupply and Just Jake and Red Fox showed up, followed soon after by Arctic Fox! Yay! We chatted for a while, did laundry, cleaned up, and went to the grocery store. Arctic met a very nice woman there named Jamie, who offered to give us a ride back to the hostel AND buy us breakfast tomorrow morning! Thanks, Jamie! Back at the hostel, we celebrated being under the 300-mile mark. We're closing in!
Mileage 11
Staying at Big Bear Hostel
Foodpillow/clothingblitz was a success, because I didn't wake up until just before my alarm, and good thing, because it had indeed cooled below the brisk 40 degrees of yesterday evening. And below 30. And 20. It was an arctic 17 degrees when I stiffly left my tent this morning. I had a lot of difficulty moving. It was by far the coldest night of the entire trip. I hiked in all my layers for the first half hour or so before the chill finally faded. Then, I blitzed the last few miles to highway 18. I got lucky with the hitchhike, getting a ride after less than 10 minutes. He was a nice guy who was also going for a hike today. I think we had a slight miscommunication about the difference between Big Bear City and the city of Big Bear Lake, which are in fact two different cities. He dropped me off in Big Bear City, and I walked the last few miles to Big Bear Lake. Sarge at the hostel was super welcoming, and I set up my stuff in a room with Murray, a local who's been staying at the hostel. I did my resupply and Just Jake and Red Fox showed up, followed soon after by Arctic Fox! Yay! We chatted for a while, did laundry, cleaned up, and went to the grocery store. Arctic met a very nice woman there named Jamie, who offered to give us a ride back to the hostel AND buy us breakfast tomorrow morning! Thanks, Jamie! Back at the hostel, we celebrated being under the 300-mile mark. We're closing in!
Coldest morning of the trip
Winter Comes Early
Day 139 10/29
Mileage 24
Camped by Caribou Creek
It was a rough morning. I had discovered overnight that my pad was leaking. As I roused myself, body sore from sleeping on the ground, I tried to tell my body that my morning poop was going to have to happen later, since I had a creek on one side and a sheer cliff on the other, and there was no way I could get 200 feet from the water. However, my body would have none of it. I began to panic. In a flash of lucidity, I remembered that there was a parking area with an outhouse a little more than a tenth of a mile down a side trail. It was by far the longest tenth of a mile of my life, but by some miracle, I made it. Upon my return to camp, I proceeded to look for the hole in my pad, which entailed dunking it (and part of myself) in the freezing stream. The air temperature was about freezing, and it felt like the water was not much warmer. In retrospect, I suppose it was lucky that the pad popped here, since I had the water to look for the hole. If it had popped anywhere else in the desert, I would have a snowball's chance in hell of finding the leak. After some looking, I found and patched the hole. From there, my day improved significantly. I heard a rustling in the bushes above me and turned to see a coyote running up the cliff near my campsite. It was climbing so gracefully, seemingly without effort. With this greeting from mother nature, I began my day's hike. The trail meandered generally up through forests of pines interspersed with burn areas. It really was nice. There were fall colors, too! In places it almost looked like late fall in New England. These were mostly oaks that were changing. I have 8 miles tomorrow before the hitch to Big Bear. Tonight is going to be cold. I'm several thousand feet higher than last night, and even at 5 pm, it was in the low 40s and dropping fast. I'm wearing pretty much every article of clothing I have, from my knee warmers to my rain jacket. I hope it's enough to let me sleep at least a little. My pillow, which is usually stuffed with clothes, is now filled with a hodgepodge of jerky, mangoes, nuts, and my knee brace. Despite its hard lumpiness, I just couldn't bring myself to put a pair of socks in there. Too grody. Chilly night, easy 8, resupply, then new people!
Mileage 24
Camped by Caribou Creek
It was a rough morning. I had discovered overnight that my pad was leaking. As I roused myself, body sore from sleeping on the ground, I tried to tell my body that my morning poop was going to have to happen later, since I had a creek on one side and a sheer cliff on the other, and there was no way I could get 200 feet from the water. However, my body would have none of it. I began to panic. In a flash of lucidity, I remembered that there was a parking area with an outhouse a little more than a tenth of a mile down a side trail. It was by far the longest tenth of a mile of my life, but by some miracle, I made it. Upon my return to camp, I proceeded to look for the hole in my pad, which entailed dunking it (and part of myself) in the freezing stream. The air temperature was about freezing, and it felt like the water was not much warmer. In retrospect, I suppose it was lucky that the pad popped here, since I had the water to look for the hole. If it had popped anywhere else in the desert, I would have a snowball's chance in hell of finding the leak. After some looking, I found and patched the hole. From there, my day improved significantly. I heard a rustling in the bushes above me and turned to see a coyote running up the cliff near my campsite. It was climbing so gracefully, seemingly without effort. With this greeting from mother nature, I began my day's hike. The trail meandered generally up through forests of pines interspersed with burn areas. It really was nice. There were fall colors, too! In places it almost looked like late fall in New England. These were mostly oaks that were changing. I have 8 miles tomorrow before the hitch to Big Bear. Tonight is going to be cold. I'm several thousand feet higher than last night, and even at 5 pm, it was in the low 40s and dropping fast. I'm wearing pretty much every article of clothing I have, from my knee warmers to my rain jacket. I hope it's enough to let me sleep at least a little. My pillow, which is usually stuffed with clothes, is now filled with a hodgepodge of jerky, mangoes, nuts, and my knee brace. Despite its hard lumpiness, I just couldn't bring myself to put a pair of socks in there. Too grody. Chilly night, easy 8, resupply, then new people!
Chilly
Pretty
Yummy
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