Posts coming soon - days 19-26

Meant to update in Big Bear, but didn't get everything finalized. Coming soon, I swear! 

Day 22: Snow Cañon - Whitewater Preserve (mi 206-219)

 

We started the day with a long hike across the desert floor. The high winds screaming between the two monoliths of Mounts San Jacinto and Gorgonio kept the temperatures cool and amicable for hiking, though we needed to apply our Chapstick dutifully. I ended up with a bloody nose due to the dry, sweeping winds. Our 'late' wakeup (by hiker standards) put our departure around 945 (as usual, the last ones leaving camp), and we arrived at I-10 xing around 1130. 

Smiles doing her best to earn her namesake during the I-10 corridor desert crossing. 

The poster board trail register under I-10. 

Delicious caffeine and sugar, ice cold: a most treasured commodity. 

We hid from the merciless, silent killers underneath the bridge where we could not be seen. The trail was perilously close to their hunting grounds. 

 
 
 

Trail magic and trail angels were both found at the undercrossing, along with hikers Sharkbite, Faucet and Hummingbird. We spent a quick break under the bridge as I waited for the recently-ingested caffeine to improve my mood, which was soured by the flat and sandy crossing. The renowned Trail Angel house of Ziggy and the Bear was right next to the trail as we departed the I-10 crossing, but we passed on the pit stop in lieu of more progress on the trail since it had been such a late start. We bid adieu to Section B as we climbed up thru the Mesa wind farm and began section C. 

Another milestone!

The wind  was powerful enough to blow my gnarly hair around. Good place to put a wind farm. 

 

Smiles keeps her hat on during the slow climb up the cañon.

 

 As Smiles started up the cañon, she asked curiously whether I had ever responded to the BART lost & found email indicating that they found my previously-lost keys (background: keys lost on 3/17, dutifully searched for @ various BART facilities for a week thereafter, and reported found a week after we started hiking. Go figure).  I pondered the possibility of actually replying to an email (p<<0.05), then nervously remembered there being something of a cutoff date before they tossed my keys. I quickly verified that the cutoff date was approaching, and that BART L&F would only be open for approximately 2.3 hours until that deadline. I spent the next hour or two trying to deal with the 'crisis' with my dwindling service while scolding myself for using some perfectly good 3G under the bridge for Twitter, etc.

 

On the way, I saw lots of common side blotch lizards, with different coloration than those of San Jacinto. Though we were in decent habitat for desert tortoise, the secretive testudines eluded me.  My legs have a good, dull pain, and my mind was not yet feeling fried. Feet are breaking in nicely - no blisters, and plantar pain is minimal. Smiles ha a couple new blisters and a hotspot or two but is holding up well. We entered the San gorgonio wilderness, a stark, steep grassland dominated landscape. We contoured around and entered the Whitewater river valley.The river ran through steeply eroded canyon sidewalls, with white granitic sand/pavement between the river stones on a floodplain ~.3 mi wide. 

Smiles descending into the Whitewater cañon

The Whitewater river runs off the eastern slope of Gorgonio. 

 
 
 

We checked in to visitor ctr, preserve run by a nonprofit, which left the site open and free for camping by pct hikers. They also had a cold wading pond, which felt great on the feet. Most importantly, they were not Segway friendly:

No Segways allowed at the Whitewater Preserve. 

Smiles healing her feet in Whitewater River. 

 

Day 21: Strawberry Junction - Desert Water Agency fountain (mi 183-206)

 

Today was a difficult day, mostly because of the issues that can arise at altitude. I was having trouble sleeping all night, and woke up around 530 to a light sprinkling of snow upon the tent. All the condensation had already frozen to the inside, despite my best efforts to keep it ventilated throughout the night. The humidity outside was near 100% and everything was frozen solid. 

By the time that we roused ourselves at 7:30, the snow had begun to accumulate. Nothing too serious, maybe a quarter to half an inch at that point. We broke camp, cursing the entire time at the cold while trying to convince our numb and useless fingers to do things that they normally do with ease. I mashed thr tent into a loose ball with my numb stumps and then we were off. After a mile or so, we will warm enough to ditcher down jackets, and walk through the muted snow environment of the upper reaches of Mt. San Jacinto. It was a scene that seems more fitting for late fall or an early spring, but anything can happen at this altitude. We continued on to the forest with relative ease, only having to backtrack couple times to ensure that we were on the proper trail. After refilling our water bottles from the San Jacinto River, we began down the Fuller Ridge Trail in earnest. We exited the shelter of the red and silver furs and started crossing a nice edge ridge with much more exposed granite then soft tall trees. 

Hoarfrost coated the trees along Fuller's Ridge. 

'Smiles' tackling the Fuller Ridge descent in the snow. 

 

There were trees on the ridge, but instead of standing majestically with limbs outstretched every direction of the compass, these ones were yielding back in direction telltale of hundreds of years of persistent beating by strong winds. Those very winds were gusting to around 40 or 50 miles an hour, and bringing with it stinging little particles of ice and snow. The trail was easy enough to follow, but our progress was slow as we did not want to slip and create a medical problem that would be very difficult to solve in such conditions. Eventually we dropped onto the lee of the ridge, and made good progress down below 7600 feet, which appeared to be the snowline. 

Looking north at the next section of trail across the desert from snow line. 

Hazardous indeed, if unprepared. 

 
 

We thought the most difficult part of the day was over; In a way it was, in a different way, it had not even begun. Halfmile's PCT maps state that l from the bottom of the Fuller's Ridge trailhead to the water fountain as the crow flies is 4.6 miles, but 15 miles by trail to descend 6040 feet. The view was fantastic, however the trail tested our mental capacities. 

Our first glimpse at the summit as the clouds receded. 

Smiles and I on the endless descent from Mt. San Jacinto. 

 
 

Somebody could drive a wheelchair up that gradient. To make matters worse, the sinuosity was maddening. You would contour around about half a mile and only to double back and see the trail you were on about a mile ago less than 60 feet above you. This continued over and over again, across drainages and around mountains, for seemingly endless hours while enduring the buffeting winds of the desert mountains. Now, I know that the people who designs this trail could build steeper trails. I have no understanding of why somebody would be so sadistic as to build the trail like this, not even to save the knees. I can't even imagine enjoying such a gradient going uphill, because you seriously just don't go anywhere. You zigzagged back-and-forth pointlessly staring out the mountain wondering why the fuck you arent going anywhere. However, by staying faithful to the trail we were able to pass the 200 mile marker. 

200 down, 2,450 to go!

 

 
 

We finally got to the bottom, both Erin and I at the end of our wits and in considerable amounts of pain after the physical trials of the day (not to mention the mental torment). After a delicious Mac-n-cheese dinner (enhanced with pork, mushrooms, and furikake seasoning), we were out like a light. 

Coolest critters: not much in the way of animal life today, and no new sightings. I was pleased to hear the omnipresent "cheeseburger" calls of the mountain chickadee and the quasi-drunken yanking of the red-breasted nuthatch as we descended San Jacinto, as I took their activity as a sign that we were out of the storm. 

 

Day 20: idyllwild to Strawberry Junction (mi 179-183, plus devils slide trail)

 

 We did not get a very early start on the day, after lounging around on two zeros. We eventually got to double slide trailhead at 1:15 in the afternoon after lazily checking out and getting some coffee amongst other chores. We started climbing in a misty haze, after getting a ride from Dave the Trail Angel. The fire on the other side of mountain was extinguished by the weather system that had moved in, alongside the labors of firefighters from Cal Fire and Riverside County. We did not have to go up many of the 2.5 miles and 2000 critical feet of the Devil's slide trail for it to start raining on us. The umbrellas that I was on the fence about purchasing not 48 hours before immediately showed their value. We got back to the PCT at saddle junction, both of us feeling the soreness in our joints and feet exacerbated by the dual effects of full packs and freezing temperatures, and started northward again. It didn't take long for the snow on the ground to start melting through our shoes and drenching our feet with icewater. As we climbed past 8500 feet, hoarfrost that had melted from the trees was falling to the ground alongside the trail. Progress was slow due to the shabby conditions, and the weather showed no sign of improvement as we pressed on. We made a calculated decision to camp at the lowest elevation possible, to avoid getting caught above snow level if the storm were to continue through the night. We made camp at strawberry junction around 8100 feet, settled in for the night in our sleeping bags, and tucked into some more mashed potatoes. A fellow named gummy bear rolled through our camp around 9 PM and asked for a light. He sat down, had a smoke, and discussed how the weather had improved throughout the evening and our various strategies for getting down the mountain on the coming day. He departed, the weather cooled down, and I watched an Arrested Development episode or two from inside my sleeping bag, while Erin journaled and listened to the audio track we both know inside & out. 

Days 17-19: Idyllwid Nero & zeroes

We cruised into Idyllwild from Tahquitz Meadow via the Devil's Slide trail from Saddle Junction, which shed 1,500 hard-earned vertical feetu in 2.5 miles. Erin secured a spot in the back of Herk's truck (a local trail angel who shuttles hikers to and from the park another 2.5 miles from town), and we were off like a rocket down the hill. 

We were kindly deposited in the town center, and we walked to the Idyllwild Inn to pick up our resupply box (=food) and our bounce box (=maps, toiletries, town clothes, etc.) before checking in at the Apple Blossom Inn. I perused the hiker box at the Idyllwild Inn and scrounged up more cooking alcohol and some noodle soup. Erin was slightly better off - she got a pair of shoes and an unopened can of PBR. Hiker boxes are a pretty interesting phenomenon. Generally, they are found at establishments frequented by hikers (hotels, gear stores, grocery stores), are filled with food and gear from hikers, and are rummaged through by hikers looking to bolster their stocks. Items in the boxes range from bear mace, pot scrapers, old maps and guidebooks to lentils, rice cakes, Epsom salt, laundry detergent, and apparently unopened beers.

We checked in at the Apple Blossom, which turned out to be the best deal in town. Our great hiker rate included free wi-fi, free laundry and great service in our little suite. Erin hopped in the shower to  wash off her dirt tan from the hike: 

I set about breaking down the resupply box, topping off from the bounce box, and packing up a box of stuff to send back to my parents. We were under a bit of a schedule, as laundry needed to be done and everything in mailed by 5 PM. We made the post office in plenty of time and ran into Tracy and Ingrid at the post office. They were coming off a couple zeroes in town after hitching in from Paradise Valley Café due to some ankle issues. They recommended the pizza place next door, which offered a 10% hiker discount. A gang of other hikers was inside devouring several pizzas and pitchers of beer. After listening to the "quick, three beers!" call of the olive-sided flycatcher all day yesterday, we decided to follow suit. 

The Greek salad was delicious, and necessary, and followed by a meaty calzone which Erin and I split in anticipation of a second dinner later that night. We visited with the flying Hons over dinner, then retired to our hotel to watch the giants vs. dodgers on the color TV. 

The following day, we woke up and watched a little bit of Law and Order on TV. Having finished our chores the day before, our zero was open to do as little as we pleased. Erin's amigas Jess and Fran came up to Idyllwild from their homes in Southern California to visit. They were intrigued by the notion of Trail Angels and spent the rest of their visit becoming our personal Angels, treating us to drinks and dinner (despite our efforts to pay). 

Our second zero came as somewhat of a surprise, as I hopped out of the bed and packed my bag for the trail. Erin went through the motions of starting to pack, but opened up and said that she wasn't yet ready to go back to the trail. She said that another zero would help her still-ailing feet along with her mindset. Regardless of the fact that it was our 8th anniversary, I conceded to the second zero. We did a very minimal amount, which was limited to waiting for the nearby fire to be contained, watching "Contact" (terrible movie. I can't believe I watched the whole thing to find out the alien is her dad), and waddling about a mile for Italian food. The fire was contained, a cold weather front moved in, and we were about as rested as we could get for our next bite at the trail. 

 

Day 16: campsite at mile 160-tahquiz meadow (mi 160-178)

Bird species observed: mountain chickadee, olive-sided flycatcher, pacific slope flycatcher, black-chinned sparrow, western bluebird, cliff swallow, northern flicker, dark-eyed junco, CA towhee, spotted towhee, black-headed grosbeak, Townsend's warbler, Stellar's jay, Anna's hummingbird, Unidentified woodpecker. 

A long day by all accounts. We slept in as we did not have to worry about the hot sun. It was a windy night, With a wind advisory warning of gusts to 75 mph on the ridge where we slept, but we slept well due to the placement of the tent and the use of hiking poles as additional supports. We started out in chaparral, and quickly climbed to the ridge route we would take to climb mt. San Jacinto. 

Erin and I with Mt. San Jacinto in the background. 

Landscape from the hogs back looking south. 

A western bluebird was observed roosting on the ground to avoid the high winds in the treetops above. 

Erin climbing the trail into Mt. San Jacinto Wilderness south of Apache Peak. 

 

 
 

 

We crossed through many ecotones, climbing and descending through Oak woodland and fir-dominated stands. After climbing around the summit of Apache Peak at approximately 7200 feet, the habitat type took a decidedly montane shift, as exposure angles became more extreme, ridges craggier, and the trail steeper.

Erin and I with the southern sawtooth ridge of Mt. San Jacinto in the background. 

A view of the latticed stone used to build the trail into the cliff face. 

 
 

 It is truly remarkable how much better Erin's attitude is upon leaving the desert. She really hates the desert. 

Erin and I at the top of the climb towards Saddle Junction. 

 

We climbed up to 8400 feet without having to refill water, passed through the first snows of the trail, then dropped down into tahquiz creek to refill.

First snow!

 

 We made camp just outside the meadow in that same drainage. A great horned owl welcomed us to his forest upon our dusk arrival after hiking 11 hours, 18 miles and approximately 6,000 vertical feet. A quick hearty dinner of spuds, pork and nido filled us up as we mused upon the possibility of bears. Doubtful, but unsure, we tucked everything into OPsaks and turned in for our first alpine night.

Coolest critters of the day: I always enjoy seeing Horenw lizards, but I would have to say that the coolest raiders overall are the birds. I was thrilled to be going through so many different habitat types, and seeing the good diversity of birds that occupied them. Even though the birding was poor in the morning on account of the high winds, I was still surprised to casually gather as many species as I did by the end of the day.

Day 15: water cache ridge - cs160 via paradise valley cafe (mi 144-160)

 

I made some poor decisions today, and things were rough. I gorged myself at Paradise Valley Café, where I earned my trailname 'slosh,' (based on the sloshing of my stomach as I  waddles back to the trail) after  consuming a steak, 3 eggs, hash browns, biscuits & gravy, 5 slices of bacon, and a half-pound bacon cheeseburger with guacamole and jalapeños in one sitting. Erin was dubbed 'smiles' by Shotput because she is always smiling, and even when she isn't, her eyes are smiling. 

Digging in to my second meal at the Paradise Valley Café

 

I determined my new backpack was causing some impingement of the femoral cutaneous nerve as a product of fitting properly (Erin theorizes its because I have no fat). The symptoms of this nerve impingement are numbness, tingling and burning along the outsides of the thighs, which I definitely had. Furthermore, I had a very miserable walk up the mountain after my combined breakfast and lunch, and required a nap only 2.5 miles in to the climb. On the plus side, Erin and I did get trail names, I got a lot of calories, I found a cozy on the side of the road, and we left the desert. 

Walking through the sesert on the way to Paradise Valley Café.

Various thru-hikers outside Paradise Valley Café.

 

Coolest critter of the day: The out of range black headed grosbeak that I saw this morning was definitely very cool. I had no idea that it would be found in the middle of the desert, which is a completely different habitat than it's normal distribution.