Hello...fairyblogmother posting here...
Got a call from Kitt saying that he and Erin will be spending 2 nights in Big Bear City at the Big Bear Hostel. He said he'd found an 18" burrito that "enclosed half a brisket" at one of the eateries in town.
The tale of how Kitt came to be named Horizon stemmed from an initial suggestion that "Bottomlessnous" (with regard to his prodigious appetite for food, adventure and knowledge) might be a possible starting point. Discussion evolved/devolved to Bottomless Pit...Hollow Leg...Black Hole...Event Horizon....HORIZON.
I am hoping that they will be able to post an update from town this time. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
April 24--A Climb Over San Jacinto with Coach
Last spring a large wildfire burned across a 15.4 mile section of the PCT from milepost 162.6 to 178, and the area remains closed to hikers this season. Most hikers are hitching rides around the closure from Paradise Valley Cafe to the mountain community of Idyllwild. From Idyllwild, hikers regain the PCT by hiking a side trail of 2.7 miles/1800' elevation gain to the ridge of Mt. San Jacinto at mile post 178, elevation 8500'. For the next 13 miles, the PCT winds along San Jacinto, crosses over to Fuller Ridge and then loses nearly all of the elevation in a 6 mile descent to a crossing of Interstate 10 west of Palm Springs.
From Chuck's blog:
I really enjoyed hiking with Backup and Horizon. They are both very kind, resourceful and sharp kids. Horizon and I share a Scouting background(both Eagle scouts), both in Explorer Search and Rescue--and Horizon even considered applying for a staff position at Camp Sheppard during our efforts to revive its High Adventure program a few years ago. He is a solid, steady soul. Backup tried the PCT in 2012 but had to quit after about 400 miles due to injuries. This year she is applying all she learned on that first attempt to guarantee her success. She is starting at a slower pace, paying close attention to pains and potential repetitive use injuries, and taking zero days to allow muscle and sinew to heal and toughen. She is fun to talk with, has a great sense of humor, is kind and considerate...and is very smart. I will miss hiking with them as they pull ahead of us in the coming days.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
April 22-23: A Zero in Idyllwild--Mile 151.4
Kitt and Erin arrived in Idyllwild a little ahead of schedule and spent a full zero day in town. Just because there was no trail hiking mileage didn't mean they were taking it easy--laundry, store resupply, a trip to the library in search of computer access...Kitt uploaded 13 photos to Facebook, including a rather shaky panorama shot of the thunderstorm that chased them from Eagle Rock into the town of Warner Springs last Saturday.
Thru-hikers say that the Paradise Valley Cafe in Idyllwild has the best hamburgers on the PCT.
They are healthy and happy and going strong through some incredible country.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Julian, CA Trail mile 77.0
Back-up and I arrived at Julian around 1pm. We hitched the 12 miles in from Scissors Crossing, named for the shape the crossing highways make. This is a well known place on the PCT, there is a water cache under the bridge, and after crossing the road the trail climbs high into the next mountainous section.
The night before we stayed at a "camp" that consisted of a turn-around on a truck road, next to a fire water reservoir. We had to filter our water, but the source was clear, and we had lots of company in camp. We hiked out at sunrise, and climbed over some hills beolow a huge mountain called, Granit Peak. After traversing this hillside our path cut across an open falley towards Scissors Corssing. This open stretch was HOT! IT was also the first point on the trail that we had spotted Joshua Trees, and a signifigant jump in the ammount of cactus along the trail. Luckully we had lots of shade to sit in when it got really sunny, and since we left camp early we made it to the water cache before it was to hot in the afternoon.
Next, we hitched the 12 miles into Julian. A gold rush era town that was quaint as can be. We were picked up by two ladies that were excited to ask us about our hike. One of them had hiked the PCT last year, and planned to start the AT later this summer. Dealing with the motion sickness that comes with going around steep turns was hard, but we made it to town no worse off then we started. That night we had showers and amazing dinners, Julian has some great restraunts. And we managed to get our box and food for the next few days in no time at all.
May other hikers were also in Julian with us. Three of our friends had stopped into town but had made their way back to Scissors crossing, they planned to get up early and hike up the ridge before it got to hot. We were sad to see them go, but we know we will see them in Warrner Springs on Saturday. We shared some laughs with hikers we have met, and others that werre new to us. It is truely amazing how people connect on the trail, we all share in the stress of hiking, and the joy that comes from each respite from walking.
It can be painful to shoulder a full pack after a resupply, but knowing that you are ready to cover more ground is so satisfing. (Carrying a full package of Oreos helps too! 100 calories per cookie!) We now prepare to hitch back to the trail, and them camp there tonight. Tomorrow we will hike up the ridge in the morning, then its three days to our next town. But as we climb the ridge the weather will cool, and we will get even further towards our goal, and day by day our packs will grow lighter once again.
The night before we stayed at a "camp" that consisted of a turn-around on a truck road, next to a fire water reservoir. We had to filter our water, but the source was clear, and we had lots of company in camp. We hiked out at sunrise, and climbed over some hills beolow a huge mountain called, Granit Peak. After traversing this hillside our path cut across an open falley towards Scissors Corssing. This open stretch was HOT! IT was also the first point on the trail that we had spotted Joshua Trees, and a signifigant jump in the ammount of cactus along the trail. Luckully we had lots of shade to sit in when it got really sunny, and since we left camp early we made it to the water cache before it was to hot in the afternoon.
Next, we hitched the 12 miles into Julian. A gold rush era town that was quaint as can be. We were picked up by two ladies that were excited to ask us about our hike. One of them had hiked the PCT last year, and planned to start the AT later this summer. Dealing with the motion sickness that comes with going around steep turns was hard, but we made it to town no worse off then we started. That night we had showers and amazing dinners, Julian has some great restraunts. And we managed to get our box and food for the next few days in no time at all.
May other hikers were also in Julian with us. Three of our friends had stopped into town but had made their way back to Scissors crossing, they planned to get up early and hike up the ridge before it got to hot. We were sad to see them go, but we know we will see them in Warrner Springs on Saturday. We shared some laughs with hikers we have met, and others that werre new to us. It is truely amazing how people connect on the trail, we all share in the stress of hiking, and the joy that comes from each respite from walking.
It can be painful to shoulder a full pack after a resupply, but knowing that you are ready to cover more ground is so satisfing. (Carrying a full package of Oreos helps too! 100 calories per cookie!) We now prepare to hitch back to the trail, and them camp there tonight. Tomorrow we will hike up the ridge in the morning, then its three days to our next town. But as we climb the ridge the weather will cool, and we will get even further towards our goal, and day by day our packs will grow lighter once again.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Made it to Mt Laguna! 42.+ miles
So far, so good.
Kitt made a quick phone call home from Mt. Laguna today. He and Erin are both feeling great--no foot problems, and are enjoying a leisurely pace though the desert.
They hiked about 11 miles on their first day, pitching their tent off-trail on a flat spot near a jeep-road. A restful night..... after a midnight bed-check visit by the Border Patrol, who'd spotted their camp using FLIR(forward-looking-infra-red) while searching for illegals.
Their descent into and climb out of Hauser Canyon gave them no problems--they started early at 0500 and were done with the south-facing ascent before it got really hot.
Yesterday they had the trail pretty much to themselves, but he reports that they've caught up to a group of about ten thru-hikers who are staying at the campground in town. He said he wasn't sure if he was going to have a burger or BBQ at their town dinner tonight--maybe both?
So far, so good.
Kitt made a quick phone call home from Mt. Laguna today. He and Erin are both feeling great--no foot problems, and are enjoying a leisurely pace though the desert.
They hiked about 11 miles on their first day, pitching their tent off-trail on a flat spot near a jeep-road. A restful night..... after a midnight bed-check visit by the Border Patrol, who'd spotted their camp using FLIR(forward-looking-infra-red) while searching for illegals.
Their descent into and climb out of Hauser Canyon gave them no problems--they started early at 0500 and were done with the south-facing ascent before it got really hot.
Yesterday they had the trail pretty much to themselves, but he reports that they've caught up to a group of about ten thru-hikers who are staying at the campground in town. He said he wasn't sure if he was going to have a burger or BBQ at their town dinner tonight--maybe both?
Monday, April 7, 2014
One day left
We fly down to San Diego tomorrow. Enthusiasm is running wild, along with a healthy dose of anxiety (have we packed all the things?!?), and it feels surreal that this moment is finally almost here.
Per usual, I planned to do far more prep than I could actually manage, and things like writing well thought out blog posts reflecting on what I'm doing differently this time fell by the wayside. We're down to the last few hours of prep time, and sleeping will take priority, although I doubt I'll be able to relax enough to do that (eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!).
Over the last two weeks, Kitt and I finished up work, school (for me), packing boxes for nine resupply points, sorting extra gear, and finalizing the gear we will be taking with us. It's been a whirlwind of activity, interspersed with spending as much time as possible with friends, eating as much as we can, and (for me) watching reruns of Say Yes to the Dress. We managed to fit in a going away barbecue somewhere in there, which was fantastic. Thank you to all the friends and family who saw us off in true PNW style (hanging out in the rainy backyard wearing raincoats and huddling under a tarp). To those we saw, and to those we missed, thanks for the well wishes, and we can't wait to see you when we're back!
Hopefully you'll hear from us soon. After we fly into San Diego tomorrow, we'll spend the afternoon hanging out, buying fuel for our stove, and finishing any last minute errands. The next morning, we are getting a ride to the trailhead to start hiking at first light on Wednesday, and we should be in Mount Laguna (first town on the trail) on Saturday. The weather is supposed to be pretty toasty our first day out (87!), but then it's forecast to cool to the low 70's by the weekend. Thank goodness. And now, back to finishing the last few packing chores.
Happy trails!
Per usual, I planned to do far more prep than I could actually manage, and things like writing well thought out blog posts reflecting on what I'm doing differently this time fell by the wayside. We're down to the last few hours of prep time, and sleeping will take priority, although I doubt I'll be able to relax enough to do that (eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!).
Over the last two weeks, Kitt and I finished up work, school (for me), packing boxes for nine resupply points, sorting extra gear, and finalizing the gear we will be taking with us. It's been a whirlwind of activity, interspersed with spending as much time as possible with friends, eating as much as we can, and (for me) watching reruns of Say Yes to the Dress. We managed to fit in a going away barbecue somewhere in there, which was fantastic. Thank you to all the friends and family who saw us off in true PNW style (hanging out in the rainy backyard wearing raincoats and huddling under a tarp). To those we saw, and to those we missed, thanks for the well wishes, and we can't wait to see you when we're back!
Hopefully you'll hear from us soon. After we fly into San Diego tomorrow, we'll spend the afternoon hanging out, buying fuel for our stove, and finishing any last minute errands. The next morning, we are getting a ride to the trailhead to start hiking at first light on Wednesday, and we should be in Mount Laguna (first town on the trail) on Saturday. The weather is supposed to be pretty toasty our first day out (87!), but then it's forecast to cool to the low 70's by the weekend. Thank goodness. And now, back to finishing the last few packing chores.
Happy trails!
 |
| Brunch is an important part of training. |
 |
| As is lazing about in the early spring sunshine. |
Thursday, April 3, 2014
5 days till BLAST OFF!
I am really excited about our hike, have I mentioned that?
Erin and I are still planning our hearts out, the boxes we have filled with food are almost ready for labels. Our shopping list is generally filling up with things we plan to eat before we leave; rather then food we plan to eat in California. We are itching to be on the trail.
We plan to soon have a list of locations on the blog that will help anyone who is interested in sending us care packages. And once we get in to Washington we will be eager to see who might surprise us at trail junctions with trail magic. Erin and I weighed our backpacks yesterday and got a rudimentary base-weight, minus a few small things we have already sent south.
Backup ~ 13.5 lbs.
Kittredge ~ 15 lbs.
We saved a lot of weight thanks to our tent. Tarptent Double Rainbow 2. It weighs about 40 oz. Link : http://www.tarptent.com/double-rainbow.html
Going on a thru hike is a great opportunity to better understand how every fraction of an ounce adds up to the overall mass you carry on your back. Sadly, I realized that my point and shoot camera weighs over 4 oz. more then Erin's.... But that is the price you pay for waterproof/dust-proof/Kittredge proof electronics. Also, my Search and Rescue approved compass, with attached mirror is pretty heavy. Between the extra weight of my camera and compass I am hauling about a half a pound.
Hikers decide in the packing and planning stage how intensely they want to trim the weight of their gear. I could easily ditch the compass, but I find it is essential. Even if I never find myself in a position to use it, I will continue to carry the compass, it is likely the one item I have taken backpacking that I have rarely used. But it is essential. Many hikers carry smartphones, these tools can accomplish the same purpose as a compass, cellphone, camera, etc. And would in my situation, lighten up my pack.
I am eager to see what changes as we hike north. I'll provide a list when I can updating the gear I keep, and what is sent home.
Erin and I are still planning our hearts out, the boxes we have filled with food are almost ready for labels. Our shopping list is generally filling up with things we plan to eat before we leave; rather then food we plan to eat in California. We are itching to be on the trail.
We plan to soon have a list of locations on the blog that will help anyone who is interested in sending us care packages. And once we get in to Washington we will be eager to see who might surprise us at trail junctions with trail magic. Erin and I weighed our backpacks yesterday and got a rudimentary base-weight, minus a few small things we have already sent south.
Backup ~ 13.5 lbs.
- Shared gear carried: Stove, cooking pot, tent stakes, SPOT, cellphone, and tent poles.
Kittredge ~ 15 lbs.
- Shared gear carried: Tent, ground cloth.
We saved a lot of weight thanks to our tent. Tarptent Double Rainbow 2. It weighs about 40 oz. Link : http://www.tarptent.com/double-rainbow.html
Going on a thru hike is a great opportunity to better understand how every fraction of an ounce adds up to the overall mass you carry on your back. Sadly, I realized that my point and shoot camera weighs over 4 oz. more then Erin's.... But that is the price you pay for waterproof/dust-proof/Kittredge proof electronics. Also, my Search and Rescue approved compass, with attached mirror is pretty heavy. Between the extra weight of my camera and compass I am hauling about a half a pound.
Hikers decide in the packing and planning stage how intensely they want to trim the weight of their gear. I could easily ditch the compass, but I find it is essential. Even if I never find myself in a position to use it, I will continue to carry the compass, it is likely the one item I have taken backpacking that I have rarely used. But it is essential. Many hikers carry smartphones, these tools can accomplish the same purpose as a compass, cellphone, camera, etc. And would in my situation, lighten up my pack.
I am eager to see what changes as we hike north. I'll provide a list when I can updating the gear I keep, and what is sent home.
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