It looks like they are maybe two days south of Kennedy Meadows. Range of Light--here they come!
Windmills north of Tehachapi
Airing out the feet....
These pictures were taken by Crusher from Colorado. Check out his photo-rich blog here.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
May 27--Walker Pass CG, Mile 651
Cell towers are few and far between in these parts, but received a SPOT "All is Well" message tonight from what looks to be a Forest Service campground at Walker Pass where the Crest Trail crosses Highway 178.
It looks like they are maybe two days south of Kennedy Meadows. Range of Light--here they come!
It looks like they are maybe two days south of Kennedy Meadows. Range of Light--here they come!
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Mile 558 Tehachapi, CA
Update: We are now at mile 558. Taking a break at a Best Western in Tehachapi, CA. We are heading into a section with trace water resources and will be covering stretches of over 30 miles between water. Crossing the Mojave desert we were cold, the wind was blowing and the temp was round 65 degrees. Much better then we expected. We camped on a ridge that experience strong winds from three directions. It was a loud night, the wind tossed sand into our tent, it was like we were sleeping in a sand box. Hiking through the find farms was strange. It was a presence unfamiliar to us, and we experienced discomfort from the constant motion of the turbines. There were windmills everywhere, and for almost 12 miles we hiked through a wind farm. There is another 8 mile stretch of windmills ahead of us before we return to the mountains. They are still installing some of the 5,000 turbines that are planned for power generation in the Tehachapi area. :(
Getting into town was a breeze thanks to an amazing trail angle named Kay. She picked us up, took us to the post office, Big 5, and Albertsons. She is planning to hike the PCT in 2015 and charges hikers questions for rides around town. I know she can finish the trail. She is dedicated, and has the spirit to have a happy hike. She is giving hikers rides throught the day and never tires of hearing about what gear they carry. I agree with a point she made when talking to us, "You can't see the look on someones face when reading a hikers blog. You don't see the way their eyes light up when they describe their tent or sleeping bag. That is what I like to see." i am paraphrasing, but you get the idea, hikers love to talk about what they are proud of, and she gets to learn first hand what works for hikers.
We are only 150 miles from the end of the desert. It is astonishing how close we are to the Sierra Mountains. The snow level in the mountains is still strong above 10,000 ft. Seasonal streams are not flowing yet, and the recommended start is June 9th. Many hikers are ahead of us, but we are planning to wait for the best time to cross the mountain passes.
Thank you so much to Grit and Buster, Natalie Franz and Collin Stackhouse) who sent us amazing treats and trail snacks. The flood of Peanut butter cups that Buster sent have left me feeling like a glutton, but I shared them with many other hikers, spreading around the satisfaction of a stomach full of chocolate.
Getting into town was a breeze thanks to an amazing trail angle named Kay. She picked us up, took us to the post office, Big 5, and Albertsons. She is planning to hike the PCT in 2015 and charges hikers questions for rides around town. I know she can finish the trail. She is dedicated, and has the spirit to have a happy hike. She is giving hikers rides throught the day and never tires of hearing about what gear they carry. I agree with a point she made when talking to us, "You can't see the look on someones face when reading a hikers blog. You don't see the way their eyes light up when they describe their tent or sleeping bag. That is what I like to see." i am paraphrasing, but you get the idea, hikers love to talk about what they are proud of, and she gets to learn first hand what works for hikers.
We are only 150 miles from the end of the desert. It is astonishing how close we are to the Sierra Mountains. The snow level in the mountains is still strong above 10,000 ft. Seasonal streams are not flowing yet, and the recommended start is June 9th. Many hikers are ahead of us, but we are planning to wait for the best time to cross the mountain passes.
Thank you so much to Grit and Buster, Natalie Franz and Collin Stackhouse) who sent us amazing treats and trail snacks. The flood of Peanut butter cups that Buster sent have left me feeling like a glutton, but I shared them with many other hikers, spreading around the satisfaction of a stomach full of chocolate.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Wrightwood to Agua Dulce: Snail Mail Notes from Horizon
May 9--Hiked a short 7 miles from Wrightwood to the Mt. Baden-Powell trailhead and camped in a picnic area. Glad to be back on the PCT again.
May 10--Mt. Baden-Powell to a trail camp at Mile 380ish... the climb went well.[Other thru-hikers have commented as to gusty winds on the summit.]The monument at the top was nice. Rest of the day was a long upsy-downsy-upsy-downsy trek.
May 11--Mile 380 to Sulphur Springs Camp at Mile 392...twisted my ankle today. Rested for a bit and found that I could still walk. I was scared at first--this could have really ruined our hike.
May 12--Sulphur Springs Camp to somewhere along the Poodle Dog Bypass. Covered 19 miles--terrible overgrowth but some beautiful views.
May 13--Road Camp to KOA--a 19 mile descent to shade, hot dogs and SHOWERS.
May 14--KOA to Saufley's Hiker Haven: 10 miles, a 28"diameter pizza, 2 zero days and lots of company.
May 10--Mt. Baden-Powell to a trail camp at Mile 380ish... the climb went well.[Other thru-hikers have commented as to gusty winds on the summit.]The monument at the top was nice. Rest of the day was a long upsy-downsy-upsy-downsy trek.
May 11--Mile 380 to Sulphur Springs Camp at Mile 392...twisted my ankle today. Rested for a bit and found that I could still walk. I was scared at first--this could have really ruined our hike.
May 12--Sulphur Springs Camp to somewhere along the Poodle Dog Bypass. Covered 19 miles--terrible overgrowth but some beautiful views.
May 13--Road Camp to KOA--a 19 mile descent to shade, hot dogs and SHOWERS.
May 14--KOA to Saufley's Hiker Haven: 10 miles, a 28"diameter pizza, 2 zero days and lots of company.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
May 17--Photos from the first 400 miles.
Still smiling!
Near Cajon Pass
Mt. Baden-Powell summit
PCT Chix Pic
Poodle Dog bush everywhere
Sunset on the Angeles Crest
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Agua Dulce- Mile 454
Hello faithful readers! The internet here is pretty slow, so we haven't been able to upload any pictures. When we do get good internet though, expect a photo summary of the last few hundred miles.
As for now, we are in Agua Dulce, getting ready to leave tomorrow evening. The high temp for tomorrow is supposed to be 94, so we will linger here during the day and starting hiking once it has cooled down a bit. Our plan for the next section is to hike in the morning and evenings, rather than through the whole day.
The last section from Wrightwood (mile 370) to Agua Dulce (mile 454) was beautiful and challenging. We started off with a climb up Mount Baden Powell (~9300 feet in elevation), and then spent the next two days climbing up and down ridges along the Angeles Crest. This was some of the most beautiful scenery we have seen yet on the trail.
After the mountains, we descended back into the lower and toastier elevations. There was a nice "breeze" the whole time though (meaning winds of 20-50 mph) so the heat wasn't too bad. Besides the wind, the biggest challenge in this section was the infamous "poodle dog bush," a plant that can cause severe skin irritation. This plant was growing right along the trail for about twenty miles, but we walked carefully and seem to have escaped unscathed.
The end of the section led us into Agua Dulce, where we have stayed with the Saufleys, some of the trail angels along the PCT. They host hikers at their house, and we have been enjoying shade, watermelon, showers, laundry and endless generosity. Truly wonderful!
We are headed out tomorrow evening, and are looking forward to the next section. It's supposed to be hot and dry, but we are excited for the challenge. Only two hundred and fifty miles to go until the Sierras!
As for now, we are in Agua Dulce, getting ready to leave tomorrow evening. The high temp for tomorrow is supposed to be 94, so we will linger here during the day and starting hiking once it has cooled down a bit. Our plan for the next section is to hike in the morning and evenings, rather than through the whole day.
The last section from Wrightwood (mile 370) to Agua Dulce (mile 454) was beautiful and challenging. We started off with a climb up Mount Baden Powell (~9300 feet in elevation), and then spent the next two days climbing up and down ridges along the Angeles Crest. This was some of the most beautiful scenery we have seen yet on the trail.
After the mountains, we descended back into the lower and toastier elevations. There was a nice "breeze" the whole time though (meaning winds of 20-50 mph) so the heat wasn't too bad. Besides the wind, the biggest challenge in this section was the infamous "poodle dog bush," a plant that can cause severe skin irritation. This plant was growing right along the trail for about twenty miles, but we walked carefully and seem to have escaped unscathed.
The end of the section led us into Agua Dulce, where we have stayed with the Saufleys, some of the trail angels along the PCT. They host hikers at their house, and we have been enjoying shade, watermelon, showers, laundry and endless generosity. Truly wonderful!
We are headed out tomorrow evening, and are looking forward to the next section. It's supposed to be hot and dry, but we are excited for the challenge. Only two hundred and fifty miles to go until the Sierras!
Monday, May 12, 2014
May 11--News from the PCT by snail mail...
Mom, enclosed herein (in brief) is a write-up you can add to our blog....
May 2--Mile 266-280 We departed Big Bear Hostel at 0830, cramming 7 hikers into a car bound for the trailhead at CA SR18. We were able to hike a little faster than usual and covered our first 9 miles in 4 hours. We met LOTS of other thru-hikers. Most of them were planning to camp at mile 285. We camped together with Mark(Boomerang) and Rebecca (Lizard) at mile 280.
May 3--Mile 280-301 The trail had a steady grade which made the miles go easily. This was to be our first 20 mile day and the gentle terrain was a huge plus. At Deep Creek (mile 298) we came across millions of day hikers from Los Angeles . Deep Creek is a notorious spot on the PCT: a clothing-optional hot spring. We kept going and camped several miles past the craziness.
May 4--Mile 301-317 We walked with Double Tap today, and spent a good deal of time reflecting on the odd assortment of naturistic flower children we'd seen at Deep Creek the day before. We took a long break at a stream crossing to cool off and wait out the heat of midday. The area sported quite a few dirt-bikes, quads and trucks, driving incessantly around the edges of a seasonal lake. Almost like being at the circus!
May 5-- Mile 317-336 We met up with our good friend Penguin late last night. She had stayed with us back in Big Bear Lake. Her infected blisters had healed enough for her to get back on trail again and she is hiking strong! With Penguin setting the pace, we covered 10 miles by lunch, hiking past Silverwood Lake reservoir. we took another break at the Cleghorn Picnic Area and decided to camp a little short of Cajon Pass at a nice campsite. The afternoon was a cool one, with wind and rain later that night.
May 6--Mile 336-347 Today's mission was to hike to the highway and the Mcdonalds in time for breakfast. The trail descended to Cajon Pass through scrub and amazing dirt-washed cliff faces; switch-backing along the very edge. We were often looking over ledges with brushy 100-150' drops down to the bottom of the canyon. We spent 5 hours at the Cajon junction, consuming 2 coffees, 2 hash browns, 1 1/2 Subway foot-long sandwiches, 20 chicken McNuggets, and a 700 calorie McShake. While feasting, we charged the mp3 player, visited a gas station mini-mart twice for trail food, cast longing looks at a sunny hotel swimming pool, and made a couple of phone calls home. We bought more Subway sandwiches and then saddled up to hike 6 more miles, hoping to put in some distance from the railroad tracks and to take a bite out of tomorrow's climb back into the mountains.
May 7--Mile 347-364.5 a LOOONNNGGG climb today, starting at 3573' and ending at 8279'....and, NO water sources, so we carried it all. We had a strange surprise today: clouds and cool weather. We hiked up in the cold all day--some of the miles with GrapeNut ( because he puts GrapeNuts on everything). We camped in Guffy CG in wind and rain. Had a special visit from the Los Angeles National Forest police and K9 partners, looking for an armed suspect. We did our best to hunker down in the tent and not think about it too much. We were only 5.5 miles from SR 2 and a short hitch to Wrightwood in the morning.
May 8--364.5-369 Wrightwood! and Chicken-Fried Steak for breakfast! We are taking a nero, shopping for food and opening our resupply box and our care packages. Lizard and Boomerang are here, too--nursing a sore knee. Rotisserie chicken and a bottle of wine for dinner. We are planning a short day tomorrow to put us closer to an ascent of Mt. Baden-Powell, 9399'.
May 2--Mile 266-280 We departed Big Bear Hostel at 0830, cramming 7 hikers into a car bound for the trailhead at CA SR18. We were able to hike a little faster than usual and covered our first 9 miles in 4 hours. We met LOTS of other thru-hikers. Most of them were planning to camp at mile 285. We camped together with Mark(Boomerang) and Rebecca (Lizard) at mile 280.
May 3--Mile 280-301 The trail had a steady grade which made the miles go easily. This was to be our first 20 mile day and the gentle terrain was a huge plus. At Deep Creek (mile 298) we came across millions of day hikers from Los Angeles . Deep Creek is a notorious spot on the PCT: a clothing-optional hot spring. We kept going and camped several miles past the craziness.
May 4--Mile 301-317 We walked with Double Tap today, and spent a good deal of time reflecting on the odd assortment of naturistic flower children we'd seen at Deep Creek the day before. We took a long break at a stream crossing to cool off and wait out the heat of midday. The area sported quite a few dirt-bikes, quads and trucks, driving incessantly around the edges of a seasonal lake. Almost like being at the circus!
May 5-- Mile 317-336 We met up with our good friend Penguin late last night. She had stayed with us back in Big Bear Lake. Her infected blisters had healed enough for her to get back on trail again and she is hiking strong! With Penguin setting the pace, we covered 10 miles by lunch, hiking past Silverwood Lake reservoir. we took another break at the Cleghorn Picnic Area and decided to camp a little short of Cajon Pass at a nice campsite. The afternoon was a cool one, with wind and rain later that night.
May 6--Mile 336-347 Today's mission was to hike to the highway and the Mcdonalds in time for breakfast. The trail descended to Cajon Pass through scrub and amazing dirt-washed cliff faces; switch-backing along the very edge. We were often looking over ledges with brushy 100-150' drops down to the bottom of the canyon. We spent 5 hours at the Cajon junction, consuming 2 coffees, 2 hash browns, 1 1/2 Subway foot-long sandwiches, 20 chicken McNuggets, and a 700 calorie McShake. While feasting, we charged the mp3 player, visited a gas station mini-mart twice for trail food, cast longing looks at a sunny hotel swimming pool, and made a couple of phone calls home. We bought more Subway sandwiches and then saddled up to hike 6 more miles, hoping to put in some distance from the railroad tracks and to take a bite out of tomorrow's climb back into the mountains.
May 7--Mile 347-364.5 a LOOONNNGGG climb today, starting at 3573' and ending at 8279'....and, NO water sources, so we carried it all. We had a strange surprise today: clouds and cool weather. We hiked up in the cold all day--some of the miles with GrapeNut ( because he puts GrapeNuts on everything). We camped in Guffy CG in wind and rain. Had a special visit from the Los Angeles National Forest police and K9 partners, looking for an armed suspect. We did our best to hunker down in the tent and not think about it too much. We were only 5.5 miles from SR 2 and a short hitch to Wrightwood in the morning.
May 8--364.5-369 Wrightwood! and Chicken-Fried Steak for breakfast! We are taking a nero, shopping for food and opening our resupply box and our care packages. Lizard and Boomerang are here, too--nursing a sore knee. Rotisserie chicken and a bottle of wine for dinner. We are planning a short day tomorrow to put us closer to an ascent of Mt. Baden-Powell, 9399'.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
May 6--Cajon Pass Highway 15 Crossing
Kitt left a voicemail on the home phone saying that all is well; and he is taking advantage of the McDonald's dollar menu to shovel in some cheap high-calorie supplementation. They expect to arrive in Wrightwood in two more days, and will take a zero to resupply. Then it is a 90 mile leg over the summit of Mount Baden-Powell to Agua Dulce.
No mention of the overpass construction site fire as being a problem for hiker travel...I am not even sure if it impacts the Pacific Crest Trail at all.
No mention of the overpass construction site fire as being a problem for hiker travel...I am not even sure if it impacts the Pacific Crest Trail at all.
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