Pacific Crest TrailComet walks from Mexico to Canada

I must have just been joking around the other days when I said it was pretty hot. Today it was 90 in the shade by 8am. It got up over 110. That is hot. It was a long day of plodding along highlighted mid day by meeting Rick and Susan. They set up their tarp on the bank of the much anticipated White Water creek and were kind enough to share the shade oasis. Soaking in the creek was pretty awesome as well.

The last few hours of the day were spent jumping creeks in a long winding ravine. I have a pretty nice spot where I can hear the water and get a cool breeze.

23 plus miles today. The hard way. From the first one in the morning till finally stoping to make camp. Good accomplishment nonetheless. Up over 8000 feet again tomorrow near Big Bear and I expect to see snow.

Enjoy this boring photo of a pile of my stuff under the tarp after I got it set ip in the dark.

The end of another day. Quick report.

Met four other thru hikers at the campground this morning. All but one were taking zeros in Idyllwild. Hitched 8 miles of freeway that had no shoulder but plenty of blind corners. Hiked 8 miles up a forest road to get back to the PCT. It was a hot hot desert day. No more snow when it’s over 90 in the shade of my awesome umbrella. 15 mile stretch with no water sources but no problem. Pack felt good even with fresh resupply. Hiked until dark and ended up in no mans land. Cowboy camping in windy but warm open flat area. The pictures. Feet taking a break and getting the stones out. Decending into the desert. The view from my site. The sunset from my site tonight. Now the sky is full of stars.

Just past mile 208.4 for about 17.6 PCT miles today and 25.6 of total hiking. Next resupply in a few days.

Posted from California, United States.

I had big dreams of a proper town day. Not all dreams are meant to be.

It started with leftover snow. Lots of it. I lost about an hour and a half due to difficult snow shutes and not being able to even find the trail a couple times.

Anyway I finally made it to town and there are no rooms due to the holiday weekend. No worries though. I got a 3 dollar campsite on the edge of town that includes a shower. I also got a fat veggie calzone with just enough left to eat in the morning.

On to sad trail news. The next section of trail has been hit by at least 3 storms in the past week and a half and is dangerous and difficult even for those with ice axe, crampons, and a GPS. None of which I have. That means like so many who have been through here previous I will do the 16 mile road walk around the ridge. Fear not, I’ll be able to get down here another time to officially “clean up” this section.

Now I must try to sleep amongst the holiday weekenders, highway traffic, and other peaceful sounds of the night. Seriously I think someone is pounding tent stakes with a sledge hammer…or putting in the new railroad. If you think I’m kidding about the traffic then tell me why the geotag location looks like I’m sleeping on the shoulder of the road. Or I could just finish the calzone and all my troubles will melt away.

Posted from Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California, United States.

Trail hunger. It’s a serious affliction affecting most if not all hikers. Mine is starting to set in. It is when your appetite magically triples every day. When you look at your food bag for the next 4 days and realize you could eat it all…right now.

I’m about 12 miles from the trail junction I’ll take to get to Idyllwild. It will be my first proper town stop. That means big things. That means a shower. It means town food bingeing. It means clean(er) clothes. Oh and resupply of food for the 4 days or so it will take to get to the next town.

I’m camped next to a couple of guys put hiking a section. Earlier today I met a cool guy on a day hike and he was wearing five fingers! Sweet. If you don’t know what they are google them and know that I own the KSO treks.

Some beautiful trail today. Reminded me of parts of the Appalachian Trail. Still got pretty hot midday and I hiked through it to get closer to Idyllwild for tomorrow.

Okay less babble more sleep. No coyotes like last night. They were partying it up good as was the intense wind.

I’m at Fobes Saddle for 23.6 miles today including a few bonus miles up and down steep loose trail to get water. 166.8 total.

Note the fashion statement bandana visor look. Expect to see it this coming season. You know, for thoses times when it’s just too windy for a sun umbrella. No?

Posted from Mountain Center, California, United States.

That’s what happens when you’re in mountains and deserts. Unreliable phone service! Oh well.

Not sure if this geotagged. Posts keep wiping out before I can put them up. There were more details like carrying 15 pounds of water all evening and being in the middle of a 20 mile dry stretch of desert. Oh well again. Time for sleep. The sun rises early and so do I.

25.2 today for 143.2

Posted from Anza, California, United States.

Warner Springs. 26.6 miles and a resupply. Not bad. 118 total.

Had no cell service at night. This is what the options were at the gas station store. I also had a chocolate milk, egg sandwich which was partly frozen, and a burrito that tasted like it was from a school lunch. Joking aside it is a very hiker friendly town.

Dessert would probably be better, but desert is what I’ve got! Today was hot hot hot and long stretches between water sources. Thankfully the water caches were stocked. I wasn’t relying on them but it would have been much harder without!

Human interaction today was limited to a head nod exchange between myself and a guy drivig a pickup truck as I crossed highway S2. That would be all in terms of civilization for the day. Says the guy in desert mountains…on his iPhone.

Warner Springs tomorrow for resupply. That means a pack heavy with food. Heavy bad. Food good.

22.4 today for 91.4 total miles to what is affectionately known as “3rd pipe gate”. I have a very un-stealth spot near the trail. The other pictures are taken within 50 feet of my shelter.

Posted from Warner Springs, California, United States.

Wow. First off it got down below 25 degress last night. What’s with that? That pushed my current setup to the limit and made for poor sleep with all the adjustments throughout the night. Woke up to frost and frozen water bottles.

Day warmed up by 9am or so and was pretty from then on. Still no more PCT hikers. Total conversation today involved two different people and a whopping 10 combined words on my part.

First trail magic/unexpected water cache today. Super sweet.

Three nights in a row with cell service? I’m getting spoiled. 23 miles for 69 total. Next resupply is Warner Springs.

There was a wind advisory and chance of rain for today. So, true to the forecast it was really windy and rained. It got down to the low 40s and I got hail a couple times on exposed ridgelines.

Made it to Mt. Laguna general store to resupply for the next 70 miles or so Warner Springs. Went a few miles after that and made camp. Got down to mid 30s. Going to be a chilly night but I got a decent stealth spot. Weather patterns have a way of changing in the middle of the night but so far so good.

24 more miles down for 46 total. Thanks for all the comments. Keep them coming!

Posted from California, United States.