PCT Day 11

 

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PCT Day 11, 23 May 2022 (Monday)

"Just Deserts"

Start Location:	West Fork Snow Creek	Destination:	Whitewater Preserve
PCT Miles Day 11:	24.6	Cum PCT Miles:	218.5
Non-PCT Miles Day 11:	1.0	Cum All Miles:	233.8
PCT Miles Remaining:	2,434.1
Elevation Gain Day 11:	2,547	Cum Elevation Gain:	37,514

It was another scorcher today.  There's hot, and then there's HOT!  And today was the kind of HOT authorities warn people not to hike in, and will even close popular day hike trails when it's this hot.  Even though the trail wasn’t the hardest, it’s hard for me to believe I did another 25.5 miles (including side trails) in these conditions after 11 straight days of hiking.  Being very fit at the beginning of the hike was definitely a huge benefit.

The terrain today was really unique from any other day.  Going down from the desert part of North San Jacinto, then walking through desert areas that are like what people envision when they think of the desert.  Then hiking under Highway 10 near Cabazon (near Haugen-Lehmann Way, ~6mi. east of the Dinosaurs), and up into the desert hills north of there.  Finally finishing at the Whitewater Preserve, a really unique area, and one that most people probably don’t know about (you can actually drive here--wish I’d known that before walking over 25 miles in this heat).

Anyway, I’m exactly where I want to be at the end of Day 11.  Tomorrow is going to be another very interesting and challenging day.  And then the next day, if all goes well, I’ll be in Big Bear, where, hopefully, I’ll get my cellular service issues resolved.

BTW, I heard, and then saw, my fourth rattlesnake of this hike.  I couldn’t get a pic because it moved deeper into the bushes too fast.  Too bad, because it looked different than others I’ve seen.  But, it sure startled me.  I was walking along a section of trail that had a steep drop off to the left, and the snake rattled at me from the right.  I jumped onto a small rock just to my left and then jumped forward back onto the trail.  Rattlesnakes are much scarier when you hear them right next to you before seeing them.

 

200 Mile marker

First time I've seen this flower, Sacred Datura

Important water faucet

 

One of the few parts of the PCT that is paved.  This is the road that goes down from the important water fauct.

 

The PCT going under Hwy 10, a few miles from Cabazon (bet you didn't know that every time you've driven over it going out towards Palm Springs).  An interesting place to find shade.

From the mountains to the desert...just another day on the PCT

Starting Section C, near Mesa Wind Farm

Whitewater River basin (if you look to the back of the basin, you may be able to discern the narrow band that is the river)

Whitewater River

Of course I'm soaking my feet in that river
 

 

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Day 10

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PCT Day 10, 22 May 2022 (Sunday)

"San Jacinto"

Start Location:	Idyllwild	Destination:	West Fork Snow Creek
PCT Miles Day 10:	14.5	Cum PCT Miles:	193.9
Non-PCT Miles Day 10:	2.6	Cum All Miles:	208.2
PCT Miles Remaining:	2,458.7
Elevation Gain Day 10:	4,233	Cum Elevation Gain:	34,967

 

Today was pretty uneventful. I got a bit of a planned late start after spending the night in Idyllwild. The miles today were a bit shorter than average, but it wasn’t necessarily easy. However, it probably was the easiest hiking of the first 10 days. The next three days are going to be long and hard.

For all the Southern California locals, if you enjoy hiking, you should make an effort to hike the PCT in the San Jacinto area, especially the northern part of the PCT in that area. If you like more extreme challenges, then hike the southern part of the PCT in the area. It’s real mountain hiking, and very scenic.

Tahquitz Rock and Peak, and a lot of the first 180 miles of the PCT

I forgot what these are called, but I think it's Flamin' Hot Jalapeno Cheeto Cone

Another reassuring sign that one is headed in the right direction

First snow on trail

N. Fork San Jacinto River...largest flow of water yet on PCT

Mt. San Jacinto

Great tent site near West Fork Snow Creek

 

 

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PCT Day 9

 

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PCT Day 9, 21 May 2022 (Saturday)

“If A Tree Falls In The Forest…And The Trail Does Provide”

Start Location:	Wilderness campsite near Apache Spring	Destination:	Idyllwild
PCT Miles Day 9:	7.2	Cum PCT Miles:	179.4
Non-PCT Miles Day 9:	4.1	Cum All Miles:	191.1
PCT Miles Remaining:	2,473.2
Elevation Gain Day 9:	2,344	Cum Elevation Gain:	30,734

 

Sorry for time traveling, but I am posting this on Thursday, May 26th.  I finally got my cell service working again ( I have not been able to send/receive texts or make/receive calls for nine days!!!), and am now at a hotel with WiFi, and a desktop computer.  So, I am able to edit this blog somewhat properly.  There will still be many multi-day stretches when I won't be able to get online, but it should be a bit better now.  

Today was supposed to be a pretty easy day.  The mileage is fairly short, mountain temps are comfortable, and the destination is Idyllwild.  But, it was not to be.  The San Jacinto Wilderness does not disappoint hikers that are gluttons for punishment.  Today’s adventure included lots of steepness, but especially lots of downed trees.  There were, literally, hundreds of downed trees across the trail.  Most could easily be stepped over or walked around.  However, there were several dozen that required more effort, and at least a dozen that required quite a bit more effort.

My agenda in Idyllwild was to get food re-supplies, and figure out where to spend the night.  This task was very much complicated by the cellular service issues I am having.  So, my plan was to walk down from the parking lot at the trailhead to downtown Idyllwild.  And on the way, I would stop at every inn or hotel and see if they had any vacancies.  The first place I stopped at, Fern Valley Inn, did not have any vacancies, but the couple who owned the place seemed pretty nice, so I asked if I could use their Wi-Fi.  They gladly let me use their Wi-Fi, and the wife then told me that their next-door neighbor, Jeannine, sometimes hosts PCT hikers, and would I be interested.  So, of course I was.  She got Jeannine on the phone and Jeannine asked if I would be OK sleeping in a camper van in their yard.  I said yes and asked the price, and she said that it was free, that she just does it because she likes to do it.

So, Jeannine not only let me stay in the camper van, but let me use the entire house, including the washer and dryer.  And she also drove me to downtown Idyllwild and showed me where everything was.  Later she even fed me dinner.  And then the next day she drove me back to the trailhead.  Pretty amazing.  This is a great example of what is called a trail angel.  Her husband, General (real name), is also very involved in this.  They host dozens of hikers every year, and go way out of their way to do whatever they can to help those hikers.  They wouldn’t even take a donation.  This is also an example of what long-distance hikers like to say “the trail provides.“  Meaning that often when you need something, it just seems to happen, one way or another.

May gray for LA, but not here

Another downed tree to get by

Bad dog!  This is Poodle Dog Bush, a plant you definitely want to avoid.  It has a toxic chemical that causes a reaction similar to poison oak and poison ivy.

Idyllwild

My free room in Idyllwild

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PCT Day 8

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PCT Day 8, 20 May 2022 (Friday)

“From The Frying Pan To The Freezer”

Start Location:	Wilderness campsite near Paradise Valley Cafe	Destination:	Wilderness campsite near Apache Spring
PCT Miles Day 8:	20.3	Cum PCT Miles:	172.2
Non-PCT Miles Day 8:	4.1	Cum All Miles:	179.8
PCT Miles Remaining:	2,480.4
Elevation Gain Day 8:	5,809	Cum Elevation Gain:	28,390

Compared to the scorching temperatures we’ve had the last week, it was a surprise to get up this morning to freezing temperatures.  Most of the hiking today was in much cooler temps than the last week, but it wasn’t any easier.  The PCT in the San Jacinto Wilderness is relentlessly, steeply up and down.  Tomorrow it’s on to Idyllwild.



Paradise Valley Café, a popular place to refuel.



Going into the San Jacintos.



Plant tower, rock tower.



Rattle snake #3.  Had to go around this one, too.  When you’re on the trail, rattlers have the Bite-of-Way.



Wildflowers in the San Jacinto Wilderness.



Apache Spring - nice, clean, cold water.  It's a steep climb down and back up to get to the spring, but what are you going to do when you need water.

 

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PCT Day 7

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PCT Day 7, 19 May 2022 (Thursday)

“Tanks For Everything”

Start Location:	Wilderness campsite near Mike’s Place	Destination:	Wilderness campsite near Paradise Valley Café
PCT Miles Day 7:	24.6	Cum PCT Miles:	151.9
Non-PCT Miles Day 7:	0	Cum All Miles:	155.4
PCT Miles Remaining:	2,500.7
Elevation Gain Day 7:	3,441	Cum Elevation Gain:	22,581

Today was another long, hot march.  This one had no natural water resources, they’re all dried up.  Luckily, there are very kind people that provide large amounts of water to hikers.  Otherwise, I don’t know how hikers that start in the hot part of the season, like those of us who started in mid May, could realistically do this hike.  So today was basically starting near one large tank and stopping just several miles past another.  Then it will be a short hike to the Paradise Valley Café in the morning for breakfast and to get food and water from there.



Campsite near Mike’s Place.



Mike’s Place Water Tanks.



Mary’s Place, one of those quaint, interesting places along the PCT. She keeps a 500 gallon tank of water for hikers, shaded benches, for sitting, and a little decoration. It’s pretty nice.



Wildflowers a few miles from Paradise Valley Café.

 

 

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PCT Day 6

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PCT Day 6, 18 May 2022 (Wednesday)

“Easy Come, Easy Go”

Start Location:	Barrel Springs	Destination:	Wilderness campsite near Mike’s Place
PCT Miles Day 6:	26.2	Cum PCT Miles:	127.3
Non-PCT Miles Day 6:	0.3	Cum All Miles:	130.8
PCT Miles Remaining:	2,525.3
Elevation Gain Day 6:	4,600	Cum Elevation Gain:	19,140

 

I am posting this on Sunday, May 22. I am still without cellular service, I’m not going to go into details, but it’s been a fiasco.  Luckily, I have Wi-Fi right now.  There is a glimmer of hope I will be able to get this cleared up in a few days when I get to Big Bear Lake.  For now, posts will be still somewhat incomplete and a bit messy.

The first 8 miles today were relatively ideal. Cool temps, relatively easy terrain, nice scenery, and neat rock formations.  But everything after that was hard again.  It was a very long day, and a very hot day. Luckily there was still water flowing at just the right spot.  As I mentioned, it was really hot, and I was very low on water.  I don't know what I would've done if Agua Caliente Creek had been dry.  I also had a pretty neat campsite, it just took a long time to get there.



The PCT going through Warner Valley cow pastures



One of the most iconic PCT sites in SoCA, Eagle Rock



I don’t know if this rock has a name but if it doesn’t I would call it Great White Shark Rock



Life saver, Agua Caliente Creek

 

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