On to Big Bear

May 14 - day 13

6:20 PM - It's been several days since I've last written so I'll try a quick recap. Wingit and I made it to paradise cafe for an early breakfast. I had the chicken fried steak, which was exactly what I needed. The trail to the North was still closed, so I decided to road walk the detour while Wingit hitched to Idyllwild. The detour wasn't very nice, but I had a group of guys to hike with which made it tolerable.

I stayed 2 nights in Idyllwild which marks my first zero mile day. It was a rest well deserved. I had pizza and bbq, a shower and laundry, and was able to pick up some new gear (tyvek for a ground sheet and thicker socks). All said, Idyllwild was my favorite town so far.

On May 12, we set off on the trail again. First a road walk, then the Devil's Slide Trail, just to get back on the PCT. In all a 4,000 foot elevation gain to spend the night at close to 9,000 feet for the coldest night yet (in the mid 20's), by the North Fork of the San Jacinto.

The task for the morning of the 13th was the infamous Fuller Ridge. One of the rangers in town said to not attempt it without an ice axe and 12 point crampons (for the snow). It ended up being one of the prettiest sections, with views back up to Mt San Jacinto and down thousands of feet to the desert floor. The snow ended up being a trivial obstacle, I had to pay attention, but never felt unsafe in just my running shoes. The aforementioned desert floor was our next target. Over 15 miles the trail lost over 6,000 feet of elevation to the San Gregonio Pass. At the cost of some sore joints and with some curses at the poorly planned switch backs we made it to the valley floor.

First thing this morning we crossed under "The 10" and in to the next Mountain range. The kind folks at the wind power station had refrigerated water and AC for hikers, which helped a hard climb on the hottest day so far.

After a long 5 miles we made it to the Whitewater Preserve. Formerly a trout farm, it is now a natural sanctuary for migratory birds and hikers alike. A local man, Marcus (and his soon to be famous dog Blue), talked with us about our hike and offered us several Trader Joe's frozen meals for dinner, which were way better than anything we had in our packs. Thanks! We're planning on spending the night here at the preserve - with real bathrooms and water from the tap, what more could anyone ask for?

Don't Panic