Day 31: Hasta Luego Casa de Luna

Day 31: Hasta Luego Casa de Luna

Mile 478 to 488 I woke up well rested in the Manzanita forest of Casa de Luna. For all the talk of it being a party place, the owner Terry set clear rules that the forest is for sleeping and in front of the house is for those looking to party. I walked down to the...
Day 30: A Foray into Night Hiking

Day 30: A Foray into Night Hiking

Mile 454 to 478 (plus 1 mile road walk). Today marks my 1 month trailversary, and it was also my longest day of hiking at 25 miles! I am so grateful for this experience where everyday is full of surprises, challenges, and happiness. In typical hiker fashion, we...
Day 29: Oasis in the Desert

Day 29: Oasis in the Desert

Mile 436 to 454 (Hiker Heaven) At Bedazzled’s suggestion, we started hiking even earlier today waking up at 4:30 and hitting the trail by 5:00. As we have dropped in elevation over the past few days, the temperature has risen, and we are already hitting the high...
Day 28: Light on the Horizon

Day 28: Light on the Horizon

Mile 415 to 436 I woke up at 5:00 in our stealth campsite at the top of the mountain and saw the sky coming alive with color. There was burnt orange on the horizon transitioning to a beautiful blue in the sky above. I sprang to my feet and packed up my camp in a...
Day 27: 400 Miles

Day 27: 400 Miles

Mile 394 to 415 We left our campsite a mile before Cooper Canyon Trail Camp and began walking uphill to start our day. Soon we were in a mixed forest with stately trees towering overhead. The PCT out of the Buckhorn Flat Campground is beautiful, especially in early...
Day 26: Mount Baden Powell

Day 26: Mount Baden Powell

Mile 372 to 394 (plus 1 mile for the endangered species alternative). Today, we got to summit Mount Baden Powell, named after the founder of Boy Scouting . It was the second named mountain I have summited, though both it and Mt. San Jacinto were technically on spur...
Day 25: Pine Needles and Clouds

Day 25: Pine Needles and Clouds

Mile 369 to 372.8 I woke up well rested after spending a night at Canyon Creek Inn with Burnout, Valdy, and Bedazzled. The joy of a mattress and running water should never be underestimated. Today was a lazy nero (near zero miles) and we took our time getting up. Our...
Day 23: Winter on the Mountain 

Day 23: Winter on the Mountain 

Mile 352 to 369.4 Wrightwood While the views from the top of the mountain campsite yesterday were excellent, the winds that came after the sun went down weren’t and my tent was flapping around all night hitting me in the head when a strong gust came. On top of...
Day 22: Golden Arches at the Gates of Hell

Day 22: Golden Arches at the Gates of Hell

Mile 329.34 to 352 There was universal focus and drive among the group today. No debate on how far to go or where to break. The goal was McDonald’s. We woke at 5:00 and with military precision broke down camp and were on the trail putting rubber to dirt as if we...
Day 21: Leaving the Valley 

Day 21: Leaving the Valley 

Mile 310 to 329.34 I woke up from my sandy cowboy campsite along the river. It was perhaps my best night’s sleep on trail, though i got some condensation on my quilt. The 80 foot scramble up sheer rocks to get back to the trail was a good wake up call. I was...
Day 20: Hot Springs, Nudists, and Shit

Day 20: Hot Springs, Nudists, and Shit

Mile 292.4 to 310 Today’s goal was all about getting to Deep Creek. The rumor had been going for days that there were some nice hot springs right on the trail, and we were fixing to find out for ourselves. We had 15 miles to do until the hot springs, and we...
Day 19: Hiker Down & Hiker Lost

Day 19: Hiker Down & Hiker Lost

Mile 268 to 292.4 Bedazzled and I woke up to frozen condensation on our sleeping bags this morning after a chilly night. We scrapped it off with our fingers, which made them cold down to the bone. In the middle of the night, a jeep came up a dirt road and almost...

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