Such a tough day. The first three miles was a good warm up on easy terrain. However summiting Mt Baden Powell entailed 3000′ of climb in 3 miles, and to make it more difficult the top half of the climb was snow. The path pretty much disappeared and I just headed for the top as best I could.

I was rewarded with a great view and also my highest mountain climbed – 9406′.

I believe I am part of the first English Man-Sheep team to summit the mountain:

Going down to Little Jimmy Campground was a slow affair, lots of snow, very little actual path and to exacerbate the situation the snow was getting soft in the afternoon sun.

So in all I did 13 miles but it took me over 10 hours in all!

I had great trouble tearing myself away but set off around 9.30 back up the Acorn Trail towards the PCT. The climb was over 2000′ but the weather cool so wasn’t too bad. I headed through patches of snow past the Wrightwood ski runs to end up at the Grassy Hollow campground.I was a little concerned about water but thankfully there is a water cache here maintained by the locals.Tomorrow should see me up Mt Baden Powell, conditions permitting.

Another rest day and Wrightwood is definitely worthy of it. Luckily it was Tuesday, so a free Margherita with a well priced Mexican meal. It was so big it sufficed as lunch and dinner.

Had lots more animal therapy with Pebbles, the trail angel’s dog:

I’ve decided to take the most straightforward option tomorrow and just hike back up the Acorn Trail and carry on where I left off.

Had a bit of a wobbly morning as so many people were leaving the trail. A Bristol girl I met at Frodo and Scout’s was on her way out of town to go home, and a couple of Aussie’s were making a planned exit.

But a call to Fleur and Harry’s sponsorship gave me a boost.

Tim (McGyver59) turned up with his wife so I regained my crampons (which were in his mail box to Wrightwood). I hope we can link up on trail later.

Wrightwood is a very friendly place, all the locals love a chat so spent most of the day chatting. I’m feeling refreshed but still think I’ll leave Wednesday. A local barman (Ryan) has offered a lift to the trailhead as long as I watch Liverpool vs Barcelona first! May well take him up on that.

Tomorrow I need to organise my resupply (probably a week of food to get me to Agua Dulce – the intervals between resupply are getting longer). Also I need to bounce my axe and boots up to Kennedy Meadows.

A trail angel is putting me up tonight (and tomorrow if I stay) in her caravan. My companion is ‘Easy Strider’, the 6’7″ owner of the feet I posted yesterday. Oh, and there are lovely cats here – plenty of cat cuddles! Will post pictures tomorrow – I hope Stormy won’t get jealous!

This is where I stayed last night:

Well today was the equivalent of climbing Ben Nevis from Fort William with a full pack, in hot weather, while having to carry all the water I’ll need.I actually started my earliest so far, 6.45, and finally got to Wrightwood about 4.20. Even then I didn’t quite hit my target, as I was spent and descended into Wrightwood via the Acorn Trail.Ironically after 360 miles through mountain and desert, without a single blister, I slipped in Wrightwood 100′ from my destination, ripped my trousers and bloodied my knee.Ironic really.I’m actually quite wrecked so I’ll take a zero tomorrow.

After the company and food of the previous night I slept much better and got up pretty early – it’s so much nicer preparing breakfast on a table!I left at 7am, most unlike me, and polished off the 13 mile gentle descent into Cajon Pass by just after 12.It was a bit of a shock, from the wilderness to a 10 lane highway with multiple railway lines! But…. there is a McDonalds! Those who know me know that I wouldn’t normally be excited by this, but I had been obsessing about milkshake, and it was so good.Better still, Jim turned up by chance (he’d been in the Best Western hotel).Hiked another 5 miles out from the pass, climbing all the time to a nice campspot.Now tomorrow will be fun, lots of climbing and I really want to get into Wrightwood – but it’s 21 miles. We’ll see how it goes.

As usual up last and feeling very stressed. I packed up quickly to escape the insects and set off.

The day only got better from then on – I got signal! So lots of time speaking to Fleur and receiving Stormy pictures

The weather didn’t get as hot as yesterday and often there was a good breeze to keep things cool. I decided on a reasonably light day and selected Cleghorn Picnic Area on Silverwood Lake as a decent stop, about 14 miles.

For most of the day the terrain was similar, skirting contours with little water available.

However just a few miles short of my destination I was greeted with this:

It was a bit of a paradise. Moreover, just as I was thinking of filtering some warm water I’d collected earlier, a pickup pulled over on the small section of dirt road I was on and gave me an ice cold litre bottle! Random trail magic and much appreciated.

At the picnic area there were four others to start with and we soon grew to about 17 – I had met roughly half. Soon talk moved to pizza and it transpired that a local town delivered here! Pizza for dinner, and leftovers for tomorrow.

We have benches, water and a toilet block. Utter decadence.

Plan to make it to Cajon Pass tomorrow and assess there. May make it to Wrightwood on Sunday night, or failing that Monday.

Now an amusing foot picture – small foot is ‘Sparkles’ and the large a 6’7″ Viking

A long day of 19 miles over landscape and terrain much as yesterday. The trouble is, as we drop in altitude the temperature rises, and it’s now getting uncomfortably hot at times.There was some relief, hot springs which were rather like a free outdoor spa!But, a milestone:Camped down at under 3000′ next to Deep Creek and it’s hot, humid and there are loads of insects! Hid inside my mosquito net before dusk.

Started the day with a lift from the hostel along with Jim (McGyver59) and Mild Sauce (aka Chelsea). Mild Sauce is doing what we did yesterday, so we set off in opposite directions.Although today was hot, the gentle winding paths through forests and valleys (albeit still at over 5000′) made progress easy and at one point Jim and I were headed for a 20+ mile day. Unfortunately Jim twanged a tendon so we sensibly cut it short at Bench Camp. Still, 16 miles is still a decent distance.And now, Epithany Toilet anyone?If these trail conditions persist I will be arriving at Cajon Pass a little sooner than anticipated.

Well, today was a breeze. Freed of too much climbing and weight I polished off 13 miles in 4 hours, including chats and with everyone we passed.

In the afternoon ate more of mammoth backlog of Bolognaise… Might be breakfast and lunch tomorrow too!

Setting off to Wrightwood with a full pack tomorrow, though the terrain looks easier than recent days.