Much more benign terrain today as we lost much of the ascent of yesterday. Good job too as I’m still recovering!
Got some good miles in but still bloody tired. Typical second day!
Campsites sparse.
Bathtub spring was best quality water of the day. I kid you not
Early start to get to the trailhead in a decent time. Fleur drove 3 hours from highways to minor roads to gravel tracks!
We walk 1.9 miles to the border then back again, so add that to the headline figure.
Was really, really hard gaining over 4000 feet impeded by jetlag, altitude, and lack of fitness!
Camped right at dusk and did not much else but go to sleep.
Flight late to Phoenix so no chance of getting the Tuscon connection, but our hosts (Chuck and Beverly) pulled out the stops and came to Phoenix to get us.
Fleur is cat-sitting for their two cats, one of whom is Romeo:
Off to Walmart today for supplies, $500!
We’ll use some and the rest will be brought to Patagonia by Fleur to top us up.
Early start tomorrow.
At Aberdeen Airport with this one:
To Tuscon via LHR and Phoenix.
Fleur’s cat-sit awaits at Green Valley and they are graciously putting all of us up for a couple of days and picking us up at the airport.
Couple of days prep then the Arizona Trail.
Up early and headed for the water source as agreed, with a little more energy than yesterday. I passed the second campspot but didn’t see Freddy so carried on. A few minutes later got a satellite message saying they were waiting at the campsite! I went on and after much confusion we met up at the water.
A fair bit of snow here and there today, not enough for the full snow gear but spikes came in handy. Freddy and Dimitri took an alternate over the peak of San Jacinto and had an adventurous day on the soft snow, whereas I stuck to the PCT so I could recover some more.
Path was indistinct, missing or sketchy in many places due to the snow, but managed to get to camp after taking my capacity of water at the latest stream – nothing for 18 miles.
After traversing Fuller Ridge tomorrow, we drop 7000+ feet tomorrow!
Very hard day. From the beginning I had no energy to climb at all, to the extent that I suspect that I was/am not well.
Unfortunately there is little scope for flexibility in this section, campsites rare and water rarer. We had to use Apache Spring, a long steep descent from the trail though thankfully the track had been reinstated – it was barely there last time.
Apache Peak, the often dangerous spot where typically there is the first snow of the PCT, had very little.
I continued to struggle all day, but somehow managed to get to camp with sufficient water. Tomorrow I may have to drop down the Devil’s Slide trail to Idyllwild, or if I’m wrlt enough, continue to Cabazon which is almost entirely downhill.
Campsite is at a notable 8294′, Ben Nevis x2 and some.
Following another Red Kettle breakfast, got a hitch with a passing trail Angel (Nitzi, I think) who was on the way back to Campo to help at CLEEF.
We obviously started late, beautiful scenery but lots of climbing, camped at just shy of 7000′ and watched a lovely sunset over Lake Hemet.
Water is a issue on this stretch, the spring we stopped at involved a 500′ descent, with the soul destroying 500′ ascent to get back to the trail. Hot hot hot.
Still not at my best, got out of breath getting into bed earlier!
A day of chores in Idyllwild and some fun too. Up for the opening of the Red Kettle at 7am for unlimited coffee and breakfast burrito, same staff as last time!
Then off the the great local launderette, very hiker friendly. We then hit the town with clean clothes and bodies…..!!
Resupplied for 6 days to get over the San Jacintos to Cabazon, maybe overkill but I’ll eat well. The items hikers like had been swept off the shelves of the local supermarket.
New gas cannister from the outfitters, then a quick pint and the brewpub and pizza.
Long trudge down to the road with the Paradise Valley Café burgers in mind. I was pretty spent after yesterday so exhausted when I arrived. Ate my burger very slowly while I recovered. Got a lovely hitch into Idyllwild and the fantastic ranger at the campground sorted us a plot.
Tomorrow – laundry! First clean clothes in 11 days. And of course the Mayor, Maximus ‘mighty dog’ Mueller III!
Michael's Ramblings 