Part 1 – San Jacinto
4/29 – 5/2
After returning from my brother’s wedding in Indiana, I decided to go back south to hike the miles I had skipped around San Jacinto Mountain. I had skipped some miles over the mountain because it was notoriously unsafe in storm conditions.
I bought some replacement gear and new pieces, washed my clothes, and restocked my food. My first pair of shoes held up better than expected after 500 miles but I got a new pair to use after checking off the missing miles.
I lost my ice axe a few days before getting off trail but I got a text from Emma while I was in Indiana. They found my axe and had seen the note I left on Far Out – an app most hikers use to navigate the PCT.
They brought it to a hiker stop in Agua Dulce called Serenity’s Oasis and I made my way there to pick it up before getting back on trail. I love that they left a note on the side and am so grateful I don’t have to buy a new axe!
I needed to park my car somewhere for a few nights but I was having no luck after scouring the internet. Then, I remembered how generous Paradise Valley Cafe was when they let me sleep on their porch. I gave them a call and they were immediately willing to let me leave my car there!
It was strange pulling up to the cafe with my clean gear and seeing dozens of hikers I didn’t know. I was the only hiker there back in March but now the patio was packed with people and their packs lined up against the rails.
I lost my hiker hunger while at home so I gave half of my sandwich to a couple of PCTers and we exchanged trail notes. They had only had one cool day since they started in April. It’s easy to have the “you don’t know what it’s like to start early” mentality after the storms I encountered but I also don’t know what it’s like to hike the trail in warmer weather. They probably had to worry more about carrying water and had fewer excuses to rest in town. The superiority complex goes both ways.
From Paradise Valley Cafe, I hitched a ride with a kind woman who dropped me off at Fobes Road – the exact place I had exited the PCT to go into Idyllwild.
When I hiked this road before, the 5 miles felt eternal. I was bummed to be getting off trail and annoyed that I didn’t have the energy to continue. I knew I would have to redo these non-trail miles and the weather was cold, windy, and unforgiving.
This time, I was in the right mood to push past this section and the weather was warmer. A snake zipped across the road within minutes, grasshoppers leaped in every direction, and the fields were in full bloom. Those 5 miles back up to the official trail felt comically quick.
The ridge of San Jacinto was beautiful and I met hikers right away. Dust Bunny, who I had just met, backtracked half a mile with me after I lost my phone. We found it dead center in the trail and I now keep it in my fanny pack whenever I hike!
Dust Bunny and I walked together for a bit and then camped with a beautiful view of Palm Springs at night. I was excited to be back on trail and I slept so well. I’m getting used to my sleep setup and don’t even think about a regular bed!
The next day, I went through some inconvenient parts of trail that would have been far more concerning if they were still covered in ice and snow. The fallen trees forced me into climbs and crawls and the ridges were sometimes steep and crumbly.
Thankfully, the snow didn’t kick in until after Apache Peak which is the area I was most concerned about.
When I did get to snow, I put on my microspikes and kept a good pace. I feel much better about the snow after few weeks I had around Big Bear and the San Gabriel mountains.
There were a few creek crossings where the water ran under the snow but the snowbridged supported my weight.
The views were unbeatable throughout the entire San Jacinto mountain range.
I camped at Strawberry Camp Tentsite at mile 183 and had the best sunset. I climbed up some big rocks near my tent and enjoyed the view for a half hour.
Riverside looked pretty good when it was completely covered up!
I made my way towards Fuller Ridge the next day. Dust Bunny was going to take a side trail down into Idyllwild because he needed to resupply on food. He realized the food he packed out was not vegan. I offered to share some of mine but he liked the idea of going into town so we parted ways.
I was back on my own for the next stretch.
I had heard about Fuller Ridge a hundred times back when we were all scrambling to make plans in Idyllwild. Most hikers took an alternate route on Black Mountain road to skip Fuller Ridge which was always brought up in the same conversations as Apache Peak or other sketchy sections.
I read comments on Facebook that said Fuller Ridge was “hell” to hike through and “the trail was made by three blind mice”
Would I need to turn around?
Would it take all day?
I had no idea.
I could see Whitewater in the distance where I first joined a trail family and hiked up to Big Bear.
When I got to Fuller Ridge, I was confused. It was just a regular hillside with snow! Maybe it would have been worse back in March but I couldn’t believe people were still skipping and complaining about it.
The entire time, I was waiting for a cliffside scramble or steep icy falls but they never arrived. It only took two hours and I wish I knew it was not worth worrying about days earlier.
Right after Fuller Ridge, I sat with a big group of hikers and we talked for a while and celebrated being done with the snow for now. There was a unanimous confusion and relief that the ridge was an easy trek.
Just like that, the desert continued!
The water carries stretched out, the soil got lighter and dustier, and the lizards moved higher onto the rocks to catch the setting sun.
I see a thousand lizards while hiking around home but it was really exciting to see so many new kinds. The horny toads are definitely my favorites.
There were lots of beautiful desert blooms that I would not have seen a month earlier if I had been able to hike this section.
I enjoyed the lower elevation with the San Jacinto’s snowy ridge as my backdrop. So many conversations had accumulated over the months about San Jacinto and I am grateful to finish it without complications.
The evening was gorgeous. I set up my tent naer some other hikers with a view of windmills down in the valley. After everybody went to bed, I sat down to enjoy the sunset and watch the bats dip in the air.
It was warm and the first time on trail I didn’t need to bundle up in my quilt.
The last part of this section followed the Gorgonio riverbed and led toward the I-10
I had made it to “Hiker Oasis” at mile 209 which was just a graffitied spot under the freeway. It’s funny how some luxuries on trail are just homeless activities like finding shade under the freeway.
After finishing this section, I had to go back to Paradise Valley Caffee to get my car. It was an hour and 15 minutes away and I chose to hitchhike.
I saw Dustbunny under the freeway and was happy to catch up with him but he had not had a fun time since we parted ways.
Unfortunately, he had been bitten by a venomous spider on his way down into Idyllwild and had just spent time in the hospital. The medication he was prescribed made him more sensitive to sun exposure and dehydration which was guaranteed in the upcoming miles through Whitewater. On top of that, hikers were starting to get norovirus in the area and he was worried about dehydration from vomitting. I felt bad for his circumstances and have no idea if or where he continued on trail.
Nitsy was quite a character and could put anybody in their place. She dropped me off at a location where I would have an easier time hitching up to Idyllwild.
After Nitsy, it took three more hitches to get back to my car.
I love hitchhiking. It’s different when you are in hiking areas because people expect that you are safer to pick up. I especially love asking the drivers about their lives and careers and how they ended up where they live.
The first hitch was a guy who works at Morongo. He was so kind and owns some property halfway up the mountain.
The second hitch was with a couple who was out rock climbing. We talked for half an hour about outdoorsy things and how they met. The girl said she probably wouldn’t hike the PCT because it sounded too social. Her described ideal trip was an open-ended stay in South America and “just wandering in nature and not on a specific trail.”
The third hitch was with a computational neuroscientist on her way to visit a dog she had recently found and brought to an animal shelter. She was easy to talk to, eccentric, and had interesting stories about her life and career. After her mom was diagnosed with a brain disease (Alzheimer’s I think), she researched and learned enough to pivot careers to become a neuroscientest. She is very successful in the field now.
I lost my progress two times on this blog so I don’t have any of their names anymore:/
In between car rides, I stopped in Idyllwild and got coffee. I ran into Mike who I had met on day two! I let him know that he and Rockin Robyn were the first hikers I met who were really excited to be on trail and that I thought they were so cool. It gave me confidence I would have a good time too!
I also saw Rick who is a local in Idyllwild. When I hiked through here in March, I talked to his wife for about an hour at the same coffee shop. This time around I got to sit with Rick and learn about his life and the nonprofit he runs that helps prevent vitamin deficiency blindness for children in India. It was so cool to see familiar faces during such a short visit!
Running into them was the perfect end to this section hike.
Part 2 – Agua Dulce to Tehachapi
5/6 – 5/15
After wrapping up my miles in the south, it was time to get back to the full trail! I wouldn’t need any snow gear until Kennedy Meadows, so I shipped it all ahead.
I picked up the trail in Agua Dulce after having lunch with my grandparents who kindly drove me back. The Mexican food in Agua Dulce did not disappoint! Love you, grandma and grandpa!
I quickly passed a trail register and saw familiar names signed right before me. Even after two weeks off trail, I was still in the mix with people from the week one.
I hiked these next 35-ish miles back in January when I tested out my gear, but it went by SO much faster this time. My perception of miles has changed a lot.
With spring settling in, it was bug city. Countless bugs filled the aid and the pathway but they weren’t mosquitos so I couldn’t complain. I’m trying to appreciate bugs instead of being bothered by them.
At Bear Spring, I caught up with Manon and Juicy:) I met Manon on day three. Juicy shared that he was planning a big aqueduct party out of Hiker Town on May 11th! The LA aqueduct is a long stretch of the trail that is mostly flat and is traditionally done at night to bypass the hot Lancaster weather.
Mona is the cutest trail dog I’ve seen by far and she’s done thousands of miles of hiking! Daisy Chains (human) did the Continental Divide Trail with her already.
I crossed Bouquet Canyon Road in the evening and camped not far off. I loved crossing over roads that I’ve known my whole life.
Before bed, I replaced a part of my tent that tore off during my rain soaked days in the LA mountains. Thank you Zpacks for immediately shipping a free replacement!
I munched on some miner’s lettuce along the way and actually like the taste. I have exactly 0 lettuce while I’m hiking so it’s a nice fresh snack.
Miners used to eat it to prevent scurvy!
Almost to San Francisquito Road.
At the fire station on San Francisquito, Bear offered to give us a ride to his smokehouse!
Even though I was one day out from town, I tagged along to have a meal there. Bear was the coolest and most hospitable owner and we were all grateful to have met him. The food was good but the service was the best part by far.
There were lots of cool plants along the way. I grabbed this gourd thinking it would have soft spikes but it made me bleed – oops! I also saw some puffball mushrooms:)
Near Lake Hughes Road, I took a siesta and napped in the shade of a cottonwood tree for two full hours while listening to the running water.
When the weather is warm, most hikers take extended lunches in the shade and then hike later into the evening.
There was a cool little cave up the trail after Lake Hughes Road. Another hiker saw a rattlesnake crawl out, but I only found a mouse inside.
I enjoy hiking through burn areas and seeing ecosystems grow back. There were big patches of poodle dog bush which is known to emerge after fires and can leave you with blisters for weeks if you brush against it.
I camped alone in a nice grassy area and enjoyed the evening. I slept most of the week until 8 am or 9 and didn’t pressure myself to hit big miles.
If I wanted to be on time for the aqueduct party, I would need to go at a slow pace.
Off in the distance were the Tehachapi mountains which I would later hike over.
I hit 500 miles on trail! I can’t believe it.
The first 100 miles felt so long but I pay less and less attention to progress these days so the milestones sneak up on me.
Hikertown sits about 25 minutes west of Lancaster and is right on trail. It’s a common stop before hiking across the Antelope Valley and I would need to take a zero there to wait for the aqueduct party.
Hiker Town is an odd little place with themed buildings that are mostly unused.
The ‘town’ has a house and property owners but they’re not always around so I showed up and wasn’t sure what to do or who to pay!
Eventually, I found Martha and paid to stay in the doctor building. It was a ventless building with a mattress and no pillows or blankets. It was worth it to me because I love odd stays, but I could have paid $10 to camp on the back of the property.
During my zero day, I did my laundry and prepared to hit trail the following night. A guy named Abel gave Dream and me a ride to Lancaster and we spent most of the day there. We went to In N Out and Walmart and saw a movie before getting a ride back to Hikertown for the night.
Once our group had grown, we had some big meals that were made by Matt and Scarlett. They were not hikers but Juicy had met them at Deep Creek Hot Springs and invited them to come cook for us in Hiker Town. We all pooled in money and they made two big delicious meals for the hoard of hikers.
On the evening of the 11th, it was time to leave Hiker Town and take on the aqueduct. I love the PCT tradition of hiking across the Antelope Valley at night because it turned an exposed hot part of trail into something exciting.
We spent hours preparing to night hike with body paint, nail polish, and an excess of glow stick accessories.
Manon took portraits of most hikers.
We set off around 6:30 pm so we could watch the sunset while walking on the aqueduct.
We started off strong but our group eventually splintered. There was a group playing music in the front and another in the back and I yoyo’d between them for a good six hours.
We had many late-night snack breaks on the road and saw tons of kangaroo mice and shooting stars. The weather was perfectly mild and I could understand why it was popular to hike here at night.
Part of our group camped 12 miles in and a few of us went 5 more miles to Cottonwood Creek.
When I arrived at the creek, I saw Dream, Vibes, Anvil, and Three Dog cooking meals and talking like it wasn’t 2:30 am. After their “lunch,” they hiked a couple more hours into the morning.
I cowboy camped along the creek.
The next morning, there was a guy doing trail magic right by the creek. There was more trail magic in the last week than I had during my first month on trail.
I didn’t linger long at the trail magic stop because it was getting hot and I wanted to get miles done before mid-day.
I made sure to go off trail to touch a windmill and see how big they were up close. I loved hiking near the windmills and listening to their swooping blades.
I eventually caught up to the group who went further the night before and they had found the best possible spot for a siesta. It was a large oak tree by a creek.
I fell asleep on the ground and slept until the shadow of the tree moved completely off of me. I woke up in pure sunlight feeling like a sweaty toddler after a deep nap.
The flowers of the Tehachapi mountains were incredible and probably the best so far.
I finally caught a horny toad too! I’ve been seeing them since my first week on trail and wanted to hold one so badly. It was a little baby and I think I sat there for 20 minutes looking at it.
The trail magic continued with the coolest rest stop right on trail!
I had some orange snacks from an unexpected cache and enjoyed the view for an hour. After a late night and a warm day of hiking, it was soothing to sit up on the ridge and look down toward Lancaster.
The flowers were even better the next day.
Another horned lizard!
There was more trail magic from Magic Man at the road crossing to Tehachapi. He kept a list of hikers who stopped at his truck and gave us cold sodas, gatorade, and snacks!
After a small break, Free Bird, Vibes, and I wanted to hitch into Tehachapi. We saw a sign for the Hiker Hut which was a free (donations welcome) place to stay run by a lady named Barbara.
Free Bird had the nerve to approach some day hikers and they were willing to give us a ride! Turns out they are trying to do the PCT next year after retiring so we were able to talk and answer some questions for them.
We didn’t realize how incredible Barbara’s place would be!
Barbara and her husband used to run an apple orchard and would process ciders and other products to sell on their property and at farmer’s markets. They now use the old equipment building to host hikers.
We had full access to the old industrial kitchen, a shower, a huge hiker box of free gear, and many places to sleep.
Barbara showed us around, gave us directions to town, and gave us clean towels for the shower.
She even kept the kitchen fully stocked for hikers! I made myself some spaghetti, pan seared parmesan potatoes, and fried eggs.
There were a few bikes on the property for us to get around town. We used them throughout the week to go to the post office, Walmart, the bakery, or to visit hikers staying at other locations in town.
Tehachapi was becoming the most relaxing town stop yet and I spent most of my time with Vibes, Free Bird, and Daisy Chains. We lounged outside in the shade, made delicious meals in the kitchen, and slept some nights out on the lawn (mostly because an unnamed hiker was snoring). One night, we crammed in the small loft space and I taped my phone to the ceiling in the loft so we could watch Moana.
The miles since Agua Dulce have been the easiest so far. The weather has been less complicated so I haven’t had cold fingers, condensation, biting wind, or snow to think about.
While it’s been nice, Tehachapi feels like the last hurrah for the mindless miles. After this, it’s about 140 miles to Kennedy Meadows and then the Sierra Nevada Mountains!
We’re taking this time to relax and let some more snow melt but there are increasingly more conversations as we posture ourselves for the Sierra. I’m hoping to enter the mountains with like-minded hikers and have as much fun as possible!
I’m having lots of trouble getting the blogging apps to work on my phone so I’m using Barbara’s old desktop. Hopefully, I’ll be up in the Sierra Nevada next time I’m able to post!
Until next time!