Author: Jennifer Johnson

Date: April 29, 2017
Miles: 226.1 – 240

“When you get to the end of a canyon, you know the only way out is up.” ~ Katie

Nothing super remarkable happened today.  Except for the wrong turn that I took that led Roi, John and I to a dead end, from which we had to scramble up a steep hill to get back on trail. We realized what had happened when we looked up and saw Katie and Connor on the trail up above, asking what the heck we were doing down there. 

When we got back on track, we walked for miles along Mission Creek and then we hoofed it straight up the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest for 4.5 miles until I died. I died three times. If I don’t get in better shape by the sierras, they are going to kill me. 

Part of the forest that we went straight up through was destroyed by the Lake Fire in 2015 and what is left standing is sadly beautiful. I tried capturing it with my camera, but like all of my photographs so far, they can’t adequately convey the grandness and the solemn feeling of it all. I walked most of the way through this area by myself and was grateful for the time alone. 

I finally crawled into camp exhausted and with dead legs and found Roi and Paul hanging out with a man from Camas, Washington and another from Brisbane, Australia.  We conjectured about the condition of the Sierra while we made dinner, which for me was a Ramen Bomb – ramen noodles and mashed potatoes mixed together. It’s as gut busting as it sounds and I blame Roi for telling me about this. I’m trying to digest it as I type this post.  Katie and Strongback rolled in a few minutes later but John decided to camp a half-mile back since he was tired and hungry and didn’t want to go any farther. 

In addition to the Ramen Bomb, I am trying another new thing this evening – cowboy camping. I keep saying I’m going to do it but then I chicken out at the last minute. Not tonight!  Of course I didn’t do it last night when it was nice and warm out, but waited until we climbed to nearly 8,000 feet…I’m feeling glad that I have a zero degree quilt, for sure.  Camas man kindly shared with me all of his stories about creatures that he has woken up to find in his sleeping bag, so…yah. Thanks Camas man!

Date: April 28, 2017
Miles: 206.8 – 226.1

“There’s one thing I’ve learned – if there are windmills, there’s gonna be bad tent weather.” ~ Strongback

I was really hoping I wouldn’t sweat today. I started out clean and shiny, and it only took the desert a couple hours to change that. The sun was out in full force by the time we started hiking. 

At about mile 213, we came up on the Mesa Wind Farm, where the employees were barbecuing hamburgers and hot dogs for PCT hikers. They said that they do that sometimes when they feel like it, and we were glad that they felt like it today!  Who doesn’t like second breakfast??

We eventually had to leave the oasis of barbecued meat and cold water to head back out into the heat, and in PCT style, we started climbing.  There were hikers hidden in just about every small patch of shade dotting the canyon we were in. 

 Along the way we confronted one of the moral dilemmas facing every long-distance hiker: do you cut a switchback and risk violating Leave No Trace principles and incurring the scorn of your fellow hikers or do you say screw it, I’ve had enough of this damn meandering trail and it’s unnecessary miles??  I will let you decide. 

The trail entered the San Gorgonio wilderness and the landscape started to change, particularly when we got closer to the Whitewater Preserve along Mission Creek. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to stop there for lunch and get a little backcountry foot bath. 

We hiked until it started to get dark (still not sure about those mountain lions…) and then camped next to Mission Creek. The chorus of frogs and the sound of the river rushing by put me right to sleep. 

Dates: April 26 & 27, 2017
Miles: 0

“Is anyone else hungry?” ~ Me, several times a day

I’m not sure if John’s wife knew what it was going to mean to have five dirty, smelly, hungry hikers descend upon her house for two days, but she and her daughter graciously gave up their personal space, let us do laundry and cooked food for us. It was SO deeply appreciated.  Thank you Loyda and Sandy!!

While we were taking the time off, we did our resupply, ate food, mailed some things home, ate food, soaked in the jacuzzi, played with John’s pit bulls, and ate more food. I picked up a new tent at REI since the one I was using had so much unused space in it, even with me and all of my gear. I shaved nearly a pound off of my base weight in the process. Every ounce counts!

I also had time to get to know a hiker that we picked up in Cabazon, Lieutenant Dan (Roi Ben Shoham) from Israel. It was fascinating to hear about his time in the Israeli military, his perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and his travels. He is in his twenties and has an appreciation for life that many of us don’t. 

We’ll be back on the trail bright and early Friday morning!

Date: April 25, 2017
Miles 193.6 – 206.8

At home, the windstorms usually die down sometime during the night and the next morning all is calm and it is safe for you to go fetch your garbage can or your front porch furniture from your neighbor’s yard. That was not the case this morning.  The wind was still threatening to turn our campsite into a yard sale so we got out of there as fast as we could and made our way down miles of ridges and switchbacks for approximately an eternity. 

Close to the end of our hike today was a large water tank that we could see for the first time from miles above it. That tank did not get any closer for hours, until suddenly we found ourselves practically on top of it. It felt like a Monty Python sketch. 

From there we walked another mile, and met the wife and daughter of our hiking buddy, Sock Changin’ John, who took us all to their house where we plan to stay for a couple days to resupply, rest up and hang out in the jacuzzi until we can no longer feel the muscles in our legs. 

But first we had to join the other truckloads of hikers that stopped at In & Out Burger in Cabazon. Of course. 

Date: April 24, 2017
Miles: Ended at 193.6

“I like being near the top of a mountain. One can’t get lost here.”  ~ Wisława Szymborska

Today was fantastic. I slept horribly last night (I still haven’t figured out how to get a good night’s sleep in a tent, so I’m always a little sleep deprived out here) but I woke up feeling good and my legs and lungs were ready to climb the rest of the way from Little Round Meadow campground to the top of Mt. San Jacinto. This detour off of the PCT was worth it. The morning was clear and the views stretched for miles.  Continue reading “Day 15: San Jacinto and Fuller’s Ridge”

Date: April 23, 2017

“People get to this place many different ways.  You don’t always want to follow someone else’s footsteps.” ~ Hiker I met as he was coming down from San Jacinto

Today we took the Deer Springs trail out of Idyllwild up to the PCT, followed the PCT trail for a couple miles, then turned onto the San Jacinto Peak trail and hiked until we camped at the Little Round Valley campground at about 9700 feet.  It was a tough uphill climb for me today.  My legs felt heavy, my pack felt heavy, gravity felt heavy.  All I wanted was to walk on something flat.

Continue reading “Day 14: Side Trail to San Jacinto”

Date: April 22, 2017
Miles: 144 – 151.8

A mile past our campsite this morning we came across the Walden cache, a neat stop with a little free library and cutouts of Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman. Apparently the trail angel, Mary, doesn’t like to be bothered by hikers but does keep the cache stocked and maintains a register in which she asks hikers to name a book that inspired them and why.  Continue reading “Day 13: Back to Civilization, Briefly”

Date: April 21, 2017
Miles: 127.3 – 144

“I’m a leader. Not a follower.  Unless it’s a dark place, then you’re going first.” ~ Unknown

This may not come as a surprise to you at this point, but after we said goodbye to Mike’s Place we walked through more desert. I entertained myself by taking pictures of some of the flowers and listening to Lord Huron. The right kind of music can really make the miles go by quickly.  Along the way I met Alan From Ohio and Outro (Matthew), who chatted for a while then kept going at about a 4 mph speed uphill. I tried to keep pace with them for a while just to see if I could, but then I felt like I might die so I quit that. Slow and steady is still my speed.  Continue reading “Day 12: Are There Mountain Lions In The Desert??”

Date: April 20, 2017
Miles: 109.5 – 127.3

“The desert surrounds your every step and you walk forever a thirsty man.” ~ Christopher Pike

We left Warner Springs in the morning and hiked alongside the Agua Caliente Creek for about six miles, passing through a private campground dotted with tall poles with hooks on them and a shed filled with the remnants of food packages that all looked like it belonged on a post-apocalypse PCT.  We were trying to guess what the hooks were for…food bags?  Lamps?  Bodies?

Continue reading “Day 11: From The Real To The Surreal”

Date: April 18, 2017
Miles: 101.1 – 109.5

“I feel like our lives have been reduced to a bunch of small bags that all fit in one big bag.” ~ Strongback

We had a short walk from Barrel Springs in to Warner Springs today, and it was one of my favorite days so far.  The trail wandered through stands of giant trees and meadows of purple grasses that undulated in the wind like waves.  Continue reading “Days 9 & 10: A Nearo and a Zero”