In week 4 we travelled from Big Bear to Wrightwood, finally walking with our trail family (or at least part of it) for the first time since the first week. Along the way we encountered many reptiles that make this section of hiking varied and interesting, especially as someone from a cooler climate where lizards and snakes aren’t common.
Day 22
While chomping down on breakfast at Grizzly Manor Cafe, in Big Bear, a group of hikers we had been walking with the past two weeks clambered in. Together we sprawled out over four tables along one side of the cafe. Dan offered out hand lotion to everyone, something he had become known for doing which ultimately lead him to be called Buffalo Bill, a trail name inspired by a crazed psychopath from Silence of the Lambs.
Drizzle, Chapstick, Dan and I decided to join the trail via foot, walking from Big Bear Lake to Big Bear City, then over the lake to rejoin via Cougar Crest Trail. The locals of Big Bear have been the most hospitable yet, offering up lifts back to trail or honking their horns merrily in support of our efforts.
We stopped at Starbucks, getting cold brews for the road as we skirted the edge of the lake before leaving the shore to begin climbing into pine woods. Not long after we also stopped by the National Forest Discovery Centre where we took full advantage of the toilets, water and educational resources. Finally we continued our ascent to reconnect with the PCT, stopping at a view point overlooking Big Bear for lunch. Miles went quickly that afternoon despite the freshly resupplied packs.
Not your normal day on trail!
At the bottom of the canyon, we stopped at Little Bear Springs Camp, a beautiful stop in the valley with a small spring beside it, a pit toilet and a picnic bench which we made full use of, gathering around for dinner. It was the first time since Julian that we had shared the trail with part of our original group. It felt good to be back, and even though we’ve enjoyed our last two weeks hiking just the two of us, we’ve missed the camaraderie of hiking with this group.
This little fella joined us at camp
Today was far from a traditional day on trail. Taking this route is not common, and stopping for a Starbucks and swinging by the discovery centre is not something I’ve heard of on trail. It caused us to reflect: obviously the goal is to hike the PCT, but equally it’s to see and experience new things. As someone who likes to plan, the spontaneity was enlightening and I’m so here for it. There’s a saying on trail that “the last one to Canada wins” and I’m beginning to see the value of this.
Day 23
We broke camp and headed out early picking up Heavyweight who camped a mile further on from us. Today we had planned a big day, but if successful would see us bathing in natural hot springs come evening.
10/10 for camouflage efforts
Our strategy was simple, consistent steps, stopping every four miles for water and snacks. The terrain was fairly forgiving, essentially flat considering what we have already been through. We left the last of the pine forest and embraced the shrubbery of the desert which was becoming all too familiar.
At Deep Creek Bridge we headed down to the stream for a quick dip. California was experiencing a heat wave and we were keen to cool off. On the sandy beach in the shade we had lunch before continuing on upwards and around the edge of the canyon. Moments later we celebrated reaching the 300 mile marker.
A much needed dip
The most dramatic moment on trail came from a stubborn rattlesnake unwilling to let us pass. The snake seemed fairly settled in a strike position. Once the group was all together we ventured on up the terrain away from the snake to then dip back down to trail once safe. This was our first encounter with a full sized rattle snake.
Not the big rattle (we kept our distance), just a baby sitting perfectly for a photo
Once we hit the twenty mile mark our feet began to ache and fatigue was threatening to take over. At each stop we rallied, sharing our discomfort with one another to push through. Eventually we descended the canyon and arrived at our destination: Deep Creek Hot Spring.
It was busy given it was a weekend and a popular tourist spot. The spring sits next to the river flowing though the canyon which we had been following for most of the day. A rock pool separates the warm water from the rest of the river and irredecent trees at odds with the barren land bookmark the river. The hot water was welcoming and instantly soothed our aching muscles.
Due to nudity I am unable to upload any photos of the deep creek hot springs, instead a photo of our tent by the creek will have to suffice
After our dip I had to dig out a stone which had got lodged into my foot. After my minor surgery, we had dinner, barely needing to use our head torches as the moon was so bright. For the first time since starting the PCT the heat of the day was not lost with the setting of the sun. Sleep could not come quick enough.
Day 24
When I woke it was a little cooler but with the hot springs in close proximity this was nothing a dip couldn’t resolve. I took my oats to the pools and sat on the side with my feet in. Before long I dressed down to my knickers and submerged topless into the welcoming water. Drizzle, knowing how prudish and nervous I was about this began stripping off in solidarity, quickly followed by Raw Bean. Let’s just say Dan got a bit of a shock when he rounded the corner to bring coffee!
The heatwave continues, reaching about 31°C (88°F) and we just happened to be walking in an exposed canyon section. Whenever we got to a pocket of shade on trail the group would stop on the path itself, plonking down to rest. Luckily we seem to be the only people on trail hiking at this pace and have only seen two other hikers since leaving Big Bear.
Smiling through the sweat
One highlight of the day was when Chapstick spotted a raven tussling with a snake ahead of us on trail before snatching it up into the air, the snake hanging limply in its talons. We continued to see wildlife, two rattle snakes, several fish in the canyon river, hummingbirds that zoom past so quick you could feel the vibration in the air, toads and a horned lizard. Dan also had a run in with a bee which stung him on the cheek.
You know it’s hot when the snakes are hiding out in the shade!
As we approached the end of our walk we reached the dam and walked around it where there was no shade from the 4 o’clock sun. Construction works had once taken place next to this site, but have since been abandoned leaving behind a large pipe which would become our refuge.
Shade hopping was the priority for the day
Later on, Heavyweight rolled into camp looking broken. He was clammy, a little burnt and simply looked exhausted. He crashed on the floor and we instantly began worrying about heatstroke. We put up his tent for him and made him take small sips of water before he crawled into bed. We camped by the water of Silverwood Lake all feeling slightly broken by the physical effort of the day.
Day 25
I woke to the dawning light and from where I lay could see the sunrise colours being cast across the water. Everyone was doing better this morning and we made good time out of camp.
A moment of calm before pushing on
We took a path off trail to reach Cleghorn Picnic Area where we planned to refill waters. As we crossed the car park a truck drove past with balloons on either side and a grill in the trunk. With the windows rolled down a women called “you guys have arrived just at the right time”; trail magic, and boy was it needed!
We helped unload the trunk into the picnic area and within half an hour were feasting on breakfast burritos, washed downed with breakfast beers and electrolyte mixes. During our stay we were reunited with Elvis, who ended up walking with us for the rest of the day.
Turns out I have a thing for breakfast burritos
We reluctantly left the picnic area, thanking the angels and ventured up through the hills further away from the lake. I was walking by myself, approaching a switch back when I saw the biggest rattle snake on trail so far. We both surprised each other as I was a metre away from it. I instinctively jumped back while the snake reared its head about a foot off the floor, its rattle sounding angrily. I kept my distance as it glided with its head aloft, its backend coiling to move it sideways into a bush and then out of sight. The feelings were very mutual: neither of us wanted to be in close proximity to the other.
At the next water source, poison oak dotted the area so we congregated under the same shade offered by a singular tree. We kept walking after the short break, leaving behind Heavyweight while he filtered water. Apparently, as soon as we left and he got up a rattle snake darted from where we had all been sitting from behind the poison oak and crossed the trail into the shrubbery.
The most spectacular part of our day was walking down Little Horsetheif Canyon. From here we could see in a singular view a backdrop of snow capped mountains, dalmatian hills, rolling green hills and, in the foreground, the sandy ridge of the canyon. The scale of these layers of mountains and hills was expansive and the trail showed off the best angles and views, snaking along the canyon ridge then back on itself in a series of switchbacks. A freight train ran across the range, the occasional honk of the horn sounding.
If you zoom into the centre of the ridge you can just about make out the shape of Elvis
At the bottom of the canyon we reached Highway 66 and, with it, the PCT McDonalds sign showing the golden arches were only 0.4 miles away. We crashed into a booth, lined the wall next to us with our packs and ordered a mountain of food. McDonald’s has never tasted so good.
Just follow Route 66 to the Golden Arches
We walked to the hotel across the way where we checked into a double queen room. There were six of us and one bathroom meaning we staggered showers. I still had blisters on each foot, one of which had developed a blister within a blister, which was now causing me a lot of pain. I filled a plastic bag up with warm water and salt that I had pinched from McDonald’s, planted it into an empty bin and put my feet in hoping to encourage the blisters to drain.
Day 26
I woke freezing cold, thank you air con. I had slept reasonably well considering there were six of us in one room. Some sort of replica of a hostel dorm whereby several of the sleepers picked the short straw and stayed on the floor.
We made our way back to McDonald’s and loaded up on breakfast items to fuel our hike. Drizzle and Chapstick declared their intent to complete the McDonalds challenge (only consuming McDonalds from Cajon Pass to Wrightwood) meaning we had plenty of food.
Today we would come across our first fire closure on the PCT. Due to a bridge fire, 14 miles have been closed with no recommended walking alternative. Some of our group with injuries decided to hitch around this whole section and go directly to Wrightwood, our final destination for the day and where we had booked an AirBnB for 2 nights.
We parted ways as they awaited a ride from Trail Angel Chris while Dan, Drizzle, Chapstick and I headed back out past route 66 to rejoin the trail. We found ourselves walking through incredible rock formations and lush green foliage. A freight trail curved its way through the hilly landscape, the noise of which echoed throughout the valley.
Freight train adding to the western ambience
A few miles in we stopped. Drizzle had suddenly developed a deep purple bruise to the back of her calf which felt tender to touch, was hot, swollen and red. The lump presented like a hematoma (ruptured blood vessels), but also met criteria for a deep vein thrombosis. Unsure about her condition, we descended back down the way we came, me carrying Drizzles rucksack on my front, Chapstick calling his friend who happened to be an ER doctor, and Drizzle calling trail angel Chris to see if she could get a ride to Wrightwood.
After ensuring Drizzle was safe, the rest of us continued. It was a long climb up, switchbacks softening the elevation gain per mile, but despite this the day consisted of simply travelling up. The blisters on my feet soon gave me grief and a pain in the arch of my right foot flickered on and off. We came to a water cache, an area where trail angels help enable hikers to get water where there is a dry stretch, leaving gallons in a protected space. Several chairs had been plonked in this desert living room surrounded by cactus.
The boys chomped down on McDonalds while I tended to my blistered feet
We continued on up and with the pain I continued to struggle. I put music on to help relax myself and to distract from the chaos below. At one low point I found myself muttering “only six miles to go” over and over with each step until the pain wasn’t the key focus and from here walking became easier. The real moment of uplift was passing the 350 mile marker and with it the knowledge that we were half way through the desert section of the PCT. This felt huge.
Eventually we reached the dirt road which we followed down and at the bottom Chapsticks sister, Pharmacist (honorary trail name), and her dog MoMo, drove us to the AirBnB in Wrightwood. The accommodation is beautiful, a cream, wooden house surrounded by pine forest right next to the town centre. Drizzle and heavyweight were waiting for us. Luckily Drizzles lump had gone down with ice, elevation and rest.
Perfection
We put on a load of laundry and handed out onesies provided by the AirBnB host. I had one of the best baths of my life before dressing in my Christmas onesie then headed out to town in search of pizza. As Dan and I passed the grocery store, several people called out our names and beckoned us over. The couple who we had left this morning, Gollum and Mama Medicine, and Goldie who we hadn’t seen since Julian. We caught up commiserating with concerns about injuries and fears of not being able to return to trail. This appears to be the most common anxiety among hikers: fear that an injury is a trail ender.
We picked up the pizza to go and headed back to our home for two nights, vegging out on the sofas. Storm and Forget-Me-Not joined us for a drink. It’s been really nice having a house to spread out in and to sit together in a well furnished environment.
Peak level of comfort
Day 27
I woke at 3:30am, my stomach noisily shouting how empty it was. I guess hiker hungers has well and truly been established. Unable to sleep, I set about making a rough plan for mileage and campsites for the next two weeks. At a reasonable hour, Dan and I made coffee and were joined at the table by our trail family. We wandered into town and enjoyed a big breakfast at Grizzly Cafe, my stomach finally satisfied.
Height of hiker fashion
We’ve been moving with the same small group since Big Bear. The affection I feel for these individuals is surely over quantified considering we’ve only known each other for less than four weeks. But that’s what the trail will do, we’ve forged these strong relationships through common ground and unconditional desire for one another to stay on trail.
Anyone who knows me well knows my love language is baking. I sometimes struggle to show my gratitude for others. Baking for people is easier than expressing these emotions and so I decided to make a cake for my trail family. In the kitchen I assembled the cake, whipping egg whites by hand without a mixer!
Twice baked chocolate cake and ice cream, delightful
Town days are always busy and do not leave an abundance of downtime. By evening we had done a full resupply, sorted resupply boxes and labelled our packages. We had stretched, rolled out aching muscles and taped any injury threats. I had popped both of my blisters and treated the wounds prompting them to dry. All washing was done, some items of clothing needing a run through the heavy duty load setting twice! Water filters had been cleaned and flushed ready for use. Dan sewed up the hole in his shorts and I had sewn the holes in my thermals.
With chores complete I could finally soak in the bath enjoying my book and allowing a moment of calm. Latter, Drizzle and I made hot chocolates for the house while popcorn popped in the microwave, before sitting down to watch the Goonies. It’s gonna be hard leaving this!
Day 28
For the first time since starting the PCT I’ve been sad to leave town. I’ve loved our two nights here, the people we’ve stayed with and the access to home comforts. But alas, the trail awaits and with it the adventures pending.
After a coffee at the Village Grind we caught a ride back to trail. We began our slow ascent up the two mile rocky road back into the high desert pine forest and the PCT. During the climb I heard a rustling to my right and stopped to identify the source of the commotion. To my surprise the bush parted revealing a bear.
This is my first bear encounter as a hiker and, up until this point, had caused me tremendous anxiety. I had done lots of reading about bears to help prepare me. While all had said the same thing “bears don’t mean you any harm” it’s hard to fully believe that, considering a bear could obliterate me in the most gory sense of the word if it chose to.
However, when I saw the bear bounding in my direction I felt weirdly calm. I don’t claim to be an animal behaviourist but from my armature observations, this bears reaction to us could only be described as indifference. It cantered between me and Drizzle, its focus on the path ahead, looking neither hurried, anxious, nor paying us any attention. He was within two metres of me and I was surprised by how quietly he moved. The boys up ahead turned around in time to watch him enter the woods next to us. We all felt elated at the experience, and for Dan and I, much needed reassurance.
Once reconnected to the PCT we had a snack break with the intention to cut down pack weight. Since carrying Drizzles pack the other day I had become obsessed with how heavy my pack was – it was even heavier than Heavyweights, a guy named for how heavy his pack is! Up until this point I had been oblivious to my extra baggage, presuming we were all in the same boat. Now aware I wondered whether this knowledge caused my bag to feel heavier than before. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
We began the climb to summit Mount Baden-Powell, which stands at 2,867m (9,406ft). To pass the time and to take my mind off my pack, I counted the switchbacks up to the top: 46, plus or minus a few that I missed or counted twice! The last half a mile of this climb were challenging for me. The altitude got me bad, making me drowsy and woozy. My constricting backpack and all its weight was restricting my breaths and fuelling my discomfort.
A breathless view from the top
At the top we stopped for lunch and I felt fine with the rest, but as soon as we moved I would become disorientated and a little confused. Keen to get back down, the group offloaded some of the weight from my pack and we moved on. While initially the path descended, it began climbing again and with it a desire to do nothing but close my eyes and sleep. I stumbled a lot, too tired to pick up my feet. But with several stops we were able to get through the high altitude section.
Once back below 2500m (8000ft) my feet became the problem as my head recalibrated now it had more oxygen. My shoes still rubbed my heels causing the old blisters to refill with fluid. The soles of my shoes are useless, sending pain throughout my feet when I step on stones and rocks, which in this rocky environment is unavoidable. Grumpy, fed up and annoyed we made it to camp to find Backtrack there, a fire ablaze in the fire pit and a beautiful pine forest to pitch the tents in. My spirits regained while huddled around the campfire as the darkness crept in. It would prove to be a cold night, our breaths visible by fire light.
Settling in for a cold night
Mentally and physically by the end of this week I felt a little broken. Never enough to consider the possibility of quitting, just uncomfortable. Annoyed at my feet and shoes but really enjoying the company of our fellow trail family and looking forward to the next section of trail.
