We were so tired that we didn’t even wake up until after 6:00am, and it turned out to be a good thing— we ran into quite a lot of snow-covered trail. Nothing was as scary as Fuller Ridge, but I did use my ice axe a couple of times on some long traverses on steep hillsides.

From our very nice campsite, we continued the climb uphill alongside Mission Creek.  It was so nice to be out of the burn zone and back in the trees!   Finally the Creek and the PCT parted company, and we continued the climb into the mountains.  The scenery grew more  and more alpine and Sierra-ish.  All around us were snowcapped mountains.  And if you saw a little “whisk” of some scurrying creature near the trail up ahead,  it would turn out to be a chipmunk, not a lizard!   The trail crews hadn’t gotten round to this part of the PCT yet–there were several places where we had to climb over fallen trees.   But the views–wow!   We were joking about “Are we in Oregon already?  Sure looks like it!”   Of course, on every north-facing hillside, we’d have to deal with snowcovered trail, but nothing was anywhere near as bad as Fuller Ridge.    

Just before noon, we met Bruce, a dayhiker, trying to find his friend who was section-hiking.  When he described his friend, we realized it was a man we’d met yesterday near the Whitewater River.  When we stopped at the river, he’d kept going, so we knew he was ahead of us.  So we really wondered why he and Bruce had not met.  (Turned out later that Bruce’s friend had been waiting for him at a place off the trail, and Bruce passed him without either of them knowing it.  They did connect later, though) Bruce got out his maps so we could show him where he was–a little bit south of Coon Creek Jumpoff, where we’d planned to stop for lunch.

At the Jumpoff (which well deserves its name–it’s an impressive cliff) we had a bit of a hard time figuring out where to sit and eat.  The shade was FREEZING cold, but the sun was way too hot.   Weird.  We finally settled on a somewhat shady spot and enjoyed a hot meal of tuna, rice and peas, with a dessert of cookie CRUMBS.  Just as we were packing up to leave, we heard a shout, and there was the hiker we’d met yesterday.  He was looking for his friend Bruce.  When we told him Bruce had headed south looking for him, he was very frustrated and took off down the trail.

After the Jumpoff, the PCT was very easy going, with only occasional “snow runs.”   We got to the “Lions & Tigers & Bears Oh My!” place, and were able to see all three, prowling about in their cages.  We met up with fellow thruhiker Transient again.  “What!” he said to Bill.  “Are you still following that woman around?”  Transient looked a bit bruised and scraped and battered.  “The mountain bit me,” was his comment.  “Me, too,” I told him.  “I have a whole collection of scrapes and cuts and bruises, and you notice I’m wearing shorts OVER my pants?  Well, let’s say I scraped up my rear end pretty badly on the snow.”  “Scars of honor” said Transient.  “I respect people who have scars of honor.”  I hadn’t thought of that, and what he said was really encouraging.  We talked a little more (mostly about how our tastes in food have strangely changed since starting the trail.  Transient said he’s lost his taste for chocolate, and gave away all his M & M’s.  I’ve lost my taste for instant mashed potatoes, and have to just choke them down, instead of enjoying them as I always did before. )  Then all of us got underway again.

 We reached Onyx Summit, which is one of the places where hikers hitch to town.  Transient headed off there.  Somebody (turned out it was the owner of Nature’s Inn) had left a little cache, which included a “watering place ” for mice, set up with a little “ladder” for the mice to get at the water.  (Turned out that if he didn’t do this, the mice chewed holes in the water jugs intended for hikers!)  We kept going, since we were headed for a house up ahead at Erwin Lake.  Around 4:30, we came to an amazing hiker cache. It had a couch! And coolers of fruit, drinks and cookies! And a large picture frame hanging between two trees, so if you stand in the right place, you can take a “pre-framed picture” of  snowclad Mt. San Gorgonio!

Bill and I doffed our packs and lounged on the couch, eating strawberries, bananas and oranges and drinking fruit juice.  We joked around about “Somebody should make another movie to counterbalance that hyped up “extreme” National Geographic film about the PCT.  We need a film to show all the oasis’, the trail angels, this couch, everything…and make it look like a thruhike is just a hobbit walking party!”  Just as we were about done, we were joined by a whole gang of hikers, including Bruce and his missing friend!   We all had a bit of a “jolly party” before Bill finally said “We’ve gotta go!”  He wanted to reach Erwin Lake, even though it would mean arriving 2 days early.  We were both hoping to make it to church tomorrow in Big Bear City. 

But the trail did not cooperate with our attempts to hike hard ‘n fast.  It turned very rocky, then it basically turned into a snowmelt creek.  We had many, many creek crossings, all way over their banks with snowmelt, so there was nothing else for it but to wade right in and ford them.  Finally we reached Arrastre Trail Camp, got some water and pushed on.  But I was really tired, and the trail just went up and up.  I did my best, but by 7:15 it was obvious that we were not going to make it to the road leading to Erwin Lake.

So since we were at a nice camping spot (7,000 ft. elevation) we decided to call it quits for the day.  Bill was very disappointed that we hadn’t made it as far as we hoped, and I felt bad for not being able to hike faster.    As we set up camp, there was a beautiful sunset.  I was so tired that I was very glad to crawl into the sleeping bag.  It was cold, too, and it felt good to be in all that nice warm fluffy down!  My sore muscles are slowly getting better (less yelping today) but I am worried about my scraped up rear end.  It really hurts, and it sticks to my clothes.  I will be glad to reach Big Bear City and get antibiotic ointment and bandaids!  But foodwise, it’s been an awesome day!  Strawberries!  In the middle of nowhere!

Walk to Rivendell: Thickets along Great East Road

Tags: San Gorgonio