5/27/2023
Section: Mile post 131.4 to 151.8
Distance: 21.42 Miles
Moving Time: 09:03 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3,743 ft
Click here for location
In the desert, this trail really boils down to water - getting it, rationing it and making it to the next resupply. The first half of today’s 21 mile stretch ran through the Anza-Borrego Desert State Wilderness before transitioning into the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Santa Rosa Mountains State Wilderness and finally finishing in the San Bernardino National Forest. Through this entire stage there are only 3 functional water locations and only one is considered optimal - a volunteer-run water station before the final sections of the stage. Amanda and I need up not needing any of the stations but this was largely due to our early start and extra water from Mikes place the day before - but it was close and we were both thirsty at the end of it!
We awoke at 4. Two other groups had come in after us the night before and set up camp. One girl had considered cowboy camping but, upon finding a tarantula in the middle of the camp on arrival, opted to set up her tent. The other guy we didn’t really meet and kept to himself. We packed up as quietly as possible using the red lights on our headlamps to keep the infusion to a minimum. After some blueberries and cream oatmeal we got on our way.
The day began with a descent out of the hills. On our way we passed Joe and Jen who i have affectionately started referring to as the GI’s (GI Joe & GI Jane). They had only made it about a quarter of a mile down the trail before deciding to call it a day. They were just starting to get their morning started so we said hi and kept moving down the trail. As the trail descended further into the lower hills we ran across Rebel again and Travis. Travis had brought a hyperlight chair and I made it known to him that I was pretty jealous.
The trail eventually bottomed out and made its way east, skirting the Terwilliger Valley and meandering up and down through hills and canyons. The sun came up and began warming the day and Amanda and I stopped at a cistern that, theoretically, had water but it was yellow water that stank - plus you had to worry about the cistern collapsing and dumping you in! We had a snack here - I am still working on my pepperoni stick - and talked to a day hiker that was coming through.
From the cistern the trail ramped onto the southern flanks of a north-west running ridge as it progressed up in elevation. We began up and stopped after about a mile for another snack break. At this point, the GI’s caught up to us and we talked for a little while. I asked them if they had seen Mary’s - the volunteer-run water station that was supposed to be a major lifeline for trekkers in this section. Joe said he had not but that he thought it was going to be up here in a little bit. They continued on and Amanda and I finished up our break and followed them.
The trail continued to wind up and eventually we encountered a paper plate in the middle of the trail that said “Mary’s.” We looked left and just off the trial was a blue tarp shelter with water containers. Both Travis and the GI’s were there. Amanda and I both had a liter and a half of water left and about 5 miles to go. General rule of thumb is that 1 liter will get you 4 miles so we decided to go for it, knowing that a fully stocked cafe/grill was waiting for us on the other end.
We sprinted off up the trail as it wound itself higher and higher on the ridge, eventually topping out and descending down the other side. From there the trail wound down into a shallow canyon. It was the heat of the day but I forced myself to only take a few sips at a time, conserving water for the long walk out. The trail wound way down into the canyon and at the bottom I waited for Amanda and transferred the rest of the water in my water sack into my Nalgene and then added my final electrolyte mix. “This is it - last liter, let’s hope it makes it,” before taking a big slug, shouldering my bag and speeding it to catch Amanda. I caught her the top of the climb out of the ravine and we turned north, meandering through a series of low hills before I saw the final grade progressing up another 500 feet and crossing over to the Pines-to-Palms highway. I could make out Travis, who had passed us just before the ravine, already making his way up. “That looks like way more than 500 feet,” Amanda said sourly, looking at me sideways. “A burger and beer on the other side babe,” is all I said before taking off.
We made our way to and eventually onto the long grade winding up the southside of Lookout Mountain. Both of our feet hurt pretty bad and I had, somehow, only now started getting the first blister of the trip on my left little toe. This is a miracle that I can only attribute to the trail runners. I know that if i had been wearing my Asolos up to this point my feet would be destroyed. The grade continued up traveling west but eventually traversing north where it crested a small saddle and I took the last swig of my electrolyte mixture. “All downhill from here,'' I thought to myself.
From the crest we wound down through some Manzaneta trees and pines - the sounds of the highway literally music to my ears. At the bottom, we came to a power line road which we took west. Amanda, sensing my excitement, told me to go ahead and get us a table and I took off. It took me about 15 minutes to cover the .9 miles to the cafe. I would have skipped if my feet were capable. Once there I threw my pack down in front of the porch and took in the dusty mess of hikers sitting around. The two German sisters who we had last seen pulling up out of Scissors Crossing were there. John from Eugene, Or was also there - he had stayed at the RV park instead of going into Julien because they had a pool. Travis was there with a woman from Switzerland already enjoying a burger and beer. There were also a number of other guys I hadn't seen before and the 3rd member of our camping spot group from the night before. I found an empty table and sat down requesting a second menu for Amanda. Not long after Amanda showed up and sat down. As she did, I heard someone shout my name and looked around to see Joe and Jannes coming out of a car. They came over and we hugged all around saying we weren’t sure we were going to see them again. A popular thing to do is actually to hitch from this crossing of the Pines-to-Palms highway up to Idylwild and resupply before the two days in the mountains between. We talked for a while and eventually Jannes and Joe headed out - they were going to get a few miles in before setting up camp. We told them we hoped to see them again and waved goodbye.
Also at the cafe were Tammy and Tom - the older couple from our vanpool in to Campo. Tom forlornly told me that they were done with the trail because the bottoms of Tammy’s feet were covered in blisters. We both gave her a hug and told her we were sorry before they too left for the evening. Amidst all of this we also talked with Chris and Nikola who were staying across the road at “Rick’s Place,” a popular resting place on the trail run by a guy who basically gives free reign of his home to hikers who want to shower, do laundry and stay in the lot next to his house. We said we would definitely be staying there that night and they took off.
The burger arrived and, Oh my lawd, it tasted so good. The GI’s and Rebel arrived and sat with us, also ordering burgers and refreshments. The night went on and many of the hikers retreated back to their accommodation for the evening - many going across the street. At one point another guy showed up and bought us a round of beers. We invited him to our table and he told us that he had done the PCT north and south in a single season - called Yo-yoing the PCT - a few years back. We were amazed and had lots of questions for him, not the least being, how do you get to Canada and say, let’s do that again. We laughed and talked for a while before Amanda and I decided to go make up our bed for the evening. We said goodbye and headed across the street.
The setting that we were met with across the street was really quite something. I would describe it like that scene from Pinokeo where all the boys are running wild in that carnival. People taking showers, washing clothes, there were pugs running around as well as tequila shots. We tried to avoid the fray but I did get pulled into a Hornitos shot. “This is nuts,” I commented to Joe and Jane outside. Eventually though Amanda and I were able to get our things together and set up. I tried to write up my blog but was too exhausted and instead passed out into a dreamless sleep
