Leaving McDonald’s I brought 20 nuggets, and 6 cheese burgers. The two fries didn’t make it to the trail. I camped maybe 2 miles after Cajon Pass just before the water cache and enjoyed a nice long quiet afternoon. I know Wrightwood is off the table for today but I also don’t want to get there too early tomorrow. I find you can’t hitchhike as easy in the early AM.
This meant I had 10-12 miles of maybe 2.500’ elevation gain going up towards Wrightwood leaving Cajon pass. I wake up at 4:30AM and just lay there. I stretch for a bit and then start packing up at 5. I expect the sun to be light enough to see around 6:00AM. At 5:30 I get out and stand outside just enjoying a perfect morning temperature. I take a few deep breaths. It feels good to breathe at a normal elevation again.
I hear Seven making noise over in his tent. He yells over “Mouse! Don’t leave without me I need your tape!” Ahhh yeah he’s still nursing that blister and is taping it up. One more day and you can heal it for the weekend.
“It’s a beautiful morning.” I tell him.
The alpenglow lights up the desert valley and Seven and I just stand there for a second. I look at him and say “Nice dry tent today. Perfect.”
I get a move on and he stays behind to tape up. Again I tell him “you’ll catch up. It’s up hill and I hate the up hill.” After a half mile I hit a water cache. Nice,
I only had a liter left and the uphill drains me. I was planning on rationing water all day, luckily my meal of McDonald’s didn’t need water last night. It’s always a battle of more water is more weight. But water is life and weight is manageable. Never pass up a clean drinking source. I top off knowing I’ll finish it as heading back up to 7,000’ will dehydrate me.
After the water cache it was endless switchbacks for roughly 10 miles. Within those ten miles were easy gradual rises where I would take in the scenery. Able to see the highway where we got McDonald’s the day before in the distance. Some jumping over downed trees, and some scrambling some rocky sections. Seven and I were on opposite ridges for most of it so I would yell random stuff over to him. He’d yell back he can’t hear me.
As I climbed to 6,800’ elevation I stop to wait for the others to catch up, I don’t want to miss the right turn to the road and I want to make sure we all take it together. I heard they are giving out 1,000$ fines for walking through the closure. I’m all set with that. That’s robbery.
After Seven and Tardy catch up we eat a couple snacks and get moving again. We laugh about how Tardy brought 39 cookies and still had a bunch. He starts passing them out saying they’re 360 calories a cookie
After a pair of cookies I get moving again. Maybe no more than 900 feet up trail I step over a snoozing snake. Seven yells out “Mouse! You didn’t see that??!” Nope. Completely missed it. Walked right by it in the zone.
With that holy shit moment I’m ready to be on the down hill. Another half mile and I hang a right down towards the highway where we take Lytle creek road which is about a 2.5 mile downhill to the highway. We see a few Jeeps and a Bronco doing a little off roading on the way down. This is the last point I can walk to mile 362 and then after the closure I can restart the trail around 372-374.
We get down to the highway and see it’s a 5.5 mile road walk to town. Seven says screw it let’s go, as we start walking we try to hitch anyways. In 15 minutes we have no luck, another 5 minutes go by and Sevens way out front. I look at Tardy and see a big truck driving towards us. “Hey Tardy watch this”
I hike my short shorts all the way up and throw serious leg into the street. The guy beeps and pulls over a 1/8 mile up the road. We jump in and he goes “honestly man that was fucking funny” I laugh back and go buddy I didn’t think you’d stop so I said screw it why not have some fun.
He gives Tardy and I a ride to town. Seven didn’t want a ride and in the process he tells us about Baden Powel and the area. There’s tons of trail angels that will take care of us he says. He drops us off at the Mountain hardware store, Tardy, and I sign the PCT hiker logbook, and are given a free commemorative Pin. We rented a cabin from a local for the weekend and decide to enjoy some quiet time the four of us. Renaissance got dropped offed maybe 30 minutes after I got there.
Today was a short day, I probably needed it. I definitely enjoyed it. Tomorrow’s a zero day and Monday we get back after it as soon as the post office opens at 8:45AM.
The Pacific Crest Trail 