I camped at Islip parking lot and the weather overnight was perfect. I wake up around 5:30AM and my body feels like trash. Yesterday was a physical battle, I’m glad I “won” it but man I feel it today. This is probably how boxers feel even after a win. Beat up.
I pack up my camp and walk over to the privy. It’s actually clean. Perks of the road being shut down for years no one comes here. I start off my hike through a tiny section of trail and then I jump onto highway 2 for a 5+ mile road walk around the frog closure.
Wolf and Dallas are with me this morning. This highway looks like it would be awesome to do in a nice sports car. Top down, music on low, heated seat on. Ahhhh man to move that fast again… but anyways.
Right now you’re probably saying wtf is the frog closure?
The “frog closure” on the PCT at least, refers to a trail closure between roughly miles 390 and 393 to protect the habitat of the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa and Rana sierrae). These frogs are native to these parts of Southern California. Their populations have sadly been severely reduced due to:
• Invasive species (like non-native trout that eat frog eggs and tadpoles)
• Disease (especially chytrid fungus) like all of us
• Habitat loss and degradation
The U.S. Forest Service and other agencies sometimes temporarily close certain trail sections especially in sensitive breeding areas to help the frogs recover without human disturbance. Essentially we’re letting the frogs have sex unbothered by us.
As of recently this zone has been off limits to hikers. It looked beautiful but I guess I’ll see it next year.
After walking around the frog closure I cut through Buckhorn Campground. I have to say what a beautiful campground, they even had fireplaces out side that I would imagine not in fire seasons would be awesome to sit by. I can remember a few cold nights I would’ve loved that. There was also privys everywhere, not that I’m a huge fan of them but when you have to go you have to go.
After I walk to the end of the campground I read the bulletin board that gives me the heads up about the local wildlife. Of course mountain lions and rattlesnakes. I’d like to see one but not the other. From a far far distance.
After a mile on the trail it’s an obstacle course across a river on a huge log Indiana Jones style.
From there it was down down down until guess what, another river crossing, I fill up my 2 liters of water, chug a half liter and start back up hill to regain what I lost in elevation.
I stop to have lunch and Dallas joins me, today’s it’s cheese and pepperoni in tortillas for lunch. Of course a side of gummy worms with it and electrolytes to catch up on the dehydration. Not get ahead of it, but catch up at this point.
We get moving again and Dallas is ahead of me. I see them stopped staring and then get walking again…. Weird, I get to where they were and see what they were staring at. A nice old snake standing at attention. I swing at it with my trekking pole and high step it out of there. “WTF Dallas!” I yell. “Yeah it was kindve pissed off at me.” You’re killing me smalls. I think it was a gopher snake, but I didn’t see it good enough.
From here on it was a slog uphill the rest of the way, knowing the sun is setting fast and that I’m shooting for mile 411 I put my head phones in and zone out. I pass by camp Glenwood it’s at mile 400. Nice landmark. A private dad’s camp for kids it says. It’s a nice spot out here but is closed up. The water is also off.
As I push that last 11 miles to camp I see Seven and Wolf already there. I haven’t seen Seven in a day or two it’s awesome he made it. He was here first, we all sit down, have dinner and enjoy my last night as a 35 year old.
Tonight I’m lucky enough to grab an amazing camp spot at mile 411 on my birthday 4/11. Last year I spent my birthday with my dad hiking Havasupai. It was his first time to the Grand Canyon and my second time there and his first time backpacking. He absolutely crushed that trip, we had a great time and it was a perfect four days of weather. I honestly think that was the best birthday I have ever had to date. But I’m expecting this years to top that.
35 was an amazing year for me, I met amazing people, got into some trouble, traveled to a bunch of amazing places and did some pretty outrageous stuff. So as I say good bye to my self as a 35 year old I keep in mind that 36 better hold on fucken tight because it’s just getting started.
The Pacific Crest Trail 