FIRST 100+MILES
The past week has been a bit of a blur. Jack and I are getting our trail legs on and breaking in our feet. Daily mileage is important in order to finish the trail before the snow begins to fall in the Northern Cascades sometime in September or October, however we don't want to enter the Sierra Nevada Range in mid California at mile 702 too soon, where record snow leaves concerning trail traversing conditions, and a fast melt will contribute to dangerous snow bridges and water crossings. It is definitely a balance of time, mileage and safety.
We are in the mountain town of Idlewild resting in a hotel room, about 160 miles north of the border. The next few days are a bit intimidating because we will be ascending from around 5,000' to 9,000', and encountering conditions that require an ice axe and microspikes.
Hiker Hunger is beginning to set in and needing to eat unusual amounts for fuel. It's fun to be able to eat pretty much anything in site without the worry of gaining weight!
Highlights since the last entry: a day of rain ending in a slumber party at the Warner Community Center with other wet and cold hikers drying out for the night; "Mike's Place" to fill up with water in a dry section and break bread over Jet Boils and Pocket Rocket stoves in a unique setting; listening to Beaverton Four Square Square Church live, on-line, while on a crest looking at the snow capped Mt San Jacinto to my left and an extended valley view to my right; meeting our friends the Walkers, who came in from Palm Desert to drop off a re-supply box and visit at Paradise Valley Cafe.
SLUMBER PARTY AT WARNER SPRINGS
WATER CACHE AT THE ENTRANCE TO "MIKE'S PLACE".
MIKE'S PLACE - NEVER SAW MIKE OR KNOW WHO HE IS, BUT THANK YOU MIKE!
A GLANCE AT SAN JACINTO
PARADISE VALLEY CAFE
Below is a Relive video that shows the route of the trail and photos along the way. If it ask you for an email it means I don't know how to embed the video... in that case, sorry 😬
