Post Two | Days Five to Nine

• Total trail distance hiked: 179.4 miles | 288.72 km
• Days on trail: 9

Written from the Idyllwild Inn. 

Day Five started with a lift at 7:30am from a Trail Angel: Rangel (portmanteau of Ray + Angel) from the Stagecoach Inn to the small town of Julian. There were quite a few of us staying at this place (read: it was the only option available close to trail). Given the number of people needing a lift, three of us had to ride in the back of the Ford F150 pickup with the packs - no complaints from me. 

Sitting in the back of the pickup 

I was dropped right at the Gear Shop in Julian but had two hours to kill before it opened. What better way to kill two hours to the famed ‘Mom’s Pie House’. 

Mom’s has been providing free pie, ice cream, and hot drinks to PCT hikers for years - the kindness that people show on trail is amazing. I opted for an Apple and Berry, cinnamon ice cream, and filter coffee (free refills!). 

Actually free!

Julian - that’s basically it

Although I did a bit of a resupply at the Stagecoach Inn, I was missing tortillas and peanut butter so bought those in Julian. With taxes, a jar of Skippy peanut butter and a 12 pack of tortillas was $18NZD - ouch! 

Ran into a few familiar faces in Julian - seemed like a few people were taking a few days off here to avoid the bad weather. 

2 Foot Adventures is an incredible gear shop that has anything that you might need. I needed a bottom baselayer (given the cold previous two days), a sunglasses retainer, some electrolytes, and some gummies (lollies). Everything was at retail price - welcome after the aforementioned snack price gouging.  

Back in the F150 with Rangel (backseat this time) and dropped off where I was picked up the day before at Scissor Crossing. 

Rangel the Trail Angel

Hiking involved a 14 mile water carry (uphill) to a water cache that someone had dropped off near their property. Bottle filled up and then about two hours more hiking to the next available camp spot (it was quite tricky finding somewhere to camp that day). 

Water cache - only still (no sparkling, alas)

Day Six on trail turned out to be my favourite so far. Two miles in I hit the 100mi marker (feeling like progress, albeit small). Stopped to fill up water and someone had dropped off Dr Peppers, Oreos, and caramels as trail magic - never to early in the day for sugar (even when not hiking). 

100 miles down 

Reached ‘Eagle Rock’ where ‘Hamburger Helper’ (a trail angel) and his daughter were providing Trail Magic. Beers, lollies, fresh fruit, biscuits, salami, cheese - amazing! 

First beer on Trail.

Hamburger Helper

More goodies 

Many Trail Angels have a journal and they ask you to write in it. 

Hamburger Helper, Me, his Daughter in front of Eagle Rock
🦅 🇺🇸 

Met two hikers from New Zealand - Anna (Whitianga) and Phoebe (Alexandra). We walked together for a few miles and ended up camping together as well as the couple from Oregon (Conner and Jordan) who I shared a campsite with the previous night. We all had dinner together and decided to wait and watch the sunset (the first time any of us had been up past 8pm since starting).

Shared Dinner 

Sunset 

 

Day Seven only had one reliable water source - Mike’s Place. It’s the kind of place, if you were in any other situation, you’d avoid completely - looked like it was the set of a horror movie. 

All of us refilling our water. There kiwis outnumbered the Americans at this point. 

Going crazy 

Camped again with Jordan and Conner and had dinner together at our campsite. 

Day Eight was the toughest so far. A 13 mile water carry in the desert heat uphill (carrying the residual water from Mike’s Place). I allowed myself a mouthful of water every 45 minutes but it was gruelling. Made it to the highway and then hiked to Paradise Valley Cafe. 

At Paradise Valley Cafe (amazing burger and freshly squeezed orange juice) there were two options: 1) hitch into the nearby town of Idyllwild; or 2) walk back to trail and walk two days and take a connector route to Idyllwild. 

It seemed like most people were doing the latter (I also had a few days of food left) so opted for that. Jordan and Conner were taking a day off in Idyllwild and offered their campsite to share on Wednesday night. 

Day Nine was physically the hardest day on trail so far. As well as big elevation gains, there were lots of blown down trees to manoeuvre around on trail - hiking was much slower than I anticipated. 

Hiking was also incredibly beautiful today. Hiking along the crest with views of Mt San Jacinto in front and Palm Springs to the right. 

Palm Springs below

Photos can’t do the views justice 

I had read on FarOut that there would be a little bit of snow of trail today. The first two or three 10-15 metre stretches of snow were exciting. What I wasn’t expecting was about four miles of walking completely on snow. The snow was deep in places (coming up well above my knees). There was no discernible track and I was following some footsteps and checking FarOut to see if I was relatively on route. 

After an exhausting two hours I reached Saddle Junction and took the connector route ‘Devil’s Slide’ (ominous) to the trailhead where I thought I’d have cell service to get a lift back to Idyllwild. 

No luck. There was no reception whatsoever and with that, I made the hour and a half journey to town (reminding myself that I do, actually, enjoy walking and it’s what I’m here to do). 

Views are amazing 

I finally got reception, phoned the family for a chat, and Conner messaged to say that they’d opted not to camp and they had a spare bed at their cabin at the Idyllwild Inn (which I gladly accepted). Reached the Idyllwild Inn and had a delicious dinner (fresh vege!). 

A very welcome sight  

So good not having food from a packet 

Today’s plan is to do a resupply of food, laundry, chat with people at the gear shop about summiting  San Jacinto, and hopefully meeting Idyllwild’s most famous resident: Mayor Max.  

Then, if I’m wanting to head back to trail today, I’ll walk back the way I came, up Devil’s Slide, and camp close to the Mt San Jacinto Peak Trail for an early morning start. Let’s see…