Day 18: Hurry Up and Rest

May 18, 2015 (4th Re-Ration – Big Bear Lake) Campsite near Coon Creek Cabin (246.4) to HWY 18-Big Bear Lake (266.0) 19.6 PCT miles today 279.1 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 2,385 ft, – 3,673 ft We made it! Making it to Big Bear feels like our greatest accomplishment yet. These were a hard…

Read More

Day 17: Exhaustion Sets In

May 17, 2015 Campsite at Mission Creek Crossing (226.3) to Campsite near Coon Creek Cabin (246.4) 20.1 PCT miles today 259.5 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,907 ft, – 1,248 ft There was unanimous agreement among all the hikers that today was HARD. We “only” had to do 20 miles today so we slept…

Read More

Day 16: The Land of Lizards

May 16, 2015 Ziggy and The Bear’s (210.8) to Campsite at Mission Creek Crossing (226.3) 15.5 PCT miles today 239.4 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,624 ft, – 2,132 ft Today began and ended in total bliss. It was only the afternoon that tested our patience and perseverance. We woke at Ziggy and The…

Read More

Day 15: Rising to the Challenge

May 15, 2015 Campsite near tributary of the North Fork of the San Jacinto River (186.2) to Ziggy and The Bear’s (210.8) 24.6 PCT miles today 223.9 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 1,296 ft, – 8,926 ft I could probably write an entire book about our day’s adventures, but it’s 9pm and I’m exhausted,…

Read More

Day 14: Bagging a Peak

May 14, 2015 (Mount San Jacinto Peak) Idyllwild Inn (Mountain Fire Alternate) to Campsite near tributary of the North Fork of the San Jacinto River (186.2) 2.3 PCT miles today, 5.5 Alternate PCT miles today, 2.6 non-PCT miles today 199.3 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: Unknown Right now there’s a huge snowstorm going on just…

Read More

Day 13: A Nero in Idyllwild

May 13, 2015 (3rd Re-Ration – Idyllwild) San Jacinto State Park (Mountain Fire Alternate) to Idyllwild Inn (Mountain Fire Alternate) 2.6 Alternate PCT miles today 188.9 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: Unknown There is nothing better than a cozy cabin with a fireplace after almost two weeks in the woods. Today was our first official…

Read More

Day 12: An Alternate Reality

May 12, 2015 Campsite at Tunnel Spring (158.4) to San Jacinto State Park (Mountain Fire Alternate) 4.2 PCT miles today, 18.6 Alternate PCT miles today, .3 non-PCT miles today 186.3 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: Unknown What a long, successful, rewarding day! We started out this morning from our campsite on a part of the…

Read More

Day 11: All About That Burger

May 11, 2015 Nance Canyon Tentsite (140.0) to Campsite at Tunnel Spring (158.4) 18.4 PCT miles today, 2.3 non-PCT miles today 163.2 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,982 ft, – 1,513 ft This morning we woke up with one goal in mind: get to Paradise Valley Cafe in time for lunch. We had heard…

Read More

Day 10: Our Sort of Adventure

May 10, 2015 Campsite on trail just past Lost Valley Spring (120.0) to Nance Canyon Tentsite (140.0) 20 PCT miles today, 1 non-PCT mile today 142.5 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 2,874 ft, – 4,023 ft Everyone develops their own thru-hiking “style”, and as the days go by, I think ours is coming into…

Read More

Day 9: A Matter of Perspective

May 9, 2015 Warner Springs Resource Center (109.5) to Campsite on trail just past Lost Valley Spring (120.0) 10.5 PCT miles today, .5 non-PCT miles today 121.5 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 2,207 ft, – 614 ft We ended up taking a full 24 hour break at Warner Springs, which to a beginning thru-hiker,…

Read More