PCT Section: A & B - Southern California
Crippling heat, Scarce water, and Trail Magic
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Section A: Campo to Warner Springs
On the left, my father and I. To the right, Ray. The elders and the Rabbit at the start of the PCT. Border wall behind us.
Our first mistake was a rookie one: Our packs weighed over fifty pounds, a mistake we’d never make again.
Ever so often, the trail would meet a road. These were the enchanting crossings where one might receive Trail Magic—something as simple as a water cache under a bush or a Miller Lite and a chat with a bearded Trail Angel. Some of my most joyous moments on the trail were provided by these helpful strangers.
-Scissors Crossing
The days were hot and dry. Sometimes, we would carry five liters of water, eventually running out but still having miles until the next water source. The average temperature in Section A was in the low eighties.
As hot as most of the trip was, we still had teeth-rattling cold. Never underestimate the desert! Mornings in the Laguna Mountains were below freezing, with wind gusts over fifty miles per hour.
-Mount Laguna
Ray was and always will be the soul of these trips. His unending mental fortitude can be nauseating at times but is always necessary. When things got bad, he would always say, “What is this chicken-sh*t outfit, and how do I get out of it?” Even through the suffering, it always puts a smile on our faces.
-Eagle Rock
The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,653 miles from the Mexican to the Canadian border. Most who do it in one go are retired or fresh out of college. However, I do not have that privilege, so on the trail, I’m known as a “Section Hiker” or “Hopper.” Join me at the beginning of my Section hiking story.
Section B: Warner Springs to Highway 10
Our second trip has gone down in infamy. This section was the most challenging backpacking I have ever done. The water carriers were at least ten miles from one another daily. The heat was in the nineties, and it hit triple digits on some days. Literally and figuratively, this trip was a mountain to climb.
The desert can be beautiful, but it's mostly hot. Most days, finding shade or even a shadow on the ground was rare. Then there were the biting flies, far worse than mosquitos!
I went from a grumpy hiker to a hiker who found his happy place in the mountains of Southern California. The pines are my happy place, and when I can smell them and touch them, no trail is too daunting for these legs. The Ponderosa pines were Krummholzed by the wind, and so too were the spritely Lodgepole pines. Clean and cold snow melt rushed down over the trails, and we drank like kings. Also, San Jacinto gifted us one of the most incredible campsites you’ll ever stay in. Perched near the top, we looked over all of Southern California.
We, or instead, I, were ready to quit after the second day. My Dad and Ray were delusional that we could spend another day in the intense heat. So I convinced the pair to hitch from Paradise Cafe to Idyllwild. From there, we smelled the cool mountain air and continued our trip up Mount San Jacinto.
The final two days were spent traveling around Mount Jacinto. On our final night, we slept near a creek, the last water before Highway 10, and reminisced on the trip and past trips. We met many friends who shared their stories and passed on valuable information. We got up early to beat the heat, but that never worked. On our final day, we descended Mount Jacinto back into the desert. It was arduous, with no protection from the sun. It hit 101 that day…
On that final day of Section B, we felt it all. The heat melted the soles of our shoes, and the descent butchered our knees. Yet, we did it in some of the harshest conditions the desert can provide. We promised never to go back to the desert again after this trip…we’ll see how long we hold true to that.