Written Thursday, 29 April 2021

The cowboy camping experiment was decidedly more successful than the sunbrella experiment. I quite enjoyed it. The moon was full, or very nearly so, and it was still fairly high in the morning sky when I woke at 0400.

Anticipating another scorching day, I wanted to get on the Trail as early as possible, and cowboy camping makes packing up fast and easy. I was ready to go by 0450, and I hiked for 45 minutes or so, until the morning twilight made it unnecessary. I don't care much for hiking in the dark, but a hiker I met several years ago, Lex, once told me, "I don't like to hike into the night, but getting up and hiking into the dawn is a lot easier." Now, having done it, I'm inclined to agree.

Also, many thanks to Mary for making such an awesome site available to us on her own private property. I wish I had a better way to say, "Thank you!"

I was very happy to have a couple of cool miles behind me because today was another very warm day, and there was a lot of climbing. A lot.

I don't talk too much about the climbing and descending on the PCT because, so far at least, the climbs and descents have been relatively gentle, even if they are long.

Today, however, the ups and downs are much tougher and steeper, very much like I remember on the AT. We are now climbing, in fits and starts, toward Mt. San Jacinto, the first 10,000 foot peak on the PCT.

The first bit of the day isn't too tough, and I arrive at California Highway 74 in a a little under 3 hours. From here, I could go to the nearby Paradise Valley Cafe and get a ride into the town of Idyllwild, but I am not quite ready to do that, so I cross the road, and the real climbing begins.

Starting at about 4,800 feet the Trail rose to something over 7,000 feet over the next few miles, mostly in short very steep sections.

Partway up, I stop at a side trail to Tunnel Spring for water. The side trail is steep and rocky, but, at 1/4 mile long, it's the only water source in the next 20 miles that is less than a mile off Trail. I drop my pack at the head of the side trail and head down.

At the spring, I pound 2 liters of water are carry three more back to the top, returning to the climb with a full 4 liters of water. Ooof.

About another 2 1/2 miles ahead, the Trail rises above 6,644 feet, which is only significant to me because it means, for the first time on the PCT, I'm above the highest altitude on the AT (at Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountains National Park)--and we're not yet even close to the highest point on the PCT.

Not too much later, the Trail noses over and starts a fairly significant descent, giving back some of our hard fought altitude gains over the next couple of miles, only to turn upward again, climbing sharply to above 7,000 feet.

Look to the right, and you overlook Palm Springs and the Salton Sea (really a lake that has no inlet or outlet and is fed entirely by runoff...yuk). Look to the left and you see Lake Hemet and the town of Idyllwild.

We pass under Spitler Peak, climb a bit more, and pass a campsite where a nice hiker named Sage says, "There's a great spot over here, if you're ready to stop for the day."

I was, and she was right, it was a great spot on the Palm Springs side. So, for the last time today, I dropped my pack. Looking over the small area, I decide immediately that I will cowboy camp again tonight, without the benefit of an awning.

After almost 24 miles today, and a ton of climbing (and descending too), I am whipped, but I'm safe, dry, and warm enough overlooking Palm Springs.

Miles hiked today: 23.1 Total miles hiked: 168.5

Sea Otter Fact of the Day: Besides sea urchins, the southern sea otter dines mainly on invertebrates (clams, mussels, crabs, octopuses, and the like). The northern and Asian sea otters also include some fish in their diets.