Day 24: Through the Fog, Into the Wind

Date: Fri 5/11

PCT Start Mile: 347.2

PCT End Mile: 367.2

PCT Mileage for Day: 20.0

Off-Trail Hike Mileage: 0

Total Mileage for Day: 20.0

Total PCT Mileage: 367.2

Total Overall Mileage: 383.49

The Highlights: rain, fog, sun, and wind…

Last night, we camped in a low lying canyon area, along with a few other hikers. Before heading back to her tent, Marie – a hiker from France – pointed to the sky and said, “Do you think it will rain?” I looked to the light wispy clouds she pointed at, “Nah,” I said.

Early this morning, I woke from my already restless night of sleep and felt wet. The top of my sleeping bag was wet, the tent was wet. “F*$#”, I sighed. “Shawn”, I loud whispered, “It’s raining”. Last night when we’d set up our tent, we’d been far more concerned with wind, and set up in a small spot between two large bushes. There was room enough for the tent, but not the rainfly. We hadn’t even considered rain. And, after further investigation, it turned out that it was very very heavily misting and there was a dense fog around us. We were camped in a cloud.

We quickly weighed our options. Having no space to set up the rain fly and not wanting to lie there and continue getting wet, we decided to pack up and head out. By the light of our headlamps, we quickly packed our bags, tore down the tent, and were off, hiking into the mist. It was about 5:15am. Definitely the earliest we’d started hiking, and we used headlamps the first half hour. Typically there would be more light in the sky by 5:30, but with the heavy fog the morning was dark.

The hike for the day was up, up, up… a 17 mile climb to the campsite we planned to stay at tonight. Hiking through the fog was actually really pretty, with wildflowers poking out through the mist, and, though it was a chilly morning, as long as we were moving we were warm enough.

It was almost three hours of hiking in the fog before the sun started trying to show through the clouds. Burn baby burn! I wanted the sun to burn through the clouds and start drying everything out so we’d be able to lay our gear to dry later.

Soon enough it was warm and we’d climbed above the clouds. What a view! The climb into the mountains was stout today. While there are often nice, well-graded switchbacks, today felt more like we were weaving and twisting our way steeply up the mountainsides, continuously upward without break. I was exhausted. I’d slept poorly, we’d packed out super early, and the terrain was above par for me today. But, did I mention the views?

With many breaks along the way, we made it to the campsite we’d planed to stay at around 2pm, an early day, but I was so tired it was just as good. Unfortunately the wind had been picking up all afternoon and it was rip-roaring at the campsite.

A couple who was car camping had been trying to set up a tent and eventually gave up and left. We walked down the opposite slope of the mountain where it was calm and sunny and found some space to lay out our sleeping bags and tent to dry while we ate lunch.

While this side of the mountain was looking like it would be ideal for camping, eventually the wind began to pick up here, as well. We knew it would be a terrible night of sleep if our tent was flapping in the wind all night. So, despite being very tired, we quickly packed up again and continued down the trail. We were only 5 miles from Wrightwood, our next town stop, but we didn’t have anywhere to stay for the night and hitching late in the evening might be difficult.

We hiked a little under an hour to another campsite, the Blue Ridge Campsite, this one far less windy. We talked to a couple other hikers here, Anna and Mike from France and Ireland, respectively, who were planning to hike up to the campsite we’d just come from. We warned them against it.

After chatting a bit, we set up camp. While the wind was much calmer at this site, it was still pretty cold and we cooked our dinners in our tent vestibules.

I made the most kick-ass trail dinner I’ve had so far – mac n’ cheese with bacon pieces. This was a little more meal than I really needed tonight, since we’d had a late lunch, but it will be really good for the nights I arrive at camp ridiculously hungry. It was also the only thing left in my pack, so not a lot of options.

While we were making our dinners, a guy who had been visiting a friend who was car camping at the campsite, ran over to us, goodies in hand. Recognizing that we were hikers, he brought us a beer, a Canada Dry Gingerale with Lemonade, and a Larabar.

“Sorry, this is all I have,” he said, as if he needed to give us anything at all. He also let us know there was a water cache down by the highway. We thanked him for the goodies and the info. The cold ginger ale with lemonade really hit the spot with my mac n’ cheese.

Bellies full, we snuggled into our sleeping bags. Tomorrow we’ll only have a 2.5 mile hike to the highway, where we’ll hitch into town.