PCT Section Hiking
Day 3–6
To follow my PCT Section A hike, click here. For some reason, the section between Lake Morena and Kitchen Creek Road was not tracked. The section between Scissors Crossing and Barrel Springs is not tracked because I didn’t walk it. The section from Scissors Crossing to Julian is not part of the PCT and was done in a car.
Day 4
From: mile 30, Kitchen Creek road, 3979ft
To: mile 43, Mount Laguna, 5942ft
7 hours, 13 miles/21km, 2000ft elevation gain, high 24 Celsius
Second day of the climb to Mount Laguna. I started walking early, at 7am, and was able to hit the 6 miles mark (5200ft), a small tent site under a large oak tree, by 9:30. The trail was in a continuous ascend throughout these 6 miles, with the views getting better as you climb up. At 5000ft you start seeing trees, which provide essential shade. I only ran into 4 hikers today. A young couple what passed me in the morning, and two female hikers that I passed, one young and one who looked 60+ and looked Finnish, and also finished.. I asked if she needs help, but she said she’s OK.
Day 5
From: mile 43, Mount Laguna, 5942ft
To: mile 53, Pioneer Mail picnic area, 5280ft
5 hours, 10 miles/16km, 600ft elevation loss, high 26 Celsius
I walked straight out of the lodge today, about half a mile to get back to the trail. The plan was to stop at the Pioneer Mail picnic area which is on a road, and hitch a ride back. If necessary, I could have walked the 6 miles back on the road and had enough water.
An overall easy downhill day, but one that we cynically call in the Israel trail "same elevation hiking". You lose 800 throughout this day, but you also climb about 1000 feet along the way. By now I have a daily routine. Wake up between 6 and 6:30, no food or coffee, I just drink some water. I try to be on the trail between 7 and 7:30. I take a first 5 minute break after 2.5 miles to move to short sleeves, two sips of water and get an apple out of my backpack (which I eat while walking). Breakfast break is at 5 miles: water, coffee, sandwich, trail mix, and write in my blog.
The PCT today gets into an interesting territory. As you walk the Pacific Crest on the Laguna mountains, to the west its green and lovely, and to the east a complete desert with no vegetation. The Laguna mountains block any rain from getting east.
I saw 3 PCT hikers on the trail today, but also met Karl, a nice gentleman frown San Diego, who was on a local hike. We talked for a while and then departed. When I got to the Pioneer Mail picnic area, Karl was there talking to some hikers, and he was driving back to Mount Laguna and offered me a ride, so I didn’t even have to hitch hike.
Day 6
From: mile 53, Pioneer Mail picnic area, 5280ft
To: mile 63, Mason Valley road, 4700ft
5 hours, 11 miles/17km (1 mile to get back out to the road), 500ft elevation loss, 30 degrees Celsius
Today was the toughest day of my hike, even though it was only 10 miles, and a comfortable terrain. There were two problems: the heat which approached 30 degrees Celsius towards noon, and my blisters, which felt like walking on knives. The terrain was simple and the views nice to the desert in the east, as the Laguna range starts to descend to the north. I met two PCT hikers during the day, and two local hikers. When I hit mile 62, I found out that the dirt road I hoped to be able to hitchhike on back to the main road (Sunrise hwy), is really a narrow walking path, so I had to walk back to the main road, a mile+ away. There, after few cars passed without stopping, a local lady, Judy Taylor, who is a performer and singer, stopped to give me a ride back to my car in Pioneer Mail. See her performing here and here.
My pace is constant so far as I walk the PCT. I usually walk a mile every 24 minutes, or 2.5 miles/hour. In tough ascends I can slow down to a mile every 28 minutes or so.
