Date: Sunday, May 21st 2023
Day 11
Miles Hiked: 0
N 33.689992° W 116.609172°
Mile 151.8 (Paradise Valley Cafe) to Mile 166.5 (Apache Peak)
- Trail: Today brought elevation gain (4900' to 7100'), views, and weather drama. This section of the trail burned several years back and is filled with skeleton trees and new growth. I could see the mountain most of the day and hiked along a thunderstorm that stayed a few miles west, which kept the weather cool, overcast, and windy. The sections with bleached manzanita bushes in the foreground with red-leaved oaks in the mid and the mountain in the distance were surreal. This is the prettiest section by far (and it has fewer biting flies).
- Campsite: I was going to do a 2-mile sidequest for more water, then camp around 168, but I found an unmarked spot right before the water trail that's flat (if slightly sloped) and relatively out of the wind. I can see Palm Springs from here. 1-2 other people set up camp slightly past me.
- People: Hiked briefly with some people I hadn't met before. May have picked up the name Magicarp because I'm wearing a lot of orange and heavy-breathing my way up the hills lol, but we'll see if it sticks.
- Tomorrow: An easy 12-mile day to camp just outside Saddle Junction. I'll take the Devil's Slide trail (2.9 miles) from Saddle Junction to the Idyllwild trailhead on Tuesday morning, stay in the Fireside Inn, then do 7ish miles Wednesday afternoon to camp at the base of the San Jacinto Peak alternate to do the summit. It's a loop that connects back with the PCT about 15 miles north, and I'll need to start early on Thursday to climb before the snow gets too slushy.