Day 12

Today we walked about 20 miles to end at mile 193.7, though only 14.3 of these miles were on the PCT proper—we took a side quest to summit Mount San Jacinto, adding a couple thousand feet of elevation gain and several miles on variable and occasionally steep snow.

I started the day with a shower and a huge breakfast of corned beef hash, eggs, and pancakes at the Red Kettle diner. We almost immediately got a hitch to the trailhead from a lady who had just spent the week in Highland Park!

Up up up. We gained 1565 meters—according to Bailey’s watch—overly nicely switchbacked trail which was mostly covered in frozen snow. Pretty easy going on the way up.

We made it to the summit San Jacinto, elevation 10,834 feet, in 3 hours and change, and we spent a good amount of time relaxing, eating—goldfish, garlic rye chips, and sour patch watermelons for me—and waiting for our straggler who we peer-pressured to summit against her wishes.

Here’s the group:

After the summit we endured a long descent down the west-facing side of San Jacinto.m through variable snow with very little trail or boot pack. Having finished this and rejoined the PCT, we started to make miles again in earnest. We conquered the dangerous and tedious Fuller Ridge without issue.

After this stretch, we enjoyed a snow free descent towards the I-10 in the golden light of the setting sun.

Tonight I try a foam pad instead my inflatable, an attempt to simplify my camp chores even further.

Note to the reader

Dear reader, You have been hitherto privileged to have received a post from me nearly every night. This will, in all likelihood, not continue. Though I will continue to write description of each day, I will begin posting them in batches due to spotty reception which is expected to only get worse as I continue down the trail.