DAY 16: SAN JACINTO AS FAST AS POSSIBLE

miles: 16

Creep camp in the cave --> Idyllwild

This morning was rough. I woke to the sound of Carrot packed and ready to hit the ground running, Ben snoring, and Angela popping blisters.

Angela has spent an unbelievable amount of her time popping blisters.

I felt rushed, immediately, and got ready as fast as I possibly could in order to avoid being the last one off of the mountain. I also wanted to get the grueling day ahead over with as soon as possible (which is sad because this section of trail is stunningly BEAUTIFUL and should be enjoyed) but I just cannot wait to have a day off. It will be our first day off in 7 days.

7 days.

This is because we had our first zero day, unexpectedly, prematurely BEFORE Kick Off, and since Kick Off we have been going going going going going going going and are dirty dirty dirty dirty dirty, hurty hurty hurty.

My feet need a break. My mind needs a break. My joints need a break. I need to figure out a shoe/insole situation. I need to rest.

We had a mile to go before we hit our water source for the day. We had dry camped (meaning we had no water overnight, which is a little nerve-racking) and I was thirsty.

And hungry.

Made it to the Fobes Trail where we went on a .5 mile side trip down to the water. Here - Angela and I cooked breakfast. I had my usual oatmeal while she had some noodles. The water source was from a spring but we got our water out of a pool covered by boards.

I hit the trail soon after my oatmeal, ahead of Ben and Angela, and eventually passed Carrot, who was taking a break.

We all spent the day hiking solo. I was in a zone again, cruising to music, trying to distract myself from the foot pain.This was the most beautiful hiking I've done in a while, but was also the most difficult. The vertical elevation gain was relentlessly grueling yet I was feeling strong cardiovascular-ly.

Some ominous clouds were rolling in, along with gale force winds and I braced myself for rain, stopping to suit up in my impermeables. I was starting to get a little anxious, a little spooked. Anxious that I would be WAY ahead of everyone (I had passed a lot of people that day and hadn't seen anyone for hours) as I ascended to over 8,800 feet, climbing up onto the tip top of this peak during a storm.

I was growing more and more anxious about the predicament I was facing if the weather fouled and I was alone. Lightning is something I fear in my normal life, even when I am safely in a car, or under a roof. How was I going to react when I am the only human on the top of the tallest mountain in all of Southern California in a lightning storm?

I waited and waited for someone, anyone, to come along so that I may have company to hike with in case the weather turned.

Finally a son, son, father trio from Roseburg rounded the bend and I hitched up with them, feeling safer already.

I can't believe how long and arduous today was. As I went to sleep last night it's as if I purposefully put my brain in denial mode, refusing to accept the fact that today would be, again, brutal on the weary, sore, feet. Also, disappointed with the fact that I was hoping to cruise through some of the most beautiful ecosystems ever. I needed a bed.

Snow. I reached an elevation where snow was strewn around in patches. A little snow man waved at me as I passed and I felt suddenly a lot colder. This is where I felt the first drops of hail on my skin. OH! it's...snowing? This sudden weather inversion was brief, but alarming. I promptly threw my pack to the ground and sat down with fervor. "I will wait for someone here. I'm not going any higher."

I heard the tap tap clack clack of poles coming up behind me in the distance and I braced for who it might be. IT WAS BEN. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for letting it be Ben! He had been pushing himself to the limit in hopes of catching up to me! We were both profoundly relieved with our finding one another. "It is so good to be hiking with someone", he yelled to me.

We started counting down the miles until we hit Devil's Slide Trail, the sharply descending 2.5 mile stretch of trail that juts off of the PCT and down into Humber Park, 4 miles from the town of Idyllwild, where we had a 2 night reservation at the Idyllwild Inn. Thank God.

My feet were SCREAMING AT ME. It's weird - if I stop, my feet hurt THE MOST, so in order to thwart the foot agony I MUST. KEEP. MOVING. This can be frusterating for Ben because he stops a lot to stretch, but I just let him know I will inch slowly forward, maintaining a Granny Shuffle and he can catch up. I wish I could stop and elevate my feet without the pain increasing... it just doesn't feel good once I've passed about 16 miles. If I stop, I have to stop stop, like... for good.

We FINALLY hit Devil's Slide Trail and I (literally) RAN down that mountain so fucking fast. Ran past the scented day hikers, the laundered tourists and smiling, fresh faces of vacationers. I had no time to talk or stop, I was on a mission. I felt bad, but I couldn't stop to talk. Ben and I had taken advantage of the sliver of cell service he had at the top of the mountain and called a local Trail Angel, Dave, and asked if he was able/willing to pick us up in Humber Park and drive us the 4 miles to our final destination. He was SO NICE, it's amazing. He was there waiting for me when I threw down my stuff in a fit of exhaustion and collapsed on top of it.

"Are you one of the hikers I'm pickin' up?" YES YES YES YES YES INDEED.

Ben came rolling in soon after me and we jumped in his car. THANK YOU DAVE FOR THE LIFE SAVING RIDE!

We were dropped off at the Idyllwild Inn, amazed at the coziness of it. We had our very own cabin, Angela, Carrot, Ben and I, complete with wood fireplace, shower, beds, and a KITCHEN! Immediately showered, then was supine. I think I passed out at 7pm. TRUE BLISS. NO KIDDING HERE. Fell asleep with my wind chapped, sun burnt skin heating me under the blankets.

Water source of the day.

Ben at the water source - Note: the layers... it's freezing.

Entering a very wild wilderness.

Photos do not do this landscape any justice. This was a very windy, high altitude section.

When the trail is rocks stacked on top of one another up on a ledge.

Favorite part of the trail today.

Storm rolling in, I'm above those clouds!

Came up and over EACH, and EVERY, one of these lumps.

The trail follows closely around/on top of each of these peaks.