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Big Long Walk

April - June 2024
PCT class of 2024 Read more
Currently traveling
  • 42footprints
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  • 60days
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  • 462miles
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  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 9

    Day 9

    April 19 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    A little more of a slow morning. The burritos we ordered were delivered at 6:45 but we were packed and moving around 6:30. The extended fam spent most of the day together

    The burritos were big and tasty. Gave us plenty of energy for the morning. I didn’t even need my mid-morning bar.

    We hiked through some more meadows and along streams. Some of the meadows we shared with cows. Unfortunately there was a bit of a swamp over the trail in one of the meadows almost all of us got muddy shoes.

    There was stream access pretty consistently for the first 3-4 miles. We met up at the last place it crossed the stream and collected water for the uphill & exposed carry. It was only a couple miles but the sun was heating things up.

    Spicy Batman set up his tarp like a shelter then he and I took everyone’s dirty water containers and went down to fill them up. The spring was putting out barely a trickle, but I got a big dandy lion leaf and made a pretty solid spout that flowed much faster than what was there.

    This led to the trail name “Leaf Spout” or “Leaf” for short. We’ll see if it sticks.

    Charlotte got the name “5 Spice” today because she can rotate through the personalities of the different spice girls depending on her mood.

    After that we had a 7 ish water carry to a water tank near some camping. There are a ton of people here again tonight. We are hoping for something more quiet tomorrow night

    Camped off trial near 126.9    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 10

    Day 10

    April 20 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Long water carry’s today of the 21 and change miles we did there were only 2 water sources. The first water source was about 10 miles in. We stopped there for a bit of an early lunch.

    The whole extended fam did the same miles today but were on slightly different schedules.

    I hiked with BeFree all morning. My left knee was feeling a bit funky so she let me use her brace for the day since she’s just carrying it in her pack. It helped. I’m considering picking one up tomorrow in town.

    It was quite hot today so I stayed with the late group a bit longer today. We left at about 1:30 to do the last 11 miles. The first couple of miles of that were brutally hot. But it cooled down toward the last couple hours.

    Camping at 148.2    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 11

    Day 11

    April 21 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 30 °C

    Biiig day today! Up super early after a rough night of sleep. After getting to camp late and knowing we had go leave early, I decided to cowboy. Only problem was it was a pretty warm night until about 2am. I was roasting under my quilt and didn’t want to stick an arm or a leg out lest the monsters take it.

    Up and moving by 4:30. Far too early considering fewer morning chores. I was able to take a few moments to myself while the stars were still out, which was great.

    Sam, 5 Spice, and I hit the trail at 6am sharp, and hike the four ish miles to highway 74 by 7:30. Grandma and grandpa were shortly behind us. We wanted to go to Paradise Valley Cafe to see if Charlotte’s spikes were there, so we waited for BeFree and Eelco and gave them a ride the mile down the road.

    Her spikes weren’t there so we headed back to Palm Desert and had a nice breakfast there after showers with eggs, oats for the vegan, fruit and toast.

    Then chores.

    We did two double loads of laundry. Double meaning we added more soap and hit go again once the machine finished.

    We all aired out the things that got wet overnight from condensation, and inventoried our food. Charged electronics and washed dishes.

    Suddenly it was 2. We had a laundry list of errands to run.

    First stop: Burger King. Apparently the best vegan fast food in America for Sam, and some chicken wraps to tide 5Spice and myself over.

    Second stop: in-n-out. No explanation necessary

    Third stop: Trader Joe’s, for half our resupply

    Fourth: TJ Max. 5 Spice and I both want another pair of shorts. She was successful and we all got great deals on sunscreen

    Fifth: Dicks Sporting Goods. Further search for shorts, a knee brace, and more. I was overwhelmed. By the shorts selection and came up empty again.

    Sixth: Ralphs. The rest of our resupply.

    Then finally home for dinner. Grandpa grilled up pork chops and a vegan burger. Big salad and Costco scalloped potatoes.

    Tried to do some more food sorting but too tired    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 12

    Day 12

    April 22 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Another big day today! Up early, I finally sorted through my food and broke out what I was taking vs having G&G being to i10 at mile 209.

    The knee brace I picked up yesterday apparently had a security tab. Grandpa took me back over to have it removed, and we ran a couple more errands on the way. We left Palm Desert at around 12. Sam had gone with grandpa to pick up a couple more vegan Whoppers, and grandma made chicken and ham sandwiches for 5Spice and me.

    We got back to the trail and met up with the extended family. 5Spice’s micro spikes were still in Idlewild where they had stayed the night so they brought them out for her.

    Camped at 159.7    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 14

    Day 13

    April 24 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    TOWN DAY!!

    Another early start up by 4 on trail by 5. Or as it turns out closer to 5:30. We took Devils Slide down to Idlewild as the sun rose and peaked through the trees. The snow was hard and grippy so the travel was fast.

    At the trailhead parking lot we talked to some day hikers who gave us cupcakes! My first trail magic!

    Once in town we got breakfast at the Red Kettle, then went to the grocery store to pick up a small resupply. At that point the rest of the group who slept in got there and the early group collected laundry to got to the laundry mat.

    Clean laundry in hand the two groups met again at the Red Kettle, and made air bb plans for Big Bear.

    Spicy and I got a pizza for lunch and to pack out for dinner, then we hit the gear store. I got some different socks and sun gloves, and a little bit of chord to replace the pull string on one of my stakes. They also gave me some packing tape to fix my 1/8 in pad.

    On the hike back up to the PCT, I hear someone coming toward me call out “Anna?” It was none other than Tucker Miller, on his day off after working Coachella. So great to catch up!

    Camped at Saddle Junction: 179.4    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    1
    Day 15

    Day 14

    April 25 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Earliest start yet, up at 12, on trail by 1 - overnight low: 30f. Spicy, Will, and I were determined to hit San Jacinto for sunrise.

    We hiked up the snowy mountain in a three man conga line following the alternate route or “blue blaze” that goes to the summit. Night hiking is the safest way to get through snow because it is coldest and hardest, therefore easier to navigate with micro spikes.

    We made it to the summit emergency shelter a bit before sunrise and had some cocoa. Once we were approaching dawn we bundled up and hustled up the last .2 miles and 100 vertical feet to the proper summit. The wood sign that hikers often hold was either not there for the season or buried under snow, but we got our pictures anyway.

    After we warmed back up for a bit in the shelter, we started our descent. The snow was still grippy not sticky and we flew down the mountain. At times we even treated it like skiing!

    When we met up with the PCT, we were over come with what would turn out to be false confidence. Only 4 miles to camp and it was only around 10am.

    Those four hours would prove more taxing than the summit push. The sun had softened the snow making it slushy and hard to traverse. Additionally, following footprints would lead us far off the actual trail due to impassable conditions on trail. Those four miles took us close to 6 hours.

    Luckily the campsite had no snow and some sunshine. Overall a great day.

    Camped at 190.5    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 16

    Day 15

    April 26 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 3 °C

    More reasonable start today. On trail by 6.

    The mission of the day: get out of the San Jacinto mountains. Including yesterday’s summit, we descended 8000 ft over 20 miles, then crossed the desert floor for about 4 miles.

    Those who have hiked the PCT know the legend of the Large Rusted Pipe. And today was the day! Just past mile 200, there is a large rusted pipe. You can see it for miles as you descend into the valley. Then it hits you. It is great. Simply great.

    We heard through the grapevine that we should check the weather. We did and found a wind advisory for 35-45mph wind with 80 mph gusts. Grandma and grandpa were supposed to meet us at i10 to bring resupply so we phoned and asked if we could crash during the bad weather.

    Whopper (Sam) and 5Spice were about 7 miles ahead and had already made a hotel reservation, which BeFree joined in on. Meanwhile, Spicy, Tux, Eelco and I went to grandma and grandpa’s.

    We all showered up, started a load of laundry and went to Mario’s for dinner.

    Popped over to Ralph’s to get some food and headed home,

    Made it to 209, slept in Palm Desert.    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 17

    Day 16

    April 27 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Super luxuriously slept on the couch at grandma and grandpa’s to avoid the wind.

    Later start this morning, Tux, Eelco, Spicy and I made a big breakfast of eggs, avocado and cucumber toast, and fruit.

    We got to trail around 9:30 and got started. I have been struggling with my blisters so the 4 of us decided to do a shorter day

    We stayed at the reserve thing near mile 218.5

    It’s a great oasis in the desert, currently falling asleep to the sound of frogs croaking    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 18

    Day 17

    April 28 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Long day of river crossings in the washed out valley. Started with about 7 miles and one or two big river crossings before we reached a section of the trail that had been largely washed away by “Hurricane Hillary” in late 2022 I believe.

    Spicy had hiked the trail before that and was amazed at how different everything was. When he last hiked there was only a mile or so that was washed out, where you had to basically hike up the river and then find the trail. Now there was 10 miles of wash.

    We started in high spirits joking about what we should do for each of today’s river crossings. The plan to each do 10 pushups for each crossing was not brought up again when we reached around 15 for the day 2 miles in.

    The river was low enough to safely cross and was currently snaking from wall to wall of the canyon it had once washed out. The day went climb over boulders around 2 ft diameter for 50-500ft on the left or right side of the river, each a bend we couldn’t get around, find the best place to cross, and start over.

    I bet we did upwards of 50 crossings.

    We made it to just past the end of the was around sunset and set up in a pasture.

    Camped at 235.7    Read more

  • TravelerBig Long Walk
    Day 19

    Day 18

    April 29 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Longer day today, out of camp before 6 but the first couple miles had leftovers of yesterday’s wash.

    We were planning on a 16 mile water carry from about 3 miles in. This ended up being unnecessary but we were all glad to not rely on unreliable sources.

    There was an abandon cabin camp site thing. It was pretty weird. Four room cabin with a couple of free standing guest houses (?) out back. Lots of picnic tables and bear boxes, and a nearly overflowing pit toilet.

    Camped at 256.1    Read more

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