PCT 2023 - Day 29 - HIGHWAY WALK!

The one with the apocalypse highway the hail storm and snow traversing.

📍 Location: Wrightwood to Angeles National Forest (campground).

🏔️ Elevation: approx 8600ft
🥾 I actually walked: 22.1 miles
💰 Money: $5 on a shared hitch
⛑️ Health: Feeling really good, even after 22 miles!

☀️ Weather: weird! A real mix of overcast, then hail storm, then thunderstorms followed by scorching heat!

🍲 Food: Toast with jam and fried potatoes (left over from yesterday). Lunch I had chicken noodles and dinner I had dehydrated scrambled eggs and sausages with onion and peppers (it wasn’t too bad).

💤 Sleep: I slept well in the cabin. Let’s hope I sleep ok in my tent tonight.

😃 People update: It’s Maddies birthday today so I hope we catch up with her. She’s 26 years young.

THE LONG WINDED VERSION:-

🛻 7am - We patiently wait outside of our cabin for a trail angel called Brian to collect us. He has a massive truck and we pile our backpacks into the back. Two hikers are already inside, Pather and another lady that I do t recognise. We chat about our last few days in Wrightwood and how much we enjoyed the farmers market and wine festival. Before we know it Brian is stopping the truck and we are at Inspiration point, the start of our next section. Let’s get this shit done! Our goal today is 15 ish miles.

🏔️ 741am The trail this morning is gorgeous. Mount Baden Powell and Mount Baldy (where the famous actor went missing earlier in the year) is towering above us. We are weaving through the forest with small sections of melting snow. It’s not too hot and our pace is fast. We are all a bit concerned about young Maddie whose birthday it is today. She ventured up here yesterday and got caught in the thunderstorm. Wow! I just passed a sign that says Canada 2277 miles, Mexico south 373 miles. I guess I’ve walked 373 miles so far (give it take a few squiggles).

🌵 906.am - A section hiker joins us. He walks as fast as he talks “check out the DevilsPunchbowl” he shouts as he points over to the right at a clearing. I stop for a minute and take in the scene. The Mojave desert looks so vast and spreads as far as the eye can see. We will be crossing that in about a week and I’m not looking forward to it.

🐐 921am - We reach a campground with out toilets and picnic tables. We are about 4 miles in to our hike and it’s a good place for a first quick break. Me, Joey and DinkyDi and enjoying the day so far but that is just about to change. DinkyDo spots a sign that says “beware of roaming goats” and gets all excited. She is keen to see a long horned goat on this adventure.

💦 945am - From the picnic area we head up the disused highway. It’s been closed for some time as there are landslides and snow blocking the road. The highway goes on for 34 miles so we have a long way to go! A good few miles in (going up) and we all need water. We can hear water flowing hard but none of us can see it. Eventually we find a stream which is flowing well and we all filter up.

🚗 1140 am - This highway has a strange vibe. I feel like I’m in an apocalypse as we trudge along the empty road and clamber over rock slides. It’s like time has stoped still. I’m ahead of Joey & DinkyDi now. I quite like the road walking. With exception to the snow sections and the landslides, it’s easy walking and we have stunning views to our right over the desert floor and mountain ranges to our left with snow capped forest trails.

👮‍♀️ I’ve stopped for a break on the highway as a sign above me saying $1000 fine for littering. Funny, as who would police that? I’m gonna wait here for Joey and Di and rest my feet for a while.

⛈️ 1pm - Yeah we found Maddy! She didn’t go all the way up Ben Powell yesterday as the storm came in. She hunkered down in her tent after the heavens opened and watched the lightning. She’s 26 years old and has such a sense of adventure. She was wise to pitch up and then not climb the mountain. I’m glad we’ve caught up with her and that she’s safe. WThe four of us are now walking the highway and the sun is now hiding behind dark clouds. I prefer the temperature but I’m a bit concerned that those dark clouds will turn to rain. I’ve still got my umbrella up and it’s not long before I’m hearing the pitter patter of raindrops on my brolly. ☔️ Everyone stops to put on their rain gear (mine is at the bottom of my pack so I decide to just stick with my umbrella for now). DinkyDi had sent her rain jacket in her bounce box so only had an emergency poncho in her pack. She looks like she is about to go on the water flume and DisneyLand! 😂

🌧️ 138pm - It’s now thundering and the rain has turned to hail. Everyone carry’s on walking but I stop to dig out Mg rain jacket from the bottom of my pack. I’m behind everyone now but I feel so much better.

❄️ 210pm - The rain continues and we also have to cross snow packed sections on the road which are a bit sketchy. We take our time and use our poles to negotiate the tricky sections. We have caught up with other hikers now which is fun and helps the pas the time on the Highway. DinkyDi spots the poisonous poodle dog bush plant, which we all avoid like the plague. Then Maddie shouts out “look, tree pimples!” And we see lots of little mushrooms growing from the trees. This area has been burnt so most of the trees are black and rather sad.

🥪 2.25pm - We reach Islip Saddle which has a pit toilet and picnic benches. It’s a great place for lunch so we fire up our stoves and I enjoy hot noodles with tuna.

🐸 The road goes on and on. We reach a notice saying “PCT closed due to protection of an endangered yellow legged frog”. Apparently it is nearly extinct so they are protecting the land.

🎤 3.20pm - The highway takes us through two large tunnels and we have fun singing and shouting echooooo. Big kids!

⛺️ 5.20pm - Finally, we decide to camp for the night. Just me and DinkyDi. Maddie and Joey have carried on but after 22.1 miles, we are pooped! We have lovely campground with toilets which is a bonus. We set up camp, enjoy a dehydrated meal together and by 7pm it’s hikers midnight and we are off to bed. I watch an episode of breaking bad but I don’t see the end as I’m fast asleep.

😴 Night night.Read more