A pretty uneventful, low-key day today. After a cold night, our little gang of now 6 with Sweet Pea and Beardoh set off hoping to warm up a bit. Just 2 miles into the day, we hit the pavement for a roadwalk detour around a section of trail that has now been closed for years in an effort to protect the habitat of the endangered Mountain Yellow Frog.
Reunion
The wind had abated and we were back on the trail under clear, cold skies after a fantastic evening with some fantastic hosts. Back up on the PCT, we quickly realized what kind of night it had been when we saw hoarfrost still clinging between the needles of the piñon pine from the frozen wind.
Into the Wind
Midway through the night, it began. From our protected camp site on the leeward side of the mountain just 20 feet below a small saddle in the ridge, we could hear the wind begin to howl. The wind warning we saw in yesterday's weather report was coming to fruition and it would mean that our plans for the next 24 hours were about to change.
Water is Heavy
It's an inescapable scientific truism, and one we would be cruelly reminded of today. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, so let's rewind to the morning. After cruising down 10 miles of descending trail by 9:30am, we reached the crossing of Interstate 15 at Cajon Pass.
Trail Magic
Our usual start time of 6am came, and off Proton and I went. At 7:15 we came to the crossing of a little used road and parked there was an RV, of sorts. Out popped Coppertone, a former PCT thru-hiker turned trail angel (pictured in the red hat below) asking us whether we'd like a root beer float or pie ala mode. Not exactly your typical breakfast, but in hiker-land, anytime is the right time for pie.
Two weeks
Today marks two weeks on the trail and even so early in the trip it's hard to wrap my mind around all the beautiful sights I've seen and all the wonderful people I've met. Other than the storm north of Mt. Laguna, today also marked the return of something that I'd seldom seen these first two weeks: clouds. Little white puffy ones.
First Hitch
The four of us rolled into the hostel at Big Bear Lake around 8:00 last night and quickly dashed off to a nearby restaurant for the $5 PCT thru-hiker special of breakfast-for-dinner: eggs, bacon, hashed browns, and biscuits & gravy. I wouldn't say my hiker appetite has fully kicked in, but it's certainly on its way.