Day 4
Start: Stealth camp
Finish: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Daily Mileage: 20.0
Trip Mileage: 61.5
It was a cold and windy night. It took me a while to get to sleep and I actually had to put on my down jacket for the first time ever in my quilt. I think the down shifted around in the quilt some when I washed it before the trip. I’ll have to work on it when I get into town.
I got another early start to allow for a bigger day today. I wanted to do 20 miles so I would only have 15 miles left tomorrow to get into town when it is supposed to be storming.
It was cold and windy as I started walking, and the trail was on the edge of the mountain ridge offering little protection. I shortly lost the protection of the pines as the landscape returned to high desert and I was glad that I decided to bring my wind shirt along. I used it for most of the day today.
Early on, the mountain turned offering a view north. Dead ahead was the snowy peak of San Jacinto which I’ll get to in about a week. I got caught up in the moment and laughed, seeing the first of the classic PCT snowy traverses. I’m not sure if I will be able to actually take the PCT across the mountain since it can require mountaineering skills and equipment at times, and this coming storm could make it worse. In any case, it was a 10,000 foot icon for me to behold.
I could also see east towards Villager Peak which is a 5,000 foot climb I did a couple years ago and ran out of water and started to get heat exhaustion. It was a somber reminder to me that I have to be careful in this terrain. It could be oppressively hot or buried in snow. I paralleled this range for much of the day today which gave me much to ponder. I could also see the Salton Sea beyond it.
The wind held the entire day. I did not want to stop for a break at the scenic spots because the wind was literally blowing me around, and it was cold at that. I took my first two breaks at the only places I could find that were sheltered from the wind so I could relax and rest.
For another break I stopped at a picnic area and met Jake for lunch. Great chat and the only other hiker I spoke more than a couple words to today. I think I only saw 4 others the entire day today. Perhaps everyone is trying to clear out for the storm.
There was a really odd section of trail on an old road bed cut into the mountain where there were many plaques of remembrance to those that had passed. There was no description of this area on either end, so I’m not sure what its significance is.
I got to my 20 mile goal for the day with the wind still roaring. All there was for cover was waist high scrub. They did decrease the wind up to their height, though gusts still got through. I strongly considered hiking on to find a better site at lower elevation and that much closer to town, but I put in my first 20 mile day and didn’t want to stress my body too much. I could definitely feel the 20 miles, and it was probably best for my knees and feet to not push it further. I will get wet tomorrow either way, so there’s probably not much difference.
The storm will start overnight, and we’ll just have to see how tomorrow goes.
I am finally starting to feel part of this hike. It is still unreal to me that I am out here and doing the PCT, and it has not fully set in yet.