From the Mountains of Washington I'll Get a Start on the Desert of Southern California

9/20/13

My husband, Robin, wanted to help me get a start on the desert sections of the PCT while it was relatively cool.  I'd started from the border of Mexico on April 21st in 2012 hiking the first 20 miles to Lake Morena  but had not done well in the heat (in the 100s.)  I'd ended up going home and hiking Oregon instead.  My good fortune was to meet Peggy on the flanks of Mt Theilson in Southern Oregon, she was to became my partner in finishing the Oregon PCT in August 2012.  Then, since we'd partnered so well, we decided to hike Washington to Canada this year and we accomplished that incredible journey September 3, 2013! 

  My hope, in driving down to Campo, was to pick up in Lake Morena where I'd left off in 2012.   I was still in shape from hiking Washington and the desert weather in September might be cooler.

 The first order of business was getting a hiking permit for the Cleveland National Forest which the PCT runs through. In Oregon these permits are free and one is able to register at trailheads. Not so in California and there are fines to go with it if you are without a permit. Usually when hiking 500 + miles on the PCT you apply for a free permit allowing access through these parks. As long as you carry the permit you are able to hike without having to contact and receive clearance through each and every park, an exhausting process. Because I wasn't hiking 500 miles I needed to apply for a local permit.   So a visit to the Ranger Station in the town if Alpine was necessary,  where we purchased permits and maps.  Then we set up camp at Lake Morena campground and following our map found a place to rendezvous with each other the next day for cold water & snacks on Kitchen Creek Road. This would be 10 miles into my hike from Lake Morena up Mt Laguna to Burnt Rancheria campground where we would tent camp the following 3 nights.

  Robin and I hadn't tent camped for years so it was fun to set up, make dinner, snuggle into our bags and plan the next day. Robin was to be my own personal trail angel and shuttle driver. 

  We had to use ear plugs to fall asleep in the noisy campground but after a long day driving it was not such a problem.