Day 8-10: 100 miles

April 15, 2022

April 12-14; Mile 77-109

Day 8

We left Julian around 10 to begin a long, dry climb. The next reliable water source was Barrel Springs 24 miles ahead. There was a water cache after ‘only’ 14 miles, but PCT wisdom dictates that you should never rely on a water cache, so we each lugged 5-7 liters of water up the mountain.

Thankfully it was cold and sunny, with just enough of a breeze to keep us cool on the climb. The trail had finally begun to feel like the PCT to me: a gentle steady grade that wound in and out of gullies to flutter along just below the ridge line, before plunging once again to the next valley. And around every corner it seemed there was another cactus blooming.

Despite the gentle slope I was feeling beat down by 4pm, and decided to set up camp short of the day’s mileage goal. Two people I’d met in town soon joined me, and we ate dinner together as the sun disappeared and the nighttime chill settled in.

Day 9

I hiked out the next morning with Ben and Chaz, and we stopped by the water cache for a luxurious late breakfast. We spent about an hour relaxing in the shade and chatting. But we wanted to get some more miles done before the day heated up, so we topped up our water bottles and climbed back to the trail.

I slowed down considerably throughout the day. I had started to feel a little sick while in Julian, and as such I hadn’t eaten much the day before. Plus my feet were still adjusting to the different shoes. Around 4pm I limped my way past the 100 mile marker and then on to Barrel Springs. I turned my phone on to see if I had service and saw a message from my group of friends. They were only 1/2 a mile ahead and two of them came to get me and bring me to their camp spot.

I ended up hiking 15.5 miles that day and was ready to collapse. The problem with the desert is that if you can’t cover the distances between water sources in a single day, you need to carry more water for staying overnight, and that extra weight slows you down so that you need even more water to account for the extra time spent hiking… and so on and so forth. The San Felipe hills had been beautiful, but their arid views came at a heavy price. And I was only about 15% of the way through the desert; I knew somewhere ahead of me lay a 40-mile stretch without a reliable water source. But for that evening I just enjoyed being around friends again.

Kelsey and Lauren cowboy camping

Day 10

I woke up to plaintive moos and a tent coated in ice. Our group had a leisurely start to the day, letting the sun crest the hill and bathe our campsite in warmth. Gear hung from the bushes in a multi-hued explosion to hopefully dry out before being crammed back into our packs.

I was feeling worse after the freezing overnight temperatures and soon fell behind the rest of the group. The scenery was such a change from the past few days: rolling meadows of waving green grass with cows ambling past. I took a nice break in the shade beside a creek, sipping the cold water to wash down the peanut butter I was eating straight from the jar.

Continuing on I came upon one of the highlights of this area: a natural rock formation in the shape of an eagle. My friends were waiting, and we all got a photo together before they left.

Eagle Rock

As I sat taking in the views, I was approached by two mean with hats that said PCT Trail Angel. They were handing out snacks and other goodies to thruhikers! I got some packets of sriracha and Parmesan cheese, as well as nutty bars, twizzlers, and peanut butter crackers.

It was an easy hike the rest of the way to Warner Springs, with some ancient oaks casting shade across the trail. I’m stuck here for now until a package arrives on Saturday. Sadly I picked the first town without any amenities to spend a true ‘zero’ day in.

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