My plans changed in a big way today.   Ned told us he can’t go on and must turn back and hike out of Cottonwood Pass leading into Lone Pine.  His back and knee hurt badly. I contemplated going on anyway but decided that I Read More

From Chicken Springs Lake mile 750.8 to somewhere off the trail near Rock Creek mile 759.4 Day one of the Mountain Education advanced snow skills class began at 6am with self arrest training.  If you find yourself plummeting down a steep snowy slope how Read More

From mile 746.4 to Chicken Springs Lake mile 750.8 4.4 miles does not sound like much but it sure felt like it. For openers I did not sleep well last night because I was cold.  Being on snow makes a huge difference.  By 3am Read More

From Death Creek Canyon mile 730.8 to mile 746.4 about 1.1 miles north of Trail Pass As I write this I am laying in my tent and I am currently warm.  I am at 10,700 feet and camped on snow.   Will I stay warm Read More

From Kern River mile 716.5 to Death Creek Canyon mile 730.8 The rain stopped last night after we pitched camp but we woke up this morning in a thick fog and everything was soaked.  As we broke camp the sun burned through so we Read More

From Kennedy Meadows mile 702.2 to Monache Meadow / Kern River mile 716.5 Chris and I planned to leave at 7 this morning but that didn’t happen.  He lost his toothbrush so we had to wait for the general store to open at 9. Read More

I spent the day at Kennedy Meadows eating, sorting out my new gear, sorting food supplies and reading a book. In the morning I took the shuttle (a pickup truck jammed with 15 hikers) to Grumpy Bears for breakfast.  I was not able to Read More

From mile 683.3 to Kennedy Meadows mile 702.2 18.9 miles today plus another .7 on the road to get to the Kennedy Meadows general store.  I started at 7am and arrived at 3pm. I got my packages, had a cold shower and s lasagne Read More

From mile 664.8 to mile 683.3 Only 18.5 miles today but I am in a lovely spot and to go further would have meant starting a long climb and likely having trouble finding a level spot. Much of the chatter among hikers for the Read More

From Walker Pass mile 652.1 to mile 664.8, plus 34 miles of hitching to Onyx and back. I was on the road with my thumb out by 5:50 this morning.  It dropped to the low 40s last night which was great for sleeping but Read More

From mile 628.1 to Walker Pass  /  CA 178 mile 652 It was windy all last night but I was protected just enough that I could sleep.  I did not have the rain fly on so the wind could blow through the tent.  The Read More

From mile 604.4 to mile 628.1 After leaving my lovely camping spot in the pines the trail continued for 4-5 miles to meander through tall pines and boulders.   I got water at Landers Meadow Spring and planned on a long haul before the next Read More

From Golden Oaks Spring mile 583.3 to mile 604.4 The first two hours today were very pleasant.  Walking through pines in nice temperature and no direct sun.   By 8:30 that changed, the growth was scrubby and the sun was fierce. Late afternoon brought a Read More

From Hwy 58 mile 566.4 to Golden Oaks Spring 583.3 One more shower this morning, so nice.  It was hard to leave that air conditioned room.  I was really not looking forward to today.  Forecast was for 97 degrees.  I stood on the side Read More

No, zero is not the temperature it is how many trail miles I walked today.   The temp is about 95 and I have walked about 3 miles to do my chores in this armpit of a town.  The town is a 1.5 mile strip Read More

From mile 549 to Hwy 58 mile 566.4 I had my tent down and was all packed up just in time to get some fresh brewed coffee and brownies delivered at 6am by Richard and Peggy (pictured above).  They live, off the grid, nearby Read More

From Cottonwood Creek mile 534.9 to  mile 549 A short day, but that is okay.  I woke feeling sore and not well rested.  John brought coffee to my tent and again thanked me for helping him find his phone.   Was walking by 8 only Read More

From mile 506 to Cottonwood Creek mile 534.9 …. my longest day so far, 28.9 miles plus 2 miles of “misadventures” It was lovely cool last night.   I picked a spot that was up high but in a little depression that was protected from Read More

From Lake Hughes Rd mile 485.7 to mile 506 I passed the 500 mile mark today.  20.3 miles today, mostly through nice wooded mountains.  I got water from a really nice spring in the morning and from a large concrete cistern in the afternoon. Read More

From Bear Spring mile 463.2 to Lake Hughes Rd mile 485.7  After 10 miles today I crossed the road where a short distance away is Casa De Luna.  This is a  popular stop for hikers.  Showers, laundry, shuttles to stores and a big party Read More

From Acton KOA mile 444.2 to Bear Spring mile 463.2 Climbed about 2000 feet today but mostly gentle.   The trail went under Hwy 14, at least 50 feet under it through a drainage tunnel.  Next it passed through Vasquez Rocks.  Very cool rock formations Read More

From mile 427 to 444.4 Soledad Canyon Rd, Acton KOA  It was very windy when I went to bed last night but after midnight it got quiet.  I woke this morning and all was wet.  It was not raining but   I was in a Read More

From mile 401.5 to mile 427 Today was a long day but on mostly fairly easy trail.  Perhaps a 2000 foot climb in the morning but over 5 miles. Much of the day was in recently burned areas and contained lots of the dreaded Read More

From mile 376.2 to mile 401.5 Camped at 8100 ft last night it was cold and windy this morning.  Walking by 6, the first 1.7 miles was up to the summit of Baden-Powell.  The latest Intel was that micro-spikes were not needed.  I still Read More

From mile 367.4 to mile 376.2, with a trip into Wrightwood for supplies. I had a 2 mile morning hike to reach Rt 2.  Took only 10 minutes to get a ride from a local who spends much of his day hauling hikers the Read More

From Swarthout Canyon mile 347.2  to mile 367.4, 2 miles south of Rt 2 It was uphill all day today.  The day started at 3500 feet and went up to 8400 feet, then dropped to where I am camped at about 7900 feet.  Also Read More

From Cleghorn Picnic Area mile 328.1 to Swarthout Canyon mile 347.2 Today I traversed the Cajon Pass.  Having lived in the Los Angeles area for ten years, Gayle and I drove over the Cajon Pass a number of times.  4 or 5 lanes in Read More

From Deep Creek Hot Springs mile 307.9 to Cleghorn Picnic Area on Silverwood Lake at mile 328.1 20.2 miles today.  First 4 or so were coming out of the canyon into broad hills.  Much of the day was in recently burned areas, not super Read More

From mile 286.9 to Deep Creek Hot Springs mile 307.9 Contrary to the forecasts, today was beautiful.  Chilly morning with ice coating the tent, in the mud 50’s by evening. I was camped along Holcomb Creek and the trail followed the creek down.  Later Read More

From Hwy 18 mile 266.1 to just past Holcomb Creek mile 286.9 The 7am shuttle did not show up until 8.  Seems the manager simply lied to us because he was so sure no one would really want to leave.  While we were waiting Read More

Zero miles, Big Bear Lake I “took a zero” today, that is I took the day off and did zero miles.  A Nero is a day with just a few miles. I ate at a huge breakfast at Dennys and spent most of the Read More

From Arrastre Trail Camp mile 256.2 to Rt 18 mile 266.1, Big Bear It was a comfortable cool night and for the first time I was really cold this morning.   In no rush, I was still walking by 6:30 though I did not make Read More

From Mission Creek mile 235.5 to Arrastre Trail Camp mile 256.2 Got going early this morning feeling so much better.  In the first couple of hours the trail climbed about 2,500 feet up to around 8,800 feet.   It was much cooler, low 80’s, and Read More

Mission Creek mile 226.2 to mile 235.5 I was still nauseous this morning and had some cramping through the night.  After 10 miles there is an 18 mile stretch where you can not camp because of a fire two years ago.  Since there is Read More

From I10 mile 209.5 to Mission Creek mile 226.2 I ended up sleeping in a recliner at Hillbillies last night.   At 6:30 he drove three of us to the trail in his 1949 Ford pickup. By 9 it was hot.  Really hot.  Triple digit Read More

From mile 187.5 to Interstate 10 underpass at mile 209.5 Slept like a baby last night at an elevation of 8,600 feet.  Chilly like I like it.  In the morning I was ready to tackle Fuller Ridge.  This stretch has been much discussed among Read More

From San Jacinto State Park via road to Humber Park, up Devils Slide Trail to PCT at mile 179 then on to mile 187.5.  About 14 miles total. I slept in a bit and didn’t start walking until 7.  First up through the town Read More

From mile 140.2 to Hwy 74 (mile 151.8) then hitch 18 miles to Idyllwild Up early but not feeling terribly energetic, I hiked the nearly 12 miles to Hwy 74 and then a mile up the road to the Paradise Cafe.  Cheeseburger, of course.  Read More

Lost Valley Spring mile 119.6 to mile 140.2 Much of today was through area I called Badlands.   Very scrubby growth, jumbled terrain with lots of small hills and cuts, hard white sandy soil.  Not attractive. I grabbed water from “Mikes”.   Guy has a place Read More

Warner Springs (mile 109.5) to Lost Valley Spring (mile 119.6) While taking a short break this afternoon I took my phone out of the shoulder strap pocket and left the pocket open.   When I reached to put the phone away the little guy above Read More