Mile 127 to mile 145.4 + 1 mile off trail totals 19.4 miles. Elevation 5016, summit at 5600, down to 3354, ending at 4378. Total ascent of 2594, total descent 3395. 301.1 elevation change per mile avg. High 61, low 40, rainy at start, mostly cloudy after. Winds 40+MPH at start, gradually tapering off.
This day started at Mike’s Place. After breakfast was over, Zach and I hit the trail. We knew that we had a rather long strenuous day ahead. The day started out cold and blustery with light rain. Around 10, the rain stopped and the clouds started to lift in elevation. We had a steady, rocky climb up in elevation. The hike was cold, but really neat as we ascended up into the clouds. I loved the smell of a wet forest. The wetness seemed to amplify the smell of the flowers, desert brush, and pine off in the distance.
Most of this hike was up and down, up and down. The trail was rocky, so I had to really be careful not to sprain an ankle. I know I may sound like a broken record, but the desert has been cool and wet. There’s plenty of water crossings. The trend in temperatures has been to gradually warm to within 10 degrees of a normal high, then a cold front comes through and knocks temperatures back down to 20 degrees below normal. It’s not unusual for the desert temps to be into the 80s and even 90s in April, but we’ve been seeing 50s and 60s, maybe as high as the 70s briefly before a front knocks them back down!! Tomorrow will prove to be even chillier than today!
We finally crested the ridge, descending into a valley. Just as soon as we bottomed out in the valley, we had another climb up to the campsite.
The second hill had lots of grass. I wouldn’t normally mention this if I was hiking in Kansas, but feel it’s wor mentioning because this is the desert. Listening to the breeze blow through the grass reminded me of Kansas, and I got rather homesick for a bit.
I finally ended up at s suitable campsite called Brooklyn’s Ferry. A trail angel named Mary has set aside a small portion of her land for PCT hikers. She even has a small library for us!!
Mary provides a toilet, bucket shower, lots of books, water, a campsite, and great company and doesn’t ask for anything in return! She’s retired, having a Doctorate in Psychology. She came up at dinner and breakfast the next morning and talked with everybody camped here. She brought her 15 year old dog, Scout. Scout has had 2 strokes, so he doesn’t get around as well as he once did.
Mary talked to us about travel. She has plans to travel to state parks in each of the lower 48 states. She also congratulated us on having the spirit to attempt a hike like this. Mary is another example of the wonderful generosity and kindness I’m experiencing on nearly a daily basis on this trail. I eventually laid down right at dark, listening to the sounds of the small town in the valley about 2,000 feet directly below us. I lay here and try to identify the sounds such as distant dogs barking, very faint horn honking somewhere in the valley below, and the occasional wind gust blowing up the canyon and across the camp. I really like these strange random wind gusts in an otherwise calm night because I can hear them coming well before they hit. In Kansas, the winds are constant with gusts. Out here, it can be absolutely calm for quite a while, then a 20 mile rogue wind gust blows through, then calm and silent again.
The wind gusts….experienced the same in JTree and Death Valley in March. Then total calmness. Strangest thing. Loved it.
It is odd to us Kansans