PCT day 17, an abrupt, last second change of plans

Start mile 209.5, TURN AROUND, mile 216.0, back to 209.5, walk additional 8 miles, total 21 miles. High 76, low 55, sunny, winds 15-30 MPH.

I awoke early on this day, around 5:30. It’s rather hard to sleep in with big rigs, motorcycles, and other traffic traveling directly above you, not to mention the trains on the bridge about 50 feet away!

I made 2 fairly substantial mistakes (learning experiences) with my approach to this new section of PCT trail that will be entering the San Gabriel Mountains. First, I need to listen to my body. Hiking to, then up, then over, then down (through the crazy snow) in 3 days really exhausted my body. I then planned on a similar next 3 days to get up to the town of Big Bear. My right knee is very sore and I still planned on a 23 mile day, my longest day so far. I probably tweaked my knee post holing and falling in the snow. When I post hole, I sink up to my knee or waist, usually on one leg only. When I sink unevenly, my body “corkscrews “ the momentum of my pack spinning me into a fall. Imagine a semi abruptly turning, it’s cargo shifting, helping to cause it to tip. The problem is that my leg that has sunk does not turn with the rest of my body. It’s locked in place, sunk in the slushy snow, causing a lot of torque pressure on whichever knee is sunk.

The 2nd mistake I had is that I assumed I had covered the worst of SO. CAL. on San Jacinto, and didn’t look at the trail report for the upcoming trail.

I started off from under the bridge, beginning what I had planned on being 23 miles on this day, hurting knee and all. I walked north of I-10 and Cabazon, up to the windmill/electric farm.

I began the climb off of the valley floor and into the gorgeous yellow foothills, hearing the loud woosh sounds produced by the windmills on this breezy morning. I climbed up from 1,800 feet up to 3,800 feet, back down to another valley floor before beginning another ascent.

I accidentally left my phone on regular signal and not on airplane mode, so imagine my surprise when my phone began to ding from messages out in the middle of nowhere! It was Oli from Switzerland!! He’s now about 4 days ahead of me and he messaged me to warn me about the treacherous trail conditions ahead. This caught me by surprise, so I checked a few websites concerning the trail. I learned that the trail is completely gone for a 5-7 mile stretch, washed away by the Mission Creek flood of February 14! People are bushwhacking through boulder fields and forest. Then, there is a ton of snow above 6,000 feet. The PCT site warns hikers to not attempt to get to Big Bear without snow/mountaineering experience and to have a minimum of snow spikes and and ice axe!!

I decided to turn around and head back after much self debate. San Jacinto taught me a lot. I don’t want to attempt to cover 56 miles in 3 days to see my wife, over those conditions, with a faltering knee and a physically worn out body. That’s a recipe for disaster.

I headed back towards I-10 with absolutely no plan in place. Previously, having no plan would have bothered me a lot. I’m the type to want everything meticulously planned out in advance. The trail has already changed me in that aspect of life. I’ve learned to take things as they come and deal with it.

I ended up back to I-10 and started walking west, on a frontage road, towards the nearest town of Cabazon with no plans. I tried hitching, but nobody stopped. I walked to Cabazon and learned there were no motels in this little town, except for a 200$ a night casino motel. The app for Uber wouldn’t work on my phone. I was too physically and mentally drained to care. I did San Jacinto in 3 DAYS, and now this unexpected 21 miles. I walked into the state highway patrol building that I came up to, to ask about lodging in the next town and if there was an Uber or Lyft service nearby. I could have just set up my tent near the trail and waited on my wife, but wanted a motel for a night.

It was at this point that a patrolman offered me a ride! He took me 5 more miles down the line to Banning.

UPDATE, THE NEXT MORNING, I’m in a motel waiting for my wife to get here. I slept for nearly 12 hours last night! My knee is noticeably better. I’ve tested it and it feels so much better!!! 3-4 rest days with my wife will have my knee back at 100%! I will start the PCT at Big Bear in a few days, on my way to Wrightwood. With the 50 miles I’m skipping, minus 21 I hiked yesterday, leaves me 29 miles short. I can come back and hike those miles later, when it’s safer. I will resume my hike in Big Bear with a renewed spirit, a rested and healthy body and an eagerness to experience all the trail has to offer!