PCT day 4, the Mt. Laguna wind tunnel

Mile 45.8 to 63.8 = 18 total

High 48, low 44, mostly cloudy, very windy towards the east at 30-40 mph with higher gusts. Elevation 5903 finishing at 3872 feet.

Temperatures didn’t fluctuate much because we spent the day dropping in elevation, so the low temperature was warmer at 3872 than up at 5903 feet.

This day started with a gorgeous sunrise.

We camped up on a ridge, beginning the night with calm winds. As the night wore on, the winds picked up, eventually gusting to over 30mph! There was also lots of moisture in the air, a theme common with this spring season in the desert. I had lots of condensation on my tent.

We began this day’s hike figuring on another 12 miles but the Laguna Ridge wind tunnel cranked up on us!! Walking over the ridge became very difficult as we were walking over a very rocky path, being blown sideways by 40-50 mph wind gusts. I was worried about spraining an ankle in those conditions.

I began to get tired quickly after fighting that perpendicular wind. I began looking for a campsite after 12 miles, but all campsites were on that exposed ridge, subject to those crazy winds. I ended up hiking another 6 miles, actually making it off of that ridge and down into a sheltered valley. The 1,200 foot drop was brutal after 17 miles, but worth it to get out of the winds. This site provided more running water, lots of tall cottonwood trees and a soft sandy surface for my tent. There are flowers everywhere, all hillsides covered in multiple colors.

We caught our first sight of snow covered San Jacinto ( pronounced YAS-CIN-TAH). This mountain will be sort of a thorn in my side in another 10 days as I will have to hike over it and it’s snow covered ridges!