PCT 2022| CALIFORNIA | DAY 26 Coon Creek Cabin to Big Bear Lake 266.1
Miles Hiked: 19.7 miles
Elevation: ___ ft ascent | ___ ft descent
Third day hitting around 20 miles on trail. I am just not there yet (and who knows, I may stick with the 15-20 miles and call it good). Nothing like a burger and a cold drink to get you to push miles!
Another mostly down hill day from up in the mountains to the exposed heat of the sun. It is always amazing seeing how the landscape changes throughout the day when you have big gains or losses.
From early on you can hear the road nearby, teasing at civilization nearby. But there are many miles to go. A few gallons of water cached at the old (former) private zoo and a nearly empty water cache at Onyx Summit. Today was the second part of a 16+ mile water carry. I passed by the caches without collecting water, as I had enough to get to the next water source(s), each of which had recent comments stating that there was good flow.
I ended up seeing Finja at the first water source and we hiked together for about 2 miles. I decided to stop and have lunch before tackling the hill, while Finja decided to push on. After relaxing in the shade, I had one goal: get to town. It was 1230 and there were only 7.6 more miles to Hwy 18.
From here, the landscape opened up once again. I pulled out my umbrella for the first time in quite a while. One step at a time. The miles seemed to fly by and I made it to trailhead just before 1600. The best part (aside from town food, a shower, and a real bed)? Getting a hitch from an amazing trail angel named Kayla the moment I stepped off trail! As she drove me in to Big Bear Lake, she gave me a little tour of the area and recommended places to eat (definitely check out Firerock—ended up eating there a few times!). I checked into my hotel, did a few chores, and went for food. Putting in nearly 20 miles meant catching up to Sage and Bug!