PCT 2022| CALIFORNIA | DAYS 33-34 Cajon Pass TO WRIGHTWOOD

DAY 33

Miles Hiked: 16.7 miles

A week off trail and my feet are feeling much better. I knew better, but the idea of new squishy insoles sounded so good! As soon as I had service, I ordered four more pairs of my original insoles (Superfeet).

It was great to have a week at home (over mothers day), but it feels good to be back on trail. Even though it is uphill, warm, and a long water carry coming out of Cajon Pass. I only took two liters starting out, as it is still fairly early in the season and the cache is well maintained.

I didn’t see any other hikers for a few miles. Late start, so no surprise there. I passed a camp around 0900, multiple tents still up. By the water cache I had caught up with a couple hikers and been passed a few times. “Solo Not Solo“ arrived to replenish the cache. She said she is a nurse as well and comes here before or after a shift. The goal for today: somewhere around Camp Hatchey 1. Maybe before. Maybe after. We’ll see how I feel. I see my first rattlesnake since Warner Springs. A baby, less than a foot long. I waited for a while and then used my trekking pole to move it off trail. It wasn't budging and there was no way around it. It started getting more and more windy the higher I climbed. I needed to find a camp with some protection.

Dirt Road 1
Camp Hatchey
Dirt Road 2

Things were not looking good for finding protecting from the wind. I kept walking. It was getting cold. I made it to Camp Hatchey 2 and decided to call it for the night. The next listed campsote was three miles away. There could be something else...but this was already further than I planned. I tucked my tent between to bushes. It wasn't a great site. They didn’t really protect from the wind. There was an angel and the “flat” section was about two feet to short, almost like lying in a recliner with feet dropped slightly below. Good thing I keep my pack inside —it makes for a good foot rest. I piled the biggest rocks I could find onto my stakes and added additional guylines to both ends of the tent. The two other tents set up at camp were caving in from the strongest gusts. I've had my Tarptent in winds like this, so I'm not too worried.

No cooked dinner tonight. I crammed some snacks down before snuggling into my quilt for the night. This is by far the coldest it has been, aside from the night at the San Jacinto Junction.

DAY 34

Miles Hiked: 8.3 miles

Short day and less than 3 miles up uphill until Wrightwood!

My tent survived the night. The wind ended up dying down around 2200 or shortly thereafter. It was a pretty great night after that—though one of the coldest on trail so far. I got up early, ready to get some food and enjoy town before heading out on a longer stretch between Wrightwood and Acton.

I decided to exit via the Acorn Trail in order to get to town sooner. My hips were aching once again. Down down down. At a grade of 650-900 ft/mile, it felt like hiking down from Whitney to Whitney Portal. Around 2,000 ft in just over 2 miles. I walked directly from trail to the Yodler, just in time for lunch. A burger and onion rings. I got a message from my AirBnB host that I could check in any time I wanted, so I headed straight there for a shower and to drop my pack. Then it was time for resupply, more food, and a trip to the post office to bounce my microspikes ahead based on trail reports for Baden-Powell.