Seventy miles on, and several thousand feet up and down, I've arrived in Idyllwild in the San Jacinto mountains and have taken a day off from hiking to rest my feet. The weather has cooled this week, taking nighttime temperatures below freezing, and stretching the limits of my gear. Tuesday night there was a storm across California, and I was fortunate that I was able to find shelter from the winds in the form of a motorhome used for trail hikers at the home of "Trail Angel Mike" (trail angels volunteer their time and assistance to hikers). Hiking out of the San Jacintos will involve quite a few more ups and downs.
In this first part of the trail, the availability of water drives much of the approach. Much of the terrain is effectively desert, and water is limited. The sources I and other hikers have used so far have been predominamtly manmade tanks or piped springs; the minority have been natural running water.
Most water sources require some kind treatment and are not potable. The majority of hikers use of of two approaches: either using a filter, which screens out particles and most all germs but can be prone to clogging, or else using a chlorine dioxide treatment, which treats the water entirely but doesn't address particulates. My preference has been the filter. Both approaches require waiting, and every day requires some time devoted to planning out water. Water is heavy, at more than 2 pounds per liter. When water sources are 15 miles apart, then you've got more to carry.
Water is a constant news topic given California's historic drought. The PCT landscape also has constant reminders of past fires; there are several miles of the trail approaching Idyllwild that are closed due to the 2013 'Mountain' fire. You might say I've a bit for conserving water by machine washing my clothes for the first time since hitting the trail...
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| An usually long flat stretch to the trail outside Warner Springs |
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| Eagle Rock, outside Warner Springs |
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| Unexpected shelter from this week's storm |
