June 15, 2007 to June 28: I-15 to Agua Dulce

June 14th was a "zero" day -- for "zero" trail mileage. At my motel on I-15 I did laundry, read the LA Times, resupplied my food and guzzled Gatorade. (I carry sports drink powder on my summer hikes and sometimes consume up to a half gallon a day of sport drink; it helps prevent leg cramps in the heat.)

Early in the 15th I ducked through a large culvert under the highway and began a 5,000 foot ascent up to the cool pine forests of the San Gabriel Mountains. With the San Bernardino's behind me, this range is the next wall of mountains that forms the LA Basin. This section of the PCT would take me 110 miles further north.

In Cajon Canyon, which contains I-15, the PCT crossed through a landscape broken by the San Andreas Fault; in fact, an earthquake here in 1971 lifted the San Gabriel Mountains six feet in a single jolt. Shortly, I hiked past the sandstone Morman Rocks, shaped like giant loaves of bread. Here's "Whistle Rock," along the Southern-Pacific RR tracks. (Morman Rocks.)

With rested legs, I followed seemingly endless switchbacks up to a viewful ridge and camped high above Cajon Canyon. (Tent on Ridge.) With more elevation the next day I was almost at the crest again. (View of Cucamonga Wilderness.) Reaching a mountaintop campground, I came across a group of young people celebrating Gaia, the earth goddess. (Gaia Sign.) It was early morning so they gave me a chocolate cupcake with blue icing. (Peter and Breakfast.) I pointed out to them a red Snow Plant nearby, pushing up through a carpet of pine needles -- a jewel of Gaia, one person said. (Snow Plant.)

After another "zero" day at the charming alpine town of Wrightwood, I continued on to dramatic Inspiration Point with views of rugged Sheep Mountain Wilderness, another key refuge for bighorn sheep. Note the avalanche chutes! (Ross Mountain.) Next up was another climb -- this time to the highest point on the PCT in southern California, 9,245 feet, just below the summit of 9,400 foot Mount Baden-Powell. I had been looking forward to this for years, as Sir Robert Baden-Powell founded the Boy Scouts.

From the paved Angeles Crest Highway at Vincent Gulch Divide, the PCT is a popular day hike of only about four miles to the summit -- but also about 3,000 feet up. The PCT switchbacks from start to finish, with tasty water halfway up at Lamel Spring. The forest changes from fir to lodgepole to eventually the rare limber pine near the top. Surviving in a harsh, wind-swept setting, limber pine amazingly live to be about 2,000 years old and often end up gnarled and twisted, like bonsai. (Limber Pine.)

I went off the PCT and camped the night on the summit of Mount Baden-Powell -- the only place on the trip where I actually saw Los Angeles. After dark the entire horizon was a continuous blaze of orange light. In the morning I enjoyed the awesome views of the Sheep Mountain Wilderness around the peak, looking down into the headwaters of the San Gabriel River (Baden-Powell Vista I) and north along the PCT route. (Baden-Powell Vista II.)

I finished up with a Boy Scout salute at the monument on the summit. (Baden-Powell Memorial.) In my teens I had been an active member in Troop 4 in Montclair, NJ -- a troop personally founded by Baden-Powell on a trip to the US, the "fourth" troop he set up. Carved in the monument was the familar list: "A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent." I remember at 12 the list looked way too long so I tackled them one at a time; I recall my favorite was "cheerful." As I marched off back on the PCT I reflected that were it not for my training and adventures as a Boy Scout I probably would not have chosen a career in conservation or be doing these backpacks.

It was a nice coincidence that not far north, in Cooper Canyon, I crossed paths with a Boy Scout troop from Orange County on a training hike for a backpack to Mt. Whitney. I asked them about highlights and one tall scout was happy to report sightings of two new types of rattlesnakes to count towards his wildlife merit badge. I thought: that's me at 13 -- and at 58, for that matter! Speaking of wildlife, the PCT nearby was routed around sensitive stream habitat for the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog -- another reminder that many types of amphibians are at the edge of extinction.

The PCT continued to showcase the grandeur of these rugged mountains. (San Gabriel Wilderness I); (San Gabriel Wilderness II.) These views are also easily enjoyed from the Angeles Crest Highway that often parallels the PCT.

I stopped for water at the Mill Creek Summit Ranger Station and chatted with a 20 year veteran of the Forest Service, who sharply criticized the agency's leadership for cutting essential dollars for recreation. Some results on this forest: many closed campgrounds, even in June; lack of trail maintenance, except where the public volunteered to clear trail themselves, and lack of dollars for needed land acquisitions. The ranger thought the trend would get worse, as global warming dried up the forest, caused worse fires and made fire-fighting more and more the agency's only mission.

The PCT began a long descent from the heights (Downhill Trail) and ended up at a paved road in Soledad Canyon. In the baking summer heat it was a relief to camp at Robin's Nest RV Park -- with a pool! Refreshed, I left early the next day and crossed RR tracks at this stone obelisk marking completion of the PCT in 1993. (PCT Memorial.) The other highlight of the AM was this dramatic formation at the head of Bobcat Canyon (Bobcat Cliffs), the first of many that day.

After popping out a rabbit hole under Highway 14 through a long, dark culvert, I wandered in astonishment through the Dr. Seuss-like shapes of the Vasquez Rocks. (Vasquez Rocks I); (Vasquez Rocks II), and (Vasquez Rocks III) These spectacular outcrops -- an easy day trip from Hollywood studios -- have been the sets for dozens of cowboy movies, like Blazing Saddles, and TV ads, especially for cars. Yes, the large rock in the third photo DOES look like a space ship -- and was used many times for Star Trek.

Upon exiting this county park, I followed the PCT on a paved road through the quiet town of Agua Dulce, that seemed to have more horses than people. (The Forest Service has a project to route the PCT off-road in this area.) I made a bee-line for the friendly hostel of Donna and Jeff Sauffley. Hosting over 300 PCT hikers each year, they are legendary helpers and offer all the comforts of home to us weary walkers. (Peter and Trail Angels.) Thus, I was rested and revived when my relatives showed up to join me on a tour of Vasquez Rocks. (Family Photo.) That's cousin Mike in the hat; his wife Beth with the umbrella; their daughter Mary, and nephew Dante, who gave me a starter ride back home.

June 3, 2007 to June 14: Big Bear Lake to I-15

On this 90 mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) I hiked across the San Bernardino Mountains, a giant wall of peaks around the basin of Los Angeles. 2007 had been the driest year in the last 130 years of recorded history in the LA area. By the time I began the hike only three inches of rain had fallen in 2007; parts of the mountain range were bone-dry. Little did I know that months later massive fires would sweep over forests I had just hiked. Meanwhile, it was a challenge getting enough water on the trip but, thanks to the wonderful generosity of "trail angels" who put out water caches, I never ran out of water and, in fact, thoroughly enjoyed the backpack.

With a stop at the alpine town of Wrightwood to pose with their mascot (Peter and Bear), the drive down through the San Bernardino's followed the "Rim of the World" scenic byway, where even the signs are eye-catching (Road Logo.) I was dropped off along the byway at Onyx Summit (Peter and Sign) close to where I had finished my opening hike back in June, 2005. Here I am next to a Jeffrey pine, ready to go (Peter on PCT.)

Moments into the walk a vista opened up to the southwest of San Gorgonio Mountain behind two ridges -- at 11,500 feet the highest peak in Southern California! (Mountain Vista.) The PCT swung around completely dry Baldwin Lake, with the playa, a term for a waterless lakebed, a ghostly white. (Playa.) The granite peaks of the nearby Bighorn Mountains Wilderness sparkled in the bright sun. (Along with other wildernesses around LA, this serves as a refuge for the rare bighorn sheep.)

As the PCT turned west towards Big Bear Lake, it came near the Mojave Desert at the edge of the forest (View of the Desert), with the breath of the Mojave like a blast furnace. Even at a distance the desert heated up the forest enough for the pines to give way to beavertail cactus (Cactus in Flower) and Joshua Trees, a kind of yucca actually. (Joshua Trees.) Fierce winds kicked up too and I spent a night huddled in my tent in Van Dusen Canyon as tree branches crashed down around me. (A hiker later told me that winds that night reached over 60 mph in nearby Big Bear Lake.)

The next day though was calm and cool for the beautiful walk above Big Bear Lake, with wisps of clouds over the hills. (Big Bear Lake.) I sat on an outcrop of white marble and gazed again at the distant, high peaks of the San Gorgonio Wilderness (Wilderness beyond Lake) and recalled its history. Citizens rallied years ago to block a ski development planned by the Forest Service for the fragile, alpine terrain of San Gorgonio Mountain and preserved the high country as wilderness. As you can see in the midground of the last photo, the Forest Service then built a ski resort in a less fragile and more accessible setting -- a good compromise in my view.

This area was also swept up in the gold rush of 1849 and saw extensive mining. Many shafts were blasted to seek the "Mother Lode," the source of the loose or "placer" gold. The tailings from these shafts still dot the hills -- and foul its waters. A number of these scars are visible from the PCT. (Mining Tailings.)

While I was eating lunch along the trail, a colorful hiker zoomed up, said hello and posed for a photo. (Catra.) Note the patterned gaiters that match her body art and hair! A regular in the 100 mile Western States footrace, Catra set a number of women's speed records on the PCT, including a completion of the rugged 212 mile John Muir Trail in only five days. Her lively blog is at http://trailgirl.blogspot.com/. And off she zoomed ...

In an omen of the fires to come, the PCT went past miles of bare tree trunks charred by the extensive Willow Fire from 1999. (Burned Forest.) Every so often an area skipped by the fire would showcase green trees and a flowering yucca, aptly called "Lord's Candle." (Unburned Forest.)

Every hiker on this section looks forward to Deep Creek, a chilled trout stream shielded by high cliffs. (Bridge across Deep Creek.) It is so prized that our two senators -- Boxer and Feinstein -- have introduced a bill to protect it as a Wild and Scenic River. Further downstream the PCT descended from the cliffs and took me to this heavenly swimming hole. (Deep Creek I) Here there are also four pools of hot springs, each with a different temperature, and even a cascading warm shower. A friendly dog followed me as I sampled each pool. (Peter in Hot Springs.) I also chatted with a few local folks who "adopted" the hot springs and picked up litter and policed the area. Later in the day I crossed Deep Creek on another graceful span (Bridge II), camped on a pristine beach below some rapids (Deep Creek II) and fell asleep to the soft hooting of owls.

At the last crossing of Deep Creek, it became a wetland as it emptied into the Mojave Desert. (Marsh.) While filtering some water I was buzzed by really large copper dragonflies and recognized the squeeky-door song of red-winged blackbirds. After a long, waterless stretch that followed, I thanked the stars for the trail angels who put out water caches, especially one kind soul who also left a cooler with fresh apples, peaches and bananas!

The PCT crossed below a giant dam and ascended to its reservoir -- Silverwood Lake, ringed by mountains. (Silverwood Lake.) A windy beach beckoned me for another swim. (Driftwood on Beach.) Past the lake another long waterless climb took me up scenic Horsethief Canyon to camp at an overlook above rugged and massive Cajon Canyon -- with views beyond to the San Gabriel Mountains. (Cajon Canyon.) At the bottom was I-15, with its stores and motels.

Oddly, as rest was in sight, I began to feel the early signs of heat exhaustion -- cool, clammy skin; unsteady steps, lightheadedness and loss of appetite. As I noticed these signs, I stopped walking, paused and felt the sensation of a dog licking my hand; I had a quick vision of a friend's dog -- Sandy, by name -- by my side. Sandy, I was sure, would lead me safely down the chasm in the boiling heat! I was heartened by the vision, sat down, ate some trail mix, drank a quart of water and centered myself. I managed fine and even found a running creek along the willows at the bottom. (Crowder Canyon.) Thus, I got to I-15 alert and alive -- and very ready for a day off.