- The Pacific Crest Trail Blog of ‘Tatters’ 2017
- Scout and Frodo ‘A Homely Beginning’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [01]
- Am I Really in a Desert? – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [02]
- Scissors Crossing and Julian ‘A First Time for Many Things’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [03]
- Early Mornings and Desert Superblooms – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [04]
- Paradise Café & Idyllwild ‘The Motivation for Food and Alcohol Grows!’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [05]
- San Jacinto & Fuller Ridge ‘Alpha Mountaineering Crew’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [06]
- Trail-names, Burgers & Sleeping in Cyclones – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [07]
- ‘Hippy Hot Springs’ & Big Miles to McDonald’s – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [08]
- Motivation into Wrightwood & Mount Baden Powell – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [09]
- Trail Closures & Reuniting at Hiker Heaven – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [10]
- Trail Family United & Casa de Luna – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [11]
- A Truly Hot and Dry Desert Surrounding Hikertown – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [12]
- Tehachapi Zero and Nero Day Morale Boosting! — PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [13]
- Nearing the End of the Desert? – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [14]
- Lake Isabella & Last Stops Before the Snow and Mountains! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [15]
- Kennedy Meadows ‘Into the Mountains We Go!’ — PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [16]
- Off to Lone Pine – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [17]
- Badass Mountaineers on Mount Whitney – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [18]
- Forester Pass & the Township of Bishop – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [19]
- Glen Pass & the End of the Family: PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [20]
- Mountaineering on Pinchot Pass & Mather Pass – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [21]
- Muir Pass, Evolution Creek, & Flooded Creek Crossings – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [22]
- Walls of Snow at Mammoth & Donohue Pass — PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [23]
- Solo Hiking to Yosemite Valley – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [24]
- The Waterfalls of Yosemite & Sonora Pass – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [25]
- Truly Alone in the Wild (near Ebbetts Peak) – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [26]
- South Lake Tahoe, Dicks Pass & Frozen Lakes – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [27]
- Desolation Wilderness & Truckin’ to Truckee – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [28]
- A Week Off-trail for 4th July with Rex! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [29]
- Back on Trail, Sierra City & Out of the High Sierra – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [30]
- New Faces, Middle Feather Fork River and Belden – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [31]
- The PCT Halfway Point and Lassen Volcanic Wilderness – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [32]
- Chilling with Bears, Old Station & Burney Lodge – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [33]
- Burney Falls to Dunsmuir – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [34]
- Deadfall Lakes and Finding the Long Lost Dinosaur – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [35]
- Rockin’ Through the Trinity Alps Wilderness – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [36]
- Sky High Lakes & Grider Creek – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [37]
- Bye Bye California, Hello Oregon! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [38]
- Rollin’ Along the Meadows to Lake Hyatt – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [39]
- ‘A Hike of Ice and Fire’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [40]
- Frustrating Closures & Shelter Cove – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [41]
- ‘Bending’ Past PCT Fire Closures & Homely Trail Angels – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [42]
- Mt Hood, Timberline Lodge & the PCT Days Event- PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [43]
- Preparations for the Final Month in Washington – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [44]
- Mt Adams & Ascending into Eternity – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [45]
- Amazing Goat Rocks Wilderness & Resting in Packwood – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [46]
- White Pass & More Fire Closures! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [47]
- The Beautiful Deception Lake & Loving the New Trail Family! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [48]
- The German Town of Leavenworth & Hiking in Beauty – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [49]
- Mica Lake, Suiattle River & the Final Push into Stehekin – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [50]
- All Good Things Come to an End… The PCT Northern Terminus! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [51]
Early Mornings and the Desert Superbloom – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [04]
Previous Post:
Part 3 ‘Scissors Crossing and Julian ‘A First Time for Many Things”
Day 7 (04/04) – A Desert Superbloom of Flowers
Medic left camp early, leaving Echo and me hiking alone again. Maximus had also left his campsite not far away. ‘People are leaving really early’ I thought to myself, ‘maybe we should start leaving earlier too’.
Not far into the hike, we met Crunchy again – now coming back down the hill toward us. She was leaving the trail for emotional reasons, having had to integrate back into society for college after only recently also finishing the Appalachian Trail. It was sad to see her go, but we were all in different places in life.
The desert superbloom of flowers at this point of the year in early Spring was at its most spectacular level. Looking around the landscapes were: pinks, yellows, blues, purples, whites, reds – sometimes all at once. ‘What a time of the year to hike the desert!’
We passed the 100-mile marker throughout the day – a fist bump for our efforts thus far. At midday, it was hot and Echo and I decided to have a long lunch break under the only shade we found. I stripped down into my underwear to air out and dry off my clothes – what a feeling! I even blew up my air pad for some comfort and made some cheese and salami wraps.
We grabbed some water off the trail at the nearby water cache and made way for Barrel Springs campground, around 10 miles (16.09 km) ahead. We arrived late in the evening, and found: Maximus, Porter and Claire, Medic and two others I hadn’t met before – Cuppa Joe and Sara. Echo, Maximus, and I ended up cowboy camping that night.
Distance hiked: 20 miles (32.19 km)
Total PCT hiked: 101 miles (162.54 km)
Day 8 (05/04) – Eagle Rock
I woke to the sound of Maximus packing up at 3:30am. ‘What the hell… wait, are you hiking now?’ I whisper to him. ‘Yeah’, he whispers back. It was pitch black aside from his red glowing headlamp bobbing around. He set off half an hour later, and the quiet nightscape returned. Not 15 minutes later, Cuppa Joe starts packing up, followed by Sara! ‘Well, I guess I’m hiking too now I’m awake!’, I thought to myself as I woke Echo. We set off at 5:30am with headlamps on into the darkness.
I hiked further ahead of Echo, turned my lamp off, and hid behind some bushes where he couldn’t see me. When he approached, I made a low growling animal noise…
“gggggrrrrrRRRRRRRAAGGHH!”
Echo suddenly stopped in his tracks and stood silently, scared by the strange threat ahead of him. I was hoping he’d walk closer, but he was too scared. I couldn’t contain myself, and broke out in laughter! He sighed in relief after seeing me, originally thinking the noise had been a mountain lion or a tiger. He even tried to give me the trail name ‘Tiger of the Morning’, which we all laughed at later for being so bad.
Eventually, the hue of bright colours formed on the horizon by the now-rising sun. The sunrise was almost peaking, ‘it was going to be beautiful’ I thought to myself. There is some merit to starting this early after all. The area then began to turn into large meadows of flowers, as far as the eye can see! ‘Wowwww!’ I’ll never forget the tranquillity of that morning.
Not long into the morning, we arrived at the famous rock formation called Eagle Rock. It was pretty amazing and larger than I had previously thought. ‘What a morning!’ I thought. I needed a photo riding the eagle, it was just too majestic!
After the meadows, we walked through an ever-changing landscape into what I’d call a semi-arid temperate forest. We then eventually came out on the outskirts of Warner Springs, a small locality that has a hiker community centre – a good place to relax.
When we arrived, we were surprised to see so many hikers there, most of which we hadn’t met before. I immediately showered and did laundry (both via buckets) around the back. I quite enjoyed the bucket shower for a change. The simple things in life can be so amazing sometimes!
After cleaning up, the next most important thing was pizza. Many of us had gone to the country golf club down the road, where Maximus and I ordered a glorious 22″ inch meat-lovers pizza.
After returning to the community centre, we set up our tents under the hiker tree there and chilled out for the afternoon. I met several new hikers that day, including Abi, a (cute) girl from Oregon state. I remember Abi once complimenting me on my ridiculous rain skirt (it was all I was wearing when doing laundry!).
Distance hiked: 8 miles (12.87 km)
Total PCT hiked: 109.5 miles (176.22 km)
Next Post:
Part 5 Paradise Café & Idyllwild ‘The Motivation for Food and Alcohol Grows!’
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“hid behind some bushes”
I hope you wern’t still only in only
your underwear, then he would’ve
really needed the Swiss bloke.
Hahaha! Medicccc!