May 3rd, 2016
Miles Hiked: 6 miles
Total Miles: 158
Start Location: Humbar Park
Devils Slide Trail
End Location: Campsite Mile 0183
End Location GPS: 33.77980, -116.69555
We took a full morning in town going to breakfast and picking up a few food items for the next stretch. In the guide book Yogi says the Red Kettle is the place to go, but the service was awful (they forgot to put our order in so we had to wait 45 minutes to get our food) and the food was not good (hash browns burnt and omelettes runny). Getting poor service has been par for the course out here as this has unfortunately happened a few times. Oh well.
We started to walk to the Devils Slide Trail which is 2.5 miles up town and a nice lady pulled over and asked if we wanted a ride up (we have been getting lucky with rides so karma is still pretty even).
The Devils Slide Trail goes up up and up for 2.5 miles to around 8000 feet. This is the highest we have been so far. Up near the ridge we saw our first snow patches and walked through a bit of melting slush. We could have taken an alternate that would take us to Mt San Jacinto, which is at 10,800 or so feet, but it was getting late so we took the PCT instead which goes west around the mountain and has a place to camp.
We have a really scenic camp spot tonight overlooking the desert valley to our west. It’s hazy but you can still see far. There is a large lake or resevoir that lays opaque against the shimmering beams of sunlight far off in the distance. The trees have all changed to a more pine forest and alpine mood. The trees are large and brown and green and are king of the mountain slope. There are some other hikers camping at this spot- it’s a good one.
One thing the trail has not been stingy on is the amount of hikers. It seems everyone and there mother wanted to hike the PCT this year. I’m not used to this many hikers, especially after having gone southbound on the AT and hiking the CDT (where you don’t see a soul). I’m indifferent about it at this point. It’s certainly different. But that is okay.
It may sound like I’m grumpy today- but I’m really not! The PCT continues to amaze me with the sheer beauty and diversity it inhabits, the expertly crafted and maintained trails, and the neat trail towns so far. I am very much taking it all in and enjoying being out here.
Updates from Carolyn’s journal:
