Days 14 - 23. It’s a Long Way From Big Bear to Here. Miles 266 to 444.
Fully rested and with an early start out of Big Bear Lake I was able to look down on the town and for the first time see that yes, it actually was a ski resort with the still snow covered mountains rising above the lake behind the town.
A beautiful day of hiking with views in the very far distance of snow capped peaks - peaks I’d be ascending in just a few days time. It was difficult to believe as I went from the alpine environment above Big Bear to the desert environment that in around 4 days and just over 100 miles I’d be climbing the snow fields enroute to Mt Baden- Powell.
The snow capped peaks in the distance which were my destination.
It was a strangely quiet day, I saw only 3 other through hikers and a handful of day hikers. Beautiful scenery led me to a secluded camping spot by a stream but as I approached the camping spot one of my trekking poles broke - the internal Kevlar strands that hold the three pieces of the pole together had snapped, in hindsight I should have invested in new poles prior to the trip. Not a big deal as I can hike with a single pole and my tent only requires one trekking pole to use as a tent pole.
The next morning flower fringed trails led me to the 300 mile mark and the start of a canyon with a river flowing far below, winding along steep ridges the PCT followed the river for over 10 miles passing a hot springs before taking me over a rainbow bridge back into the dry desert environment.
My third day out of Big Bear took me around a massive reservoir, surprisingly full but with large dams protecting the precious water reserves, one covered in pebbles perhaps drawing inspiration from T1’s roof.
An overnight stop at Cajon Pass provided a hotel room (shower, laundry!) but little in the way of fresh food as it’s basically a freeway rest stop however the stream of slow moving traffic across all 8 lanes of the freeway the following morning reminded me how lucky I was to be hiking.
A steep climb led out of the valley and the run down feel of Cajon Pass, the climb was eased by the overcast sky leading me to a camping spot on a ridge with amazing views of the snow covered mountain I’d been seeing in the far distance for days.
The following day was to be a fairly tough one with over 6000’ of climbing in 24 miles however 2600’ of that was in one stretch in the afternoon culminating on Mt Baden-Powell a 9,400’ peak. What made it tough was the last 500’ or so of the climb being snow covered - kicking steps or traversing was tiring, not helped by the fact I only had one trekking pole to use, well at least until my remaining trekkkng pole gave out in the same manner as the first. Oh well, not far to the place I planned to camp and I’d already ordered a new pair to be delivered to Acton where I had a resupply box to be collected a few days hence. Fortunately the broken pole still worked as a tent pole so I settled down for the night. I was sleeping soundly again, the fall I’d had while trail running in mid March and the resulting damaged ribs and shoulder were healing nicely and I was no longer getting pain while lying down.
Descending through a ski resort, with the snow capped peaks receding in the distance, hiking without trekking poles was strangely liberating, with a couple of days of big descents I was hoping my knees weren’t going to complain but the miles seemed to fly by without even a twinge. Trail magic - a PBJ sandwich and the next day hot dogs and sodas - along with conversations with many different nationalities and people with different hiking styles (the ultralight guy who knew the weight of every item of gear vs the guy who had a bottle of Tabasco sauce, a quarter bottle of whiskey and a water pistol) brought added interest to the trail to Acton and mile 444 where I was taking another zero.
This reminded me of the Ukrainian flag and the horrors playing out in what seems like a world away but is in fact so close.