These last 200 miles have been full of surprises. Coming from the Northwest, I tend to think of the PCT as all wilderness and ridgelines. Not so in Southern California. While we’ve seen some really gorgeous country, crossing between desert landscapes and high pine forests, we have also traveled through some country that doesn’t make it into the guidebooks. Here’s a peek at some of the unexpected sights through this stretch of a trail that have been on the funky side:
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| Gigantic spillway with no water on either side |
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| Industrial playgrounds |
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| You better believe we took this detour! |
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| This IS ON the PCT. |
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| Doing my stretching on a picnic table with a Hmong family fishing for catfish next to me |
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| This is also the PCT. Crossing under I-15 |
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| Right through the Wrightwood ski area |
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| Lines for water |
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| Drinking a Natty Ice under a freeway ON the PCT |
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| Yes, we're ON the scenic trail. Under I-10 |
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| Literally lions, tigers, and grizzly bears ON the PCT. No joke. |
My personal nadir for the SoCal PCT was hiking around Silverwood Lake. Stupid windy reservoir. But all your pictures of cowboy camping and sunrises and sunsets sure make me want to return!
ReplyDeleteIt's a roller coaster! Some days you wake up under picnic tables downwind from the outhouse, other days you wake up under pine trees with a full moon setting! Silverwood Lake was not a high point, ha. But the high from Deep Creek canyon was enough to get me through :)
DeleteBest post yet! Gotta love the Natty Ice breaks!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ben! I've been thinking of you the last couple of days as we've walked along the aqueduct that pipes water all the way to LA. Crazy!
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