The San Jacinto Mountains are breathtaking. After departing from the Boojum Base, we started back on the trail from Pines to Palms Hwy (mile 151). We knew up ahead on the trail were many uncertainties with ice steep ridges at 9,000 ft and higher. We were prepared with a detour trail if need be.

IMG_0353On Saturday, we hiked up to 7500 ft and camped at Fobes saddle. The wind was howling around 50mph and it became difficult to even think. We set up camp around 6:30 pm in a cave of Manzanita bushes thinking we were safe from the wind. Boy were we wrong. The wind howled, almost as if it was laughing at us and as we attempted to write in our journals, we had to brush sand off our pages every minute or so. An hour later, we looked at each other, with Gourmet’s voice whispering in my head “You NEVER sleep on the saddle!” We took a deep breath and screamed at each other within the screeching wind “let’s go!” We packed in a record two mintues and sprinted down a side trail about 1/2 mile and were happy we made the decision to move. We were tucked away next to a spring, hearing the wind laugh but not in the thick of it.

Sunday was a hard day. Terribly hard. After climbing up past Spitler peak, we made it to the detour trail. The decision was made to continue on and try to make it 11 more miles to Devils slide trail which winds straight down to Idyllwild, our next town stop. Within 1 mile, we came around a bend next to Apache peak and we were stopped by a roadblock. Steep ice covered the trail at more than a 45 degree angle. We could climb the peak another direction but then we questioned – what was ahead in the next 10 miles? There were plenty more northfacing ridges to cross. We decided we were not comfortable without an ice ax and we sadly turned around for the detour.

IMG_0363Poor Justin… He had to listen to me cry and pout (I blame hormones for part of this) questioning the decision to detour. We walked along dirt roads around 6000ft trying to navigate our way to Idyllwild. The best part – we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a mountain bike race. Instead of balancing across icy slopes with an endless abyss on either side, we were dodging bikes around winding dirt roads sprinting back and forth. You couldn’t help but laugh at this comical turn of events.

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Just in case I rob this Safeway, I am 6’8.

We arrived into Idyllwild around 4pm, ate huge, delicious calzone, and walked into the $3 night campgrounds to a terrific surprise of a group of familiar faces. We laughed the night away, hugging friends and telling stories from the trail by a campfire. And it looks like we made the right choice – hikers stumbling in from Devil’s slide trail said they almost lost their lives up there.

So now we are relaxing in a cafe in hiker friendly town Idyllwild. As I sat here typing away in this coffee shop, Chris the owner handed out free scones to all of us hikers gathered here. Amazing.

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Sending our love.

~ Melissa

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Foot status

 

 


2 Comments

Josh · May 3, 2010 at 4:59 pm

You guys are awesome. You inspire me.

Justin, we´ve encountered so much rain since we´ve come here (makes sense since its rainy season), but the Andes are sooo beautiful. We´ve been walking in the cold rain all day and are about to take an over-nighter to the coast to do some conservation work. I was going to begin to feel bad for the weather, but reading your guys´s posts makes me realize what you guys are subjecting yourselves to, and it made me stop and smile.

Keep up the good work guys. I send good energy to you both.

peace,

Josh

Arianna (Wolf) · May 23, 2010 at 8:33 pm

Hey Buckeye and Swift!!!

How is the hike so far? Did you see any animals!?! I wonder if you saw any snakes!!! That would be so cool!!! Anyway, The Muddy Maniacs and The Swift Roadrunners all miss you!!!

-Arianna (Wolf)

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