San Jacinto Wilderness

Leaving Idyllwild I hiked into the San Jacinto Wilderness. I was unable to hike 27 miles of the PCT through this range because the trail was obliterated by a forest fire last fall. This section of trail wad both incredibly beautiful and challenging. I love this place and want to come back to hike the rest if the trail once it had been repaired as well as explore other trails in the area.

 I wish I had counted the number of down trees I crawled over, under, or around. This one had been down for a long time, but with the recent wind storms there was a plethora of newly fallen trees and branches.  

In the evening I met Valentino and his rider Midnight Rider. I knew that horses also used the PCT, and had hoped to meet some of the equestrian PCT thru hikers. I was impressed by Valentino's agility after struggling to climb over the copious down tree. All Midnight Rider said on the subject of the dead fall was that the two of them simply took their time getting around them. I met them just before sunset as I was looking for a campsite for myself. They still had 4 miles to hike as Valentino's feed was waiting for them at a camp accessible by road. I wondered as they walked away, does she have a headlamp for Valentino or is his night vision far superior to humans? 

I later heard a story about the pair spending the night in a bathroom at one of the trail camps when an unexpected snow storm swept in. Valentino does not fit in the tent, so Midnight Rider used the outhouse as shelter for the two of them. I would have loved to have seen a horse in an outhouse! As of yesterday they were behind me, so I may get to see this couple again.

In Washington as you climb in elevation the trees get smaller and eventually you hike out of them. In Southern California as I climb higher up the mountains I walk into the trees. The higher I go, the bigger they get. While hiking at higher altitudes is more challenging, I look forward to the trees at the higher elevations.