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Apr 28, 2025 : Travis FahertyPCT
Day zero
Not to be confused with a zero day where you do chores, eat tons of food and talk to other hikers. Today was a day of travel. At 3am my wife dropped me at airport and wished me luck. This trek will be longest stretch we’ve been apart in near 3 decades. I put my backpack in a duffel bag so I could also put in my trekking poles. I had a 5 day food carry and all told weighed in at 29 pounds. Looking at that 60 liter pack and thinking this was going to be my clothes, my bed, my home for the entire trip. It just seemed unreal that for such a trek I needed so little. And yes I can and will get food along the way or any gear I may need. From Eugene Oregon I flew ito Seattle Washington and onto San Diego. Looking out window of plane out at landscape somewhere 35,000 feet below was the Pacific Crest Trail. My two and half hour flight will take me four and a half to five months to hike. Upon arriving at San Diego airport and retrieving my bag I head out to where the buses picked you up for the car rentals and got on the Flyer. A free shuttle to The Old Transit Center. Found a spot for lunch and relaxed a bit and then off to meet the PCT Southern Terminus Shuttle to CLEEF for the night. The shuttle is a fee and CLEEF is also but its a long way to Terminus from the airport. So figure I would minimize some of the stress by doing this. First stop is REI which everyone needed fuel as cannot ship it nor fly it. Then off to Campo Green Store for any supplies. Then off to CLEEF which is just 1/2 a mile from the terminus. Upon arriving saw many other hikers. We had a whole array from France, Germany, Australia and American hikers from Maine to Hawaii. We had one that would be 21 on trail in a few weeks to me at 50. It was a great mix. Nice after long day of travel not having to worry about miles and camp. At around 6pm Just Paul, One Speed and Papa Bear all accomplished thru hikers gave some advice on biggest threats on trail like heat exhaustion, hypothermia, dehydration and river crossing. After which time a fire was started and lights would be on till hiker midnight which is 9pm. We sat around and chatted our plans. Where we were from. What we did. Its kinda odd how hiker community is. We are just a different bunch.
Day 1
At 6am breakfast gets served. Coffee, bagels, pancakes. We all sat around and ate our last hot meal at a table with clean hands for some time. An hour or so later the PCTA runners came by and gave a talk on Leave No Trace and looked at our permits and gave us hang tags. Its a tiny version of the trail sign. Its not a permit but need permit to get one so I’d say its an easy way for anyone to tell if we are legal hikers. Then off to the Southern Terminus for our pictures with the monument. Then down an access road to the wall. Cannot get any closer to Mexico than that. Then off north to see where day takes us. The first 4 miles were nice and smooth thru a nice creek area. Hard to believe this is the desert. At mile 4 we all filled up our water bottles and drank as much as we could as next 11 miles were dry. I arrived and filter was slow filtering. Not something you want on day 1 or the desert. Really doesn’t sound like much but the bare minimum for this is 3 liters of water which is 6 pounds. I filled my 3 liters and off I went. The next 11 miles was mainly exposed clifff sides with little to no shade. It was near 80 degrees and now with 35 pound pack on and we are climbing. It was a difficult slog to say the least. But the desert was not what I expected at all. It was lush and green with flowers orange, red, purple, pink and yellow. And around every bend was another beautiful expanse as far as the eye could see. Upon arriving at Hauser I refilled my bottles and set out on finding a tent site. Since nearly everyone was staying here it was pretty full. I managed to find a space with 2 other hikers. It was not ideal but I squeezed it. My tent is a trekking pole tent which means two trekking poles and 8 stakes is all that keeps it up. Issue is they are temperamental if pitched wrong. And it was wrong. But I was just done. And this is would be a lesson I’ll not repeat.
Day 2
Woke up and hit my head on my tent and it rained inside. My tent being a single wall tent they build up condensation and being by a creek we had a lot of water that causes condensation . And today lesson was what goes down must go up. First 5 miles to Lake Morena was going to be going up. The PCT is graded for pack stock so its a lot of switch backs. And today like yesterday and for many days to come the trail is scree covered. Rocks from size of a marble to your fist cover the trail. Have to be careful or you can twist an ankle. The temperature was much cooler today which made for easier hiking. There is a large rock slab right off trail that you can sit on and look over the lake. Upon arriving at Lake Morena campground had two trail magics. Trail magic is just random kindness of strangers. Folks who’ve done the trail, live in area or just wanna help us hikers. One was by Sherpa a PCT alum and second was anomadic couple whose name I didn’t get. They had fruit, chips, snacks, sodas a place to sit and charge devices. And it was a sunny day so pitched my tent and laid out quilt to dry while I enjoyed trail magic. While there I was able to back flush water filter which was a huge relief. Packed up and off to next water spot down the way. Trail here turned into nice packed sand so easy traveling. I stopped at a creek which was not intended destination but it was water. There was a bridge crossing here and I relaxed in its shade and had lunch with a cool breeze. A few hikers came by and we talked about plans and many were going just a few more miles to Boulder Oaks Campground. For some reason I didn’t have that icon on my map but fixed it. The campground is primate to most. But for hikers it was a slice of heaven. Had potable water no filtering and as much as you want. Vault toilets so no digging a cat hole and these were clean. Upon arriving at Boulder Oaks had more trail magic. Bad Santa was in the area with a cooler of cold beverages. The PCT literally runs through the middle of the campground. So much so they have a special area just for PCT hikers to camp. Several of the hikers I started with at CLEEF and cammped with night before. And others fresh faces. And this trend would continue for at rest of this week.
Day 3
Morning was cold. Big inversion layer came in and settled. Today would be 15 miles majority up hill to the border of Lake Laguna. From there north 11 miles cannot disperse camp so going to camp at the edge of it so we can get to other side in a day. Day started off cool at around 49 degrees. As I left the campground the trail patrolled a road then crosses under a freeway. The trail is still so close to civilization. Hiked for around 4-5 miles to first water source where we would have to fill up for the next 8 miles of hot exposed up hill tree less hiking. It was an exhausting day, just hot and miserable slog to water. The views are spectacular though and would like to have enjoyed them more but just to hot to stop. And like day 1 you can see for miles and miles across the valley below. I finally got to water and just sat there and relaxed and drank my fill of icy stream water. Filled 3 liters as had 3-4 more miles to go and dry camping and then water for tomorrows first source of water. At this point you carry water from point to point. Not to much. Not to little. Just the right amount. The terrain went from this harsh desert to forest with pine trees and pine cones the size of a pineapple. We had climed a serious amount of elevation over the course of the day. I found my group from previous days and a new hiker in a big spot just off trail a mile out from Lake Laguna. I set up for the night and was having dinner when friends from last night at Boulder Oaks showed up. It was like a reunion. That’s how this community will go. You hike with some for hours, days, weeks or entire trail. And some only in passing.
Day 4
Lake Laguna top of the mountain from here to Julian would be dropping in elevation. Stopped at the market and got a few snacks for breakfast. Last 3 days I’ve been struggling to eat even my favorite foods and today no different. Got a pack of chocolate donuts and incredible hard to consume. Maybe the heat or just the exhaustion from all day walking. Today was more flat sandy packed trail with a lot of trail in the shade. Hiked off and on till lunch with a variety of other hikers. At lunch went to refill water and Bad Santa was driving off another hiker so another bit more of trail magic. Filled up on already filtered water and grabbed a grape soda. Oh man how good it tasted ice cold soda on a hot day. After lunch ran into two ladies I started with in CLEEF and we decided to finish out the day together. We found a long wash between two rows of bushes. We had a row of 3 tents and another lady came on and we added a fourth a ways done. It was tight fitting with guy wires all over the place. The temperature started to drop as we had dinner. Then a bit of wind came and we all crawled into bed for some sleep. Which I did not get. The wind picked up over night and was driving straight up the wash. I was fortunate that the ground was to soft to hold my stakes so I placed rocks on them to hold them down. I think if I didn’t then my tent would have collapsed in the night.
Day 5
Woke up and temperature dropped again and the wind made it worse. Had 6 miles till water and first break of the day. Trying to time breaks and water means more miles a day. It was such a feat to do. As if you hiked in a rain coat to block the wind you’d sweat so much but if you didn’t well you’d freeze. And if exposed it was gusting 17-18 miles an hour which is not fun to hike in. Especially when it’s already cold out. Got to water and had a large group of folks gathered. Where there is water we gather. Saw some old friends and met some new ones. And then off again. By this time the wind had died down and sun was out in force. And although it said it was only 49 degrees felt much hotter in the sun. Got to our next water resupply at lunch. It was fed by a water tank and the PCT cut across an access road. There was a hill in the shade and had hikers lined all way down the hill. This group was larger than the group at morning break . All of us would be pushing on into Julian tomorrow so town was going to be full Ate lunch, filtered water and set out solo for camp. Tonight I would camp solo, I have camped other places solo but this would be the first time on the PCT. Found a nice little site and set up camp. Its day 5 and I already have a routine. How to set it, how to take it down. all about efficiency.
Day 6
Woke up to a wet tent and drizzly skies. But only 5 miles to Julian. Trail was pretty easy going. Got to the underpass and a trail angel was shuttling hikers into Julian which made it nice. As it was early and not a lot of cars on road to do a hitch and it could have been awhile. I was cold and wet from the rain as I headed into Mom’s Pie in Julian. Moms gives every thru hiker a slice of pie and beverage. I got a piece of apple pie and a coke and it was a heavenly breakfast. Took in the warmth and started charging electronics. Had the get onto local Facebook Trail Angel group for lodging as plan was to camp at Stagecoach a local campground but with the cold and rainy I needed a place inside. Its Saturday and Julian was full but at Banner Ranch half way back to trail they had tiny homes available. So I booked one and headed around town to finish my chores. Next stop I had to make was to 2 Foot Adventures for some resupplies and a few pieces of gear. Then down to gas station for stamps as post office was a ways off and has odd hours. Finished day off in town at the brewery for lunch and by the amount of hikers there I’d say its the spot. Then back to 2 Foot as that’s the pick up point for the Angels. Then off to Banner Ranch. The tiny house are pretty nice. Small kitchen and full bath downstairs and 2 lofts each with own bed. And my unit had a clothesline between lofts which was perfect to dry my tent. I did my laundry, took a shower and just relaxed. Week 1 is in the books.
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