Mount Davidson is the highest point in one of Nevada's smallest counties, Storey. It's easily seen from Virginia City and much of South Reno and Washoe Valley. While only a few hundred feet higher than most of the surrounding peaks, the difference is significant. The views from it are unparalleled from anywhere else in the county. Very few other places will give you such a great look of the eastern side of the Carson range all the way to the Stillwater Range near Fallon. Storey county is rugged and forested extensively with Utah Juniper and Pinyon Pine. There is a certain novelty in being able to see the town of Virginia city almost 2000 ft directly above it.

The most popular way to approach the mountain is from Spanish Ravine. Follow the short side road from Stewart St. in Virginia City up to a small parking area (mind the signs and park in the dirt, not on the pavement). There is a rocky road leading past a few abandoned mines and further up the ravine. About half way up the ravine is a steep road that leads up along the side, along the telephone poles. Follow that all the way up to the saddle. From there, it's a short walk north along the ridge, past a maintence building on jeep trails to the base of Mount Davidson. It's about 2.5 miles and 1800 ft in elevation to the top from where you parked near Spanish Ravine.

On the top of the peak, there is a 9/11 memorial written on the stone with the tattered remains of an American flag tied to a flag pole. I imagine the winds get strong up there. Enjoy the excellent 360° vista of the nearby towns, the Flowery Range, and the Pah Rah Range. On a clear day, I imagine you can see all the way to Arc Dome in the Toiyabe range, deep in the heart of Nevada.

You can follow the same way back down. I ended up by making it a loop scrambling down the east face of the mountain. It's rather steep but doable if you switchback regular. I went up in January so snow helped my descent. In wetter winters, I imagine the snow would be too deep near the top of the peak to make it worthwhile. There are numerous other approaches on the jeep trails near the Jumbo Grade as well. I might attempt them some other time when there is less snow and in a high clearance vehicle.  

In 2017, I completed the section from Donner Pass to Manning Park going northbound on the Pacific Crest Trail. It was my first long distance hike and I learned what it takes to hike longer than a few days in the wilderness. I learned something worked or didn't but others seemed to take months to realize a better way to do it.

This year, I thought I had got it all sorted. After all, if my thru-hiking setup was good enough to get me to Canada, it should be good enough to get me to Mexico, right? However, the combination of different terrain, new innovations in equipment, and more experience as a hiker lead me to change a lot of things. I thought I'd share a few of the more important things with others in case it helps them too.

1. Trailrunners instead of boots
   When I went north in 2017, I did the entire hike in a single pair of Merril Moab 2 boots. While those had a great lifespan, they have a bad tendency to collect debris if you are not wearing gaiters. I used multiple trailrunners this time (La Sportiva Bushido and Altra Lone Peak 4s) and was impressed by how much support you get from an ultra lightweight a shoe. I occasionally miss the ankle protection and support but the pros of trailrunners outweighted the cons.
2. Make your own meals, bring your own spices
   I relied a lot on freeze dried meals on my last hike. Not only do the same flavors get old, it can get expensive. This time I purchased my own freeze dried meat, my own dried veggies, and brought along several kinds of spices. Being able to be your own chef at the end of a long day on the trail was great.
3. Reuse meal containers to cook
   I ended up taking one or two of the premade meals each section I did, if only to use the bag for cooking my own meals. The bags are very lightweight, great at heat retention, and it felt good to reuse something I would have trashed before.
4. Zero days are really important
   I definitely learned this lesson northbound but only after pushing myself hard. I kept to my planned zero days from the beginning of going south and had little to no issues with pain or fatigue that I got sometimes going north.
5. Learn how to identify flora & fauna
   You'll spend a lot of time out looking at all sorts of plants and animals when you're on the trail. Learning the names and how to identify the difference between species increased my appreciation of the nature around me. It's also a great way to pass time.
6. Easy access water
   When I was heading north, I often just carried a bottle and my filter in my had as I hiked. This made things like using both trekking poles and taking a photo difficult. In order to have both of my hands free this time, I ended up jerry rigging a water sling to my pack and I can imagine doing a long hike without a similar set up in the future.
7. Use Gatorade bottles
   I primarily used Smartwater bottles on my northbound trip. They offered a disposable but sturdy way to store water. This time I included reusing Gatorade bottles for their wide lip. Having a different kind of bottle makes like filling it up from a hose or from a low stream a lot easier.
8. Less trail magic SoBo
   90%+ do the trail northbound so it should come as no surprise that you're pretty much on your own when you go southbound. I never expected or relied on the kindness of others on trail but it definitely makes the trip more enjoyable.
9. Cold soak
   While I never took the full plunge and did nothing but, I started to utilize cold soak more going southbound. If I was low on gas during a long trip in the Sierra or didn't need a hot meal in the desert, I would simply prepare my dinner a couple of hours before stopping for the day. The meals turn out just as good, if not better. Just make sure that it is sealed up tight in your pack.
10. Extra batteries
    Going northbound, I used a single backup battery to charge my phone. Many of the devices I use are USB rechargeable now so I carried a second. It felt good to not have to worry about running out of juice 4 days in to a 6 day section.
11. Bear canisters add a lot
    Going north from Donner Pass, the only area that requires bear canisters is Lassen NP. Going south, the entire Sierras does. While an extra 2 pounds does not sound like much, the area it takes up in your pack does.
12. Embrace the times when you get no mobile service
    Whether people like it or not, it seems like a lot of hikers become best friends with their phones on long thru-hikes. The High Sierra section of trail often has you sandwiched between two giant walls of granite. Putting the phone away and enjoying my surroundings made me appreciate the trail that much more.
13. Crocs are decent backup hiking shoes
    I mostly use crocs as a camp shoe when I hike long distance. In the Sierras, I was often crossing streams that I needed to ford. After a day where I was getting close to a dozen crossings, I just left them on. I was surprised how well the foam shoe held up to rougher terrain. If my shoes started to bother me or my feet needed to breathe, I'd switch to the crocs for an hour or two.
14. Plenty of water in the Sierras
    While I usually like to keep at least 4 L of water on my pack at any given time, most of the time between Yosemite and Mt. Whitney, I only needed 1 or 2 L of water. There are so many clear and full streams in the Sierras, there was no reason to carry more.
15. Hammock camping
    For the first month or more, I exclusively used a hammock to camp. If there are any decent sized trees in the area, there is always a good place to hang. I even did it a few times between Joshua Trees in the the desert. Being up above the ground means you are never at the mercy of the angle of the terrain or if it is too rocky or wet. I find them to be much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground as well.
16. Stretching & Yoga
    While hiking on the JMT, I came across someone who stretched before and after hiking for the day. I gave it a try and I was surprised at how effective it was. I felt like I had more energy and had less aches at the end of the day. I ended up settling into a routine of sun salutations I took from yoga. I'd recommend everyone give it a shot next time before a hike.
17. Wristwatch
    Most people seem to just use their phone to tell time. Having a cheap digital wristwatch let me keep on top of my pace without having to distract myself with my phone or use its battery.
18. Take time to enjoy nature
    I was obsessed with the amount of miles I had to do during a day when I was first starting out. Going south, I decided to linger on a little longer if I was sitting in a spot with a beautiful view or camped in a nice area. Having the flexibility to enjoy your surroundings made a big difference for how I appreciated the trail.
19. Don't pig out after
    There is a natural tendency to want to pig out on food when you get back from a long hike. You've lost a lot of weight and your body wants it to go back. Easing yourself back into a normal diet helped me stay fit after coming back.
20. Asking for conditions
    One of the nicest things about going south was all of the hikers going north that I could ask about the trail. Whether it be water, how long until a landmark, or what the snow was like, it was great to be able to ask.
21. Leave the contacts at home
    I started wearing contacts earlier this year. However, with all of the dirt and all of the maintence, I switched back to my prescription sunglasses for most of the hike.
22. Split the PCT in two
    I really enjoyed the way I ended up doing the PCT. I started at Donner Pass both times, which is roughly half way. It was easy for me to get to thanks to the large interstate right by the trailhead. It let me take my time to get my trail legs. It got me away from the crowds in Campo in the Spring. I didn't have to worry about taking 5 months off in a single time or worry about the snow in the Sierra. I'd like to do it all some day in one hike but starting at Donner Pass worked well for me.
23. Patagonia Baggies
    I started wearing these shorts for hiking a few months before leaving on my sobo trip and I won't wear anything else for a long hike. They handle water and sweat like a champ. They are easy to clean and durable enough to sit on the hardest granite. I've found the shorter the better, so get the 5" inseam if you are having any question about it.
24. Replace worn out equipment frequently
    I went to REI 3 times for my sobo hike. If something wasn't holding up as well (like a filter or shoes) and I didn't hesitate to replace it. You'll be thanking yourself when you get back out on the trail.
25. Hiker boxes
    I only resupplied a few times by mail in Central and Southern California. The towns are farther apart and further off trail than the northern half of the PCT. Instead, I relied on stores and hiker boxes more. The stores often charge more but there is no shipping and it is worth it for the convenience alone. For hiker boxes, it's hard to beat free.
26. Keep notes
    I installed Google Keep on my phone before leaving on my hike this time. A million things enter into your head when you are hiking alone so it was great to have a place to store that this time.
27. Get in-shape before starting
    A lot of PCT hikers will tell you to just let the trail condition you. After a week or two, you get your trail legs and the hike seems to get a lot easier. While this worked for me going northbound, I was in much better shape this time when I started my southbound hike. It made the initial part of the hike much more enjoyable.

High Rock Canyon in the Black Rock Desert is famous for being used an emigrant route through deserts of Nevada to California. Wagons use to cross through its towering walls on the way to California. Little High Rock is less well known and less prominent. I've haven't yet been to the High Rock Canyon but I'd recommend Little High Rock for anyone who likes desert canyons.

Little High Rock is more accessible than High Rock Canyon. To reach it, you take a national forest road (37032) for a 5 miles or sop off of the main route north through the desert (CR 34). The last place to park before reaching the start of the canyon is at 41.257122, -119.429392. Plug that into your GPS and it should take you right there. The road is less well maintained than CR 34 but still very driveable. It is mostly hard packed sand until the last mile or so when a few rocks show up in the road. 4WD and high clearance is recommended for this last section.

Before you reach the parking spot, I recommend stopping for a moment at the Little High Rock Reservoir. This much water attracts many visitors in the desert. Tons of migrating birds were using it as a base when I stopped by. Copious amounts of obsidian litters the ground by the north shore of the reservoir. Be sure to do a little bit of rockhounding before continuing on the last mile to the canyon.

Park wherever you can once you start to reach the mouth of the canyon. The road quickly disintegrates to desert as it ends. The start of the trail begins there between some small wooden posts. The trail is faint but very walkable for the first mile. It follows the dry creek bed at the start and does so for most of the hike. If you brought clippers in your truck out here, they might be worth bringing. I'm not certain what the status of using them is here because it is a protected wilderness area, but the trail through the canyon hasn't seen any maintenance for a long while.

The cliffs quickly grow taller around you as you continue on in. The canyon narrowed and widened several times before I came to standing water. Around the water, the vegetation in the bush started to grow much more rough. There were faint footprints enough for me to crawl through the forehead high sagebrush but it was slow going. After climbing on some rocks and appreciating the canyon walls at their highest, I decided to turn around.

If I had a machete or this trail was regularly maintained, I could have gone on for miles. I had only made it in 3 mi and the length of the canyon was considerably longer at 11 mi. On the way back, I noticed some iron fencing way up the canyon wall. In the Nevada desert, this usually means it is an ancient Indian site.

After scrambling up I got a good look in.

I'm glad these sites are protected. It does make me wonder what else could be around here that hasn't be mapped out and discovered. This site was invaluable to Native Americans for almost 10,000 years. It would have been a great site for water and obsidian, even in its current form.

Even though I didn't get as far as I would have liked and the bush was rougher than expected, I'm glad I made it out to Little High Rock. Next time, I hope to approach it from the north while exploring High Rock and Soldier Meadows. I'll be curious to see how far I can make it in from that side.

Link to Forest Service PDF

Like much of Nevada, the Black Rock Desert has a fair share of mines in it. The Leadville mine is one of the easier ones to access. Silver and lead (hence the name) was discovered here in 1909, and the mines kept producing until the early 40s. Minor deposits of gold and zinc are also present. Researching its history, I found that there were two main shafts, one with a 1700 ft tunnel

It is less than a mile off of County Road 34, one of the best maintained and heavily trafficked roads that lead to the Black Rock. It's roughly 40 miles north of Gerlach, the only populated town in the region. The road turns to gravel roughly half way there. There's very few potholes or washboarding so I was able to drive 50+ mph on most of it.

Leadville sits at the source of a large desert dry wash. There are two roads lead to the mine. Both require decent clearance to drive on but they are very walkable if you park your car on CR 34. I ended up taking the southern road. It follows the wash for a half mile or so before heading up into a canyon. At one point there was a road that connected the two but it is so overgrown and washed out I would not even recommend taking an ATV on it. I followed it up on foot. You pass a few sheet metal buildings in various states of disrepair until the road loops back up into the surrounding hills to the north. On the other side of this hill lies the main mine.

Dropping down into the adjacent canyon, there is a old mine cart track that leads to a huge pile of tailings. Though the main tunnel is collapsed, the base is a puddle of ever present water seeping out. The old railroad ties lead right to it. Don't drink from it, arsenic is present in it from the mine. There is an old 1950s car near the entrance that has been completely flattened by the elements.

From there the road leads steeply up the hill to the west and east back out to CR34. The only remaining intact building is a blacksmith workshop just shortly after going on the road to the east. Inside are fairly well preserved wooden floors and the rusty springs of an old mattress.

If you follow the road up the hill to the west, it leads to an excellent view of an aspen grove in the valley behind the mines. This valley also has extensive evidence of the second shaft. It appears that the miners stripped the hillside leading up to Hog Ranch Mountain completely bare.

July 24th - October 14th (82 Days)

It's been a few weeks since I've been off of the trail and I feel like this is the first time I've been able to sit down and consciously reflect on my journey. Part of the trail is putting your life on hold and picking it back up when you get back. I'm very fortunate to have family and friends that have enabled me to transition back into normal life easier. When I completed my first hike in 2017, I was surprised how jarring it was to come back into civilization. You aren't packing up at the crack of dawn every day. You aren't exhausted at the end of every day. You aren't seeing new and beautiful scenery and wildlife every day. You can shower and eat normal food again. It's those million little things that make up everyday life that take some getting used to again.

When I finished the section up to Canada, I wrote that I wasn't sure how much long distance hiking I'd do in the future. It's tough. For the first month or so, I was happy to have heat, a bed to sleep in and lots of good food to eat. As the days move on, I started to realize how much I missed the wilderness. It had become a huge part of my life and I took almost every opportunity I could to get back out and explore again.

When I decided that I was going to finish out the PCT earlier this year, I was more excited for it than I had been since crossing the Canadian border. This hike was different. I had experience. I knew how hard I could push my body. I knew how to handle seeing wild bears and rattlesnakes. I knew what going days without seeing anyone was like. It felt less like being pushed out of an airplane and more like flying.

Yet the trail still had plenty surprises. The Sierras pushed me harder physically than any other section. I got to experience kit foxes, cougars, and desert insects. I was far more alone going southbound than any place going northbound. I got to see sections of California I had never even heard of despite living in it for the first 20+ years of my life.

I hope when I look back on this hike, I will remember it as fondly as I did going northbound. I thought that my first journey on the PCT was the experience of a lifetime. I now see it as the start of a lifetime of exploration.

Wildlife seen: black bears, cougars, Rattlers, kangaroo rats, grouse, deer, golden eagle, kit fox, coyotes, rabbits, squirrel, golden trout, hummingbird moth, orange-tip butterfly, tiger lily

PS: I've updated my old posts to have maps and mileage info, so check those out if you are interested. Special thanks to Craig's PCT Planner for calculating some of these stats.

It was exciting to know I only had a few days left until I reached the border. Not only have I never been to Mexico, getting there would mean I had hiked the entire West Coast. I was unsure if I was ever going to do another thru hike after I cross the Canadian border. Here I was, only one section away from completing my second multi-month thru hike.

The area south of Warner Springs was a gently climb up to a ridge with excellent views of the entire area. I passed a few hikers that evening heading north but I didn't get a chance to see where they were going. They were probably just section hikers. Crossing a few mountains, the trail began to wind down to Scissors Crossing near Julian, California. I reached an overpass just as night was falling where trail angels had generously supplied water from a nearby well. While I didn't get a chance to enjoy any trail magic cookout or beer like I did going northbound, I was immensely grateful for the water in the desert.

I camped underneath the bridge in the sand of the dry river that night and continued on my way early in the next morning. Another hot and dry climb up to the ridge on the other side of the valley. Military jets from one of the nearby desert bases circled overhead on an almost hourly basis. Generous views of Anza-Borrego state park could be seen from the top of the ridge. I camped next to the Sunrise Hwy and headed out to Mt. Laguna on the following day.

It was Saturday and I was only a few hours away from the metropolis of San Diego. The day hikers were out in force for most of the way to the motel in Mt. Laguna. The cliffs on the east side of the ridge dropped off sharply and provided excellent views all the way there. I entered the resort town of Mt. Laguna about an hour before sundown. The owner of the motel had recognized me from a Facebook post from a picture I had taken of me at the Warner Springs Community Center. It's always a plus when business owner appreciate the hikers. It was the first bed I was able to sleep in since enter Coachella Valley but part of me just wanted to continue on. I was so close to the border, only 40 miles or 2 days of hiking.

I hiked hard all of the following day with my eyes on the prize. I crossed I-8 and entered the Boulder Oaks Campground looking for water when a group of hikers flagged me down and asked me to join them for a few beers. They had just finished their northbound trek and picked up the car they drove down to Campo. I got back to reminiscing about my own journey up to Canada and weighed the pros and cons of NoBo vs SoBo with them. It felt great to have some camaraderie, especially after so many days without seeing a single soul out in the desert.

After a fist bump and a good luck from the hikers at dawn, I continued on down that dusty trail. I could smell Mexico in the air. After a breakfast burrito at the general store, I zipped past the reservoir and town of Lake Morena. After one more ardous hike down a canyon and back up its mountains, I could see the dirt road that parallels the border from a distance. On my way down to the valley around Campo, I saw many kangaroo rats and got closer to being bitten by a rattlesnake than I ever had before. I pitched my hammock for the last time in the dark only a few miles from the border.

After a quick morning hike, I waited for my ride to show up at the general store in Campo so we could walk the final mile of the trail together. After many selfies and gloating at the monument, I could hardly believe it was all over. I'm not going to lie, there probably will never be a moment as special as finishing my thru hike but this felt damn good. I stuck my hand through the border fence so I could say I had been in Mexico and drove off back into civilization.

Going down from San Gorgonio was one of my favorite sections in SoCal. Not only did this feel like the first set of "real mountains" since leaving the Sierras, the journey down into the desert of around Cabazon reinforced just how connected the two ecosystems are. When I came back up to San Jacinto, I got to learn that lesson all over again. The area around San Jacinto was even more scenic than I had anticipated. Most of the PCT follows along a ridge with views down into Coachella Valley and over into Hemet. The landscape quickly descends from alpine to below sea level. I appreciated just how much the desert towns have grown in recent years. The whole area is developed from Cabazon to the Salton Sea.

After circling the peak of San Jacinto, the trail begins a descent along the ridge. I wouldn't be above 10k ft again on the trail. The area seemed like a popular spot for weekenders. I saw more people enjoying the trails in San Jacinto than anywhere else in Southern California. While pausing to admire the the sunset over Hemet, I turned around to see a kit fox wondering what a human was doing up here. It was one of the highlights of the wildlife I had seen on the entire trail.

I hiked well into sundown, if only to enjoy the dusk as long as possible. Light lingered on and moon was close to full. The city lights of the Coachella Valley were a dazzling sight to behold. A large rock slide from earlier that year had forced huge boulders onto the trail around mile 172. It was in a section with a large drop off and it was getting pitch black dark. Carefully, I used the ropes that someone had securely tied around the boulder pile to make it to the other side of the trail. I set up a camp in a relatively flat area of the ridge shortly thereafter. The sunrise the morning after was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It is hard to beat a desert sunrise.

I spent most of the day working my way across the ridge and down to Highway 74. The wildlife seemed to be in overdrive, using the last bit of good weather before the winter came. Many squirrels and lizards busied themselves on the periphery of the trail and the birds and bees were flying up above. As I exited the San Jacinto wilderness area, the trail turned down into a high desert valley, replete with cactus and pinyon pine.

The next morning I stopped by the cafe about a mile down Highway 74 for some hiker fuel (a gigantic burger and sweet potatoes fries). The trail continued up into the hills around Anza. The pinyon disappeared and with it so did whatever ground cover from the sun. For the rest of the way to the border, only the rocks would provide shade. Natural water had become increasingly scarce as well. I carried almost double that amount because I've learned the hard way that you can't always rely on caches. Luckily, the volunteers in SoCal had prepared for southbounders and it wasn't an issue. It was actually nice not to have to filter any water for a change.

Before I knew it, I was in the small town of Warner Springs. I spent the night close to the community resource center that generously supplies hikers with a small shop, free bucket showers, and a place to charge my electronics. I ate at the restaurant in the golf course's club house and bought some food at the local gas station's convenience mart. I hit the trail in the late morning excited to be so close to the border and the end of my journey. I had entered the final section of the PCT.

The most surprising thing I noticed when I entered San Bernadino National Forest was the Mojave River. Since leaving the Sierras, I had only passed a creek and here was an actual river. The trail wound up and down the desert canyon that held the river. I had stocked up my pack with enough water at the pass that I did not need to go down and refill.

About half way through the day, I came across the Deep Creek Hot Springs. Being from northern Nevada, I knew how rare these places are. I slipped in for a quick dip. The water was clear and the perfect temperature. It was a Saturday. Many locals had made the 8 mile or so hike in to enjoy it. I moved on and followed the creek further up the canyon til reaching a picnic area with a gazebo. It sheltered me from the wind. It was getting close to October and the nights were getting longer and colder.

After climbing some more couple thousand feet, I began to reflect on the landscape. I much prefer San Bernardino National Forest to Angeles. It felt like I was back in the wilderness. The terrain was rougher.  The roads were much less frequent. I saw no one else after the hot springs. On my second day, I saw my first cougar while hiking. I spotted him further on down the trail before he had a chance to see me. He was only 50 yards or so away. I immediately stopped and waited for him to move on. He moseyed on down into the brush and off trail. I found another way around. As much I as valued seeing this elusive creature, I did not want to be sprung upon by such a large predator.

Soon enough, I found myself approaching the community of Big Bear. I spotted the lake on my third morning and began an unnecessarily arduous trip down the mountainside to the road. It's not the first time I've underestimated how steep terrain is on my maps. I debated whether to spend the night in a hotel there but ended up just resupplying at the local Vons and chilling for a few hours in the nearby Starbucks. A bus brought me back to the trail around sundown and I continued my trek.

The weather for the past few days had been chilly. It had started to reach down into the 20s and my water was freezing at night. I almost exclusively used my tent instead of my hammock. The extra protection that it provides from the wind and the fact I can put on clothes before I get up helps those chilly mornings go that much easier.

The next part of the landscape I noticed was the large mountain on the horizon, San Gorgonio. The trail passed through a highway and a few forest roads and before I knew it, I was near the trail at the summit. Another cold night at 9000 ft and I would be back among the cactus and sand of the desert. After a stunning sunrise viewed from on high between pine trees, I began the descent to the Coachella Valley.

I enjoyed the forests around San Gorgonio immensely. I'd like to go back in winter when there are several feet of snow around them. It'd be a tough hike as my descent down was over 7000 ft to the valley floor. San Gorgonio is the headwaters of Mission Creek and the Whitewater River. They were both running strong even in early October, before any rain or snow had fallen. The trail followed alongside them in the canyons the rivers had carved out for almost the entire length. After a long day, I crossed the Whitewater River in the dark and set up camp in the dark desert.

The next morning, I was alerted by a sign that the final 10 miles or so of the trail had been damaged by flash flooding earlier in the year. This redirected me to the Whitewater Preserve, a private wildlife and nature reservation. Fortunately, there was a paved road that lead all the way to the freeway from there. The entire time I approached the freeway, Mt. San Jacinto loomed in the distance. I'm looking forward to the long climb up out of the valley and onto the tallest peak in Southern California. From there on out to Mexico, I won't get above 6,000 ft. I won't mind the smooth sailing.

After several days of no trees and scarce water, the sign that announced that I was entering Angeles national Forest was a welcome sight. The trail out of antelope valley and up into the mountains was gradual but soon I found myself thousands of feet above the California aqueduct and back in the pine trees.

Water proved to be scare. I had filled up completely after leaving hikertown, anticipating a dry stretch but that would only last me a couple of days at most. I came across my first "guzzler" shortly after starting my second day. I had never seen anything quite like it on any trail I've been on before. It's essentially a large piece of sheet metal slanted 4 or 5 feet above the ground. Rainwater collects on it and is in pipe into a tank in the shade below.

Unfortunately, it has not rained in this part of southern California for months. One of the downsides to hiking this area in the fall, I sholose. I removed the lid from the tank was greeted by the smell of something rotten. The water was several feet below where I could even reach down into. I closed the lid and decided it what's best to try the next one.

I passed numerous campgrounds that appeared to be unused for quite some time. It would be many days before I saw another hiker. I found another guzzler close to the sawmill campground. I was able to scoop some out and despite a few mosquito larvae, this water was much cleaner. I ended up spending the night at upper shake campground. Despite looking like the forest service had abandoned it 20 years ago, the benches and well cleared terrain were welcome.

The following day, I would start to glimpse my first views into the greater Los Angeles basin. In the day I couldn't see much because of the smog but the city lights at night would show just how many people were living some miles do south of me. Being back around a huge after months in the high sierra and trekking through the desert provided an interesting contrast. It made me consider how the true value wilderness is only really apparent when are back around a large city.

I dropped down into the pass that contained the town of Agua Dulce and a freeway. I checked my phone and found that it was only a short Uber drive to the town of Santa Clarita and found myself in a motel on the outskirts of suburbia. A steep climb on the day after had me be passed by my first southbounder from Canada. Judging by his speed, he must have been doing 40 mile days. Just first to show that there is always room to do more and improve.

Water for the next two days was all supplied by tap at various ranger and fire stations. The trail more or less follows the Angels Crest and Angeles Forest highways that connect Los Angeles to the desert cities such as Palmdale. I came across year round creeks and large trees for the first time since leaving the Sierra but it never really felt like I was in the backcountry. It seemed like prime area for day hikes. I wish I knew about this area when I lived down here.

The last 5 miles of the section I spent on walking down to the town of Wrightwood. As I passed the county line from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, it reminded me of the small ski towns around Tahoe and made me a little homesick. I have just passed the 2 month mark from when I left from Truckee. I'm looking forward to being back in my own bed in a few weeks. Until then, only 300 or so miles to Mexico and being able to say I've walked the entire length of America.

I left Walker Pass after a great zero day. I was rested and recharged and looking forward to a section of the trail I knew little about. I just began to adjust from the abundance of water in the High Sierras to the dry Mojave after leaving Kennedy Meadows. Since I am going southbound and I am well ahead of those that left from Canada this year, I was uncertain what kind of water caches I would find or if any of the springs would still be flowing after the summer heat.

I climbed up the mountains surrounding Walker Pass and followed along a dusty Jeep trail on the crest. I had packed a full 7 liters of water which weighed me down significantly. It made the elevation gain a lot more difficult but I'll take that over running out of water any day. By the time I had set up camp for the first night, the wind had picked up and I had used almost half of those 7 liters.

The next morning, I came across I huge cache of 5 gallon jugs of water. They appeared to be mostly from when the northbound hikers came through a few months prior but the water was clean and refreshing. Being in the desert sun all day is a great disinfectant. I continued skirting along the ridge far above the Mojave as the temperature rose. Despite the lack of shade, it was not too bad. A bit of sunscreen and extra water really helped.

I started to come across a great deal of desert wildlife. I must have seen dozens of mice, beetles, snakes, and eagles as I marched on through. The wildlife seemed even more abundant than in the deep forest though perhaps it is only because there are less places to hide in the desert.

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I soon found myself climbing another couple thousand feet into the Bright Star Wilderness. Joshua trees and cactus gave way to pinyon pine and even taller varieties. The shade and cooler climate was much welcomed but water was still scarce. I ended up camping next to the first spring I came to and was treated to a night of cattle wandering by my tent and strange calls from coyotes. Water is life in the desert.

As Tehachapi grew closer, I began to see giant windfarms in the distance. It seemed as though every ridge and hill was covered by the machinery for the next few days. I worked my way down to the highway and began a long walk into the railroad town of Tehachapi. I was able to stay at a decent chain hotel, grab a pizza for dinner, and pickup a supply package from home. After figuring out the local bus schedule, I was ready to hit the trail again.

After staying at elevation for the first day after Tehachapi, the trail wound its way down into the valley floor of the Mojave to cross the California aqueduct. This was the hottest weather I had encountered so far on my hike. I began resting during the day and hiking many miles after sundown to avoid the heat. The lack of water and decent places to pitch my tent lead me to a 26 mile hike before getting into Hikertown.

Hikertown is one of the most interesting spots I've stayed at a long the trail. Only a quarter mile off the trail, it's completely free to stay at. The owners live in a house and have built several Western style bunkhouses to provide an oasis for hikers in this desolate part of the trail. I'm thankful for the shower, pancakes, shelter, and water I got there.

Soon I'll be heading back up into the mountains. While I'm looking forward trees and fresh spring water, I'm glad I got to experience the desert on this hike.

Getting back over into the Sierras from Independence seemed easy. A quick 5 miles up and over the pass dropped me into the stunning wilderness of mountains and clear lakes. By the time I rejoined the JMT, it was quickly becoming dark. I hiked to a campsite deep in the woods in one of the canyons between the next pass and where I started.

The next morning, I headed straight up to tackle the hardest pass I had encountered yet. Forester Pass is also the high point of the PCT at just over 13k. It was a long, arduous climb. I stopped at the top for lunch and the view was easily one of the highlights of the JMT.

On the way down from the pass, I ran into the oldest hiker I've met yet. She was 78 and had a great attitude. She was only doing 5 miles a day but I could tell she was loving every minute of it. I hope I can continue to enjoy the wilderness that long into my life.

It was the next morning when I first spotted Mt. Whitney on the horizon. Ascending to the top was one of my most memorable hikes of last year. As I approached it closer and closer, I reflected on how fortunate I was to be able to have hiked the John Muir Trail this year. Before I knew it, I had passed the turnoff for Mt. Whitney and was back on the plain old PCT once again.

Desert Rain

From here on out, the landscape shifted dramatically into a drier climate. Lodgepole and white pine turned into juniper and pinyon. I continued on a great pace and had my first 20+ mile day since entering the Sierras.

I started to pass significantly less people than I had only a day earlier. Often times, the silence of the great outdoors was only interrupted by distant mooing of cattle grazing down in the meadows below. Mosquitoes were quickly becoming a far away memory.

I encounter my first instance of smoke and rain on the trail the very same day. The fire was far away not to worry about but the rain poured on me for over an hour. The thunder was loud and lightning close. Fortunately, it stopped raining by the time I set up camp.

The next day went by in a blur as went further downhill. Water became less and less frequent and the desert crept in. By the time I had crossed the south fork of the Kern River, the tiny town of Kennedy Meadows was straight ahead.

After a quick resupply, a burger, and as much water as I could carry, I left towards Onyx, CA and Walker Pass. The landscape started to look like back home in Reno. More thunderstorms brewed on the horizon. While the cloud cover was nice, it proceeded to rain on me heavy in the evening. The gnats were nasty and I must have swallowed a couple. Water was more plentiful than the landscape would suggest. A couple more 20+ mile days and I would be descending down to Walker Pass and the town of Ridgecrest.

Next up, the real desert. Between here and Tehachapi is the driest section of the PCT. The forecast is unseasonably cool. I hope the trail angels have been filling up the water caches. If not, it could get a bit rough.

I was excited to get back on the Yosemite. To the south lied what many hikers say is their favorite part of the PCT. When I was going North in 2017, almost every hiker said the John Muir Trail section of the Sierras was their favorite, hands down. It's also the hardest. It includes a dozen or so mountain passes, thousands of feet of elevation gain, and the highest point on the entire PCT.

Donahue Pass

After a restful zero day, I was ready to hit the trail in Tuolumne meadows. I was impressed by the part of Yosemite Wilderness I went through in the last section and there was still a day left of it south of Tioga Pass. The PCT follows the Tuolumne river till it hits the mountains surrounding Donahue Pass. I spent the first night up in the pass, just before the trail leaves Yosemite and enters the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

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Island Pass

The majority of the next day was up above the treeline. The entire area is exposed granite carved by glaciers in the last ice age, creating dramatic and stunning mountains. By the afternoon, I had crossed over Island Pass and dropped into the basin that contained Thousand Island Lake. With its crystal clear water and the powerful Mt. Davis in the background, it was easily one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen on the JMT. I ended up basking in the sun by its shores for an hour longer than I had originally planned.

Here, the PCT and the JMT split for about 10 miles. The JMT sticks alongside the interior of the mountains whereas the PCT goes along the ridge to the Mammoth Lake area. Despite the prodigious number of mosquitoes, the beauty of Thousand Island Lake convinced me to take the more watery route.

Silver Pass

On the way down to Mammoth and Reds Meadow, I passed by Garnet Lake, Shadow Lake, and Rosalie Lake. The trail quickly descends into the valley with Devil's Postpile. I stopped by the ample hiker box at the campground and resupplied the food I ate in the past couple of days. I ate a hamburger and milkshake at the cafe at the resort, took a shower, and headed back onto the trail to camp underneath the stars.

I started to recognize a few familiar faces that I had passed and said hello to a few times before. The most popular route of the JMT is southbound and it turns out many of them started the same time I had left Yosemite. It was nice to be able to walk alongside and have conversations with some fellow hikers for a change. I had passed a lot of hikers heading northbound before this sections where you really only have time to say hello.

After a night of heavy mosquitoes next to Fish Creek in Tully Hole, I ascended up into Silver Pass. By the afternoon, I was descending on the other side and heading to Edison Lake to take ferry to my next resupply stop.

Seldon Pass

I made the 4:30 pm ferry across the lake to spend the night at Vermilion Valley Resort. The first beer is on the house and the burgers and sandwiches at their cafe hit the spot. I got to acquaint myself with other JMT hikers around the fire at night and fill up my bear canister with more supplies at the hiker box.

The next morning, I headed back to the ferry and was back on the trail. After a well graded by strenuous climb out of the canyon Edison Lake is in, I was on my way to tackle the 11k ft Seldon Pass. From here on the passes were more constant. Often I was climbing 3000 ft to 5000 ft a day from here on out, tackling a pass or two each day.

After Seldon Pass, the trail quickly descends into the valley with Muir Trail Ranch. It was completely booked out for all of 2019 so I hadn't planned on staying there. I still stopped by for what was rumored to be the best hiker box on the whole PCT. The whole area was drier than any part of the trail so I was thankful for the dip in the headwaters of the San Joaquin river.

Muir Pass

On the other side of the river, I entered Kings Canyon National Park. I immediately appreciated the deep river canyon and spent a night beside a creek before heading up into the high country. The next morning I entered Evolution Valley, another highlight of the trip.

I followed along the shore of the stunning lakes all the way up to Muir Pass so I could get back below the tree line on the other side. It was a hard day but worth it to reach the spot I camped at.

Mather Pass

As I crossed Muir Pass, I entered the Kings River drainage. Often times this water never even reaches the sea, being used completely used by agriculture in the Central Valley. From up here, the water seemed limitless.

One of the hardest stretches  lay above the valley. The Golden Staircase as it is called was the last section of the JMT completed, simply because of how difficulty in tackling the mountain engineering problems. Once you reach the summit, you are surround by the Palisades, a section of the Sierra Nevada mountains with some serious character.

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Pinchot Pass

From Mather Pass, I descended into the valley with the headwaters of the South Fork Kings River in it.  Desert gave way to lush meadows the further down the valley I traveled into it. Evidence of heavy glaciation is everywhere, whether it it be the large basins for the alpine lakes or generous amount of boulders and moraines that sprinkle the landscape.

As I approached Pinchot Pass, I came across my favorite lake so far, Marjorie Lake. The deep shade of blue and the imposing mountains that surround it create a scene of beauty that is unparalleled.

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Glen Pass

It seemed as though as I got closer and closer to Mt. Whitney, passive kept on getting more and more steep. I slept alongside a full Woods Creek before beginning a long ascent up to Glen Pass. In between Woods Creek and the pass was the stupendous Rae lakes. As I was following the trail along a natural causeway between upper and middle Rae lakes, I stopped for an hour to fish for trout using the hobo reel I carved from Aspen. The lake was absolutely teaming with beautiful rainbow trout. I was able to catch a few and threw them all back.

From the lakes, the trail seems to go straight up the mountain. It was by far the steepest one yet but not too difficult because it was fairly short. From there it is a short downhill journey to Kearsarge Pass and the town of Independence.

The Sierras have met all of my expectations and exceeded them. Every time I've driven down highway 395, I've always appreciated the beauty of these mountains. From climbing Mt. Whitney, I was able to get a peek into the vast wilderness nestled between the high peaks. This is truly some of the most spectacular country in the entire nation and the whole world.

I got a late start in the afternoon when I headed south of Sonora Pass The trail quickly ascends to get up on the crest of the mountains and stays there for the next 10 miles. There were excellent views of the country around the highway and the Emigrant Wilderness once I got to the top. Perfect for viewing the peaks at sunset but I found myself hiking in the dark for a few hours to reach land good enough to camp in. High winds and a summer cold snap made me put my jacket on early but the beauty of the surrounding landscape kept me in good spirits.

I had good fortune that I was able to get through most of the high points before nightfall. There was still snow clinging to the north face of the ridge in a number of spots. Most of the snow had already been tread on heavily, leaving pockets for me to step in. Still, it is always good to take your time when crossing snow, especially without crampons.

After traversing the ridge, the trail drops down into the Hoover Wilderness, passing by a few alpine creeks and high elevation forests. Deer stared in bewilderment at my flashlight as I passed through the trees. I ended up choosing a sandy and granite filled area to camp in. I ate a quick meal and strapped my hammock to some white pines and quickly fell to sleep.

It was a chilly morning. I slept in a couple of hours after sunrise and then hit the trail again. I was about 10 miles from the northern entrance to Yosemite's Wilderness. The terrain was even heavily forested and marshy. Mosquitoes weren't as bad as I thought they would be but they came often enough I kept my repellent in my pack's front side pocket. I passed by the 1000 mile marker that hikers had laid out of stone. For northbound hikers, this is an achievement. For me, it reminded me I still had a long way to go to Mexico.

By the afternoon, I had reached Dorothy Pass and the boundary to the national park. A hour or so into the park, I spotted my first bear of the PCT this season. He was about 30 yards from the trail, poking around in the underbrush for food. I quickly passed by and looked back to see a pair of ears popping out of a bush. The trail continues along Falls Creek for several miles. I camped in an outcropping of boulders beside a meadow the creek meanders through.

The morning greeted me with frosty dew. Thankfully, it was not cold enough to freeze any of my water supply. I kept my long underwear and jacket on until the morning sun was causing me to sweat. After a quick dip in the creek, I felt ready to tackle the next 15 miles I had planned to cover in the day.

I saw a pattern start to emerge in the wilderness. Pass over a solid granite ridge for about 2000 ft and then descend into a glacial valley with a pristine creek running through the middle of it. The next few days would be spent covering this terrain until I reached Tuolumne Meadows. It was tough going. The constant elevation change meant I was only covering 15 miles in a day instead of my usual 18-20 miles. I saw another large bear heading down to an alpine lake on my third day. It seems like this wet winter has sparked all wildlife into action.

I covered a good amount of miles on my fourth day, zipping past Benson Lake and Benson Pass. I saw signs for countless trails to alpine lakes and mountain passes. I got as close as 14 miles to Hetch Hetchy. I could spend weeks just exploring the backcountry in Yosemite.

I had to cover 18 miles on the final day to make it Tuolumne. I was on my final packet of instant mashed potatoes and out of butane to boil water with. It was mostly flat or downhill so I was confident I would be able to make it well before sundow. As I reached Glen Aulin waterfalls, it started to resemble the Yosemite I knew. I passed by more day hikers in 30 minutes than I saw people during my whole time in the wilderness.

Section J of the PCT going south starts at Echo Summit on Highway 50. The trail quickly climbs up a 1000 ft or so around granite boulders and mountain streams. I got my final view of Lake Tahoe on the way up. Once the trail flatten out, I immediately dropped into Bryan Meadow. It was in full bloom. Almost every flower species I knew of that is endemic to this part of Sierras could be found there. The last few chunks of snow clung to the dark parts of the forest.

The trail went quickly as I headed towards Carson Pass on Highway 88. I passed by a few alpine lakes, the Upper Truckee River and marshlands packed with mosquitoes. This time I had brought repellent. It made these areas much more enjoyable. I spent the first night by Frog Pond, a few miles in from the start of the Mokelumne Wilderness.

I've been able to use my hammock every night so far. I still bring my tent in case I have to camp above the tree line or inclement weather. Being able to sleep in the open underneath the stars while still being above the ground has been enjoyable. It's also great to be able to sleep on the level even when the terrain below you isn't.

The second day did not offer any new scenery to me. I had done much of the Mokelumne Wilderness in an overnight trip last year. I'm glad I didn't skip it though. Walking south this time made the scenery seem almost new. The landscape had been transformed by how wet the winter was this year. I've yet to see a spot in Alpine County that hasn't impressed me. I camped in the same spot I did last year if only for a sense of continuity.

The next day started with another big climb with great views into Western Nevada. I passed chattering Clark's Nutcrackers and giant Sierra Junipers on my way to Ebbetts Pass. On the other side of the highway, you first go down into the canyon carved by Noble Creek, at tributary of the Carson River. The trail goes to the head of the canyon, crosses it and then up into the mountains. I finished the day by the shores of Noble Lake. It has been my favorite site so far. Excellent views of the beautiful lake and canyon made for a stunning sunset.

The next major highway was I was headed for was Sonora Pass.  I started the morning by dropping into the valley where the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness starts. The entire day was filled by passing through pristine wilderness. It was nothing but pleasant and rugged glacially carved valleys separated by majestic mountains. I ended the day by camping above headwaters of the East Fork of the Carson river, opposite golden granite cliffs.

From there, it was a gradual climb of 3000 ft out of the canyon and over to Sonora Pass, the end of the section.

Mexico.

Ha ha... Well, good luck with that!

It has been almost two years since I first started my thru hike of the PCT from Tahoe to Canada. This year I'm heading south from the same trailhead to Mexico. Ever since completing the hike, it's been a lingering thought of when I'd get the chance to complete it. I'm lucky the chance to start on it again has come so soon.

Ask a mountaineer why he climbs a mountain and the most common answer will be "because it is there". Hiking is more than that to me. There's nothing quite like it. The challenge of a good hike always beckons me to push further. Exploring some of the most untouched wilderness fuels my need to explore. Nature is a constant source of awe and beauty. The Pacific Crest Trail has been the ultimate experience for all of that for me.

I started off at Donner Summit, on the other side of I-80 from where I started my last journey on the PCT. The first day was a very different experience from two years ago. I now live close by to the trail, so it didn't seem nearly as daunting. I passed many local day hikers and went through several ski resorts. I had been many of these places before on my way to Mt Judah. I got a later start than I hoped for. By the time I set camp for the first night, it all just seemed like another weekend adventure.

The next morning, the sun had started to shine on the deep canyons below me. I had never seen the source North Fork of the American River. It started to feel like I had passed into unknown territory once again. I was quickly approaching the first of the two wilderness areas I'd pass through, Granite Chief. Snow was still clinging to the top of peaks I was passing by. Tinker Knob and Squaw Peak still had large banks of snow but they were easy passed with slight detours around the trail.

On my second day, I started to notice the difference between hiking south versus north. I was passing by a lot of hikers. I had been anticipating a mix of both northbound and southbound hikers flipping to tackle the High Sierra. It had been a high snowfall year so not many would be able to make it through in July. It seemed that most waited for the snow to clear in the south and then continued on the trail.

I passed by most with a simple "hello" and "enjoy your hike". It was nice to be able to get conditions of the trail ahead of me. Being on the trail seems to give people a sense of distant comradery. Each person you see could be the last you see for hours and you'll only see them for the short time it takes for them to greet you. You see people from what seems to be every country and walk of life. This only seems to grow as the trail gets more popular each passing year.

I started my third day knocking on the backdoor of the Desolation Wilderness at Barker Pass. Almost instantly after passing the sign, the landscape changed. Wildflowers and water everywhere created a marsh and with fresh snowfall, it meant the mosquitos were out in force. While undoubtedly a beautiful area, I rushed through it, trying to swat and brush away as many bloodsuckers as I could. The thick vegetation keep the wind down and the views minimal. It is times like these that make me question why I willing put myself in misery and stress for many days on end.

I climbed my way out and found myself camping at the highest, most desert-like place I could find. I didn't even notice I was at the base of Dick's Pass until the next morning. Suddenly, the marsh gave way to alpine lakes of immense beauty. A stiff climb up and I could see all of the territory I had just covered. I no longer doubted why I put myself out in the wilderness. It's all about the ups and downs, no matter how extreme.

The following day was one where I couldn't help but stop and whip out my camera for every five minutes. I can see why the Desolation Wilderness is the most visited wilderness area in the county. I couldn't believe I hadn't visited it before, being so close to my home. I have no doubt that I'll be back to explore it again soon.