Sitting at the hiker heaven trail house around mile 454 taking a zero day to go to REI and drink Margaritas.

Outside of Big Bear, really happy I took that snow survival course.

Burn area outside of Big Bear.

This is the official PCT signage for the McDonald’s at Cajon Pass. We were thinking about big macs all day long. Calories consumed at McDonald’s: 3,000.

A few folks decided to spend the night at the Best Western, but I chose to push a few more miles. These would be some of the creepiest PCT miles yet.

A pitch black freeway underpass. The eery sounds of big rigs and trucks above me on I-15 were what I could only imagine purgatory to sound like. Did I mention it was pitch black? My headlamp could only do so much.

With the flash, still can’t see the end:

After I-15, I still need to pass under the railroad tracks. What’s that PCT? Another pitch black tunnel I can’t see the end of? Sure.

I packed 10 pounds of food out of the Chevron at Cajon pass (you don’t even want to know) so I could go straight through the next 112 miles in 4 days to Agua Dulce (where I am now). 10 pounds of food, 6 liters of water, and a 7,000 foot climb through Wrightwood awaits me the next day.

A few days later, I’m at the top of Mt. Baden-Powell.

Calling our mothers.

Being lazy for a change at hiker heaven and watching Star Wars (they have a double wide and 40 cots just for hikers).

We’re going to head out to REI soon. We’ve been hearing the next stretch of desert is just absolutely brutal, so hopefully we’ll be tips up by 5 am tomorrow!

andrew batjiaka

pacifc crest trail 2014

pct

Since Warner Springs:

Day 7: I camped at Mike Herrera’s house (in the middle of nowhere on BLM land). The place used to be a huge marijuana growing operation until the feds raided it and the agency put it up for auction. Mike bought it (he owns a tortilla factory and there are old tortilla presses everywhere being used as landscaping stones) and absolutely loves PCT hikers.

Day 8: From there we did 25 miles to the Paradise Valley Cafe where I had a cheeseburger that is probably in my top 5.

Day 9: Due to the mountain fire, the PCT was closed from mile 162 to 177. A lot of people were just hitching around it. Not me, I found one other person who would attempt the trail alternate with me the next morning. With high wind advisories in place we left the cafe at 6 am and arrived in Idyllwild 30 miles later around 8:30. I could write pages about this side adventure and the obstacles we encountered but we made it through unscathed. Long day, but worth it.

Day 10: After Idyllwild we descend 7000 feet over 20 miles with no water sources. As the crow flies the next water source is only 4 miles, but on the PCT, it’s 15 miles. It was brutally hot, 102 degrees in the valley. 85 degrees at 9 pm. We make it to the trail house of Ziggy and the Bear. After a 30 mile day they give us Gatorade and breakfast in the morning. These people are so kind and they are all over the trail.

Day 12: I woke up at mile 235 at 5:40 am, pulling my sleeping bag over my face to get a few more minutes of sleep. The day before I just slogged through 25 miles going slowly and finishing after dark in the heat. Today was the same, no energy. It was either the heat or the lack of calories. It all changed at mile 19. It had taken me 10 hours to push through a measly 19 miles. However at 19 there was trail magic waiting for me. Trail magic is when a good Samaritan leaves a cache of goods on the trail for PCT hikers. It’s usually ice cold soda, beer, fruit, couches etc. This particular spot was placed there by the Big Bear Hostel. I wasn’t going to spend the night in Big Bear but as soon as I read their pamphlet (foot long burrito next door), I knew it was the place to be for the night. It’s 12 more miles, but it took me 10 hours to get to 19. Screw it, I’m making it there tonight. It’s 5 pm and I need to make it to the road before dark so I can get a hitch. I dump my water, strap the pack down, put on the headphones and just start running. I have adrenaline and endorphins out the ears and I’m on top of the world. 12 miles done in an instant. 31 for the day, the burrito sucked but I’m still on my endorphin rush, so all is well. Goodnight Big Bear, high of 40 degrees low of 25 tomorrow with a few inches of snow on the way. I’ll take it any day over the heat.

Mike’s house is in here somewhere. It really is in the middle of nowhere.

We drink 12-13 pounds of water a day.

Part of the mountain fire alternate route. We had about 2-3 miles of road walk.

Finding ice cold soda at 9 pm under I-10.

andrew batjiaka

pacifc crest trail 2014

pct