Crying in the Rain, Laughing in the Desert: From Oregon to Mojave

A full season on the track

It’s crazy to think I’ve experienced almost every season here. I started this adventure in April in the Continental Divide Trailwalking north through New Mexico and Colorado. Then, halfway there, I went to the Pacific Crest Trailheading south towards Mexico.

Now I’ve seen it all, from freezing mornings, scorching 100+ degree days, hail, rain, and even snow. I reached 29° at dawn and by noon I was roasting under the desert sun. Every turn reminds me how vast this journey is and how lucky I am to walk it.

General route statistics (so far):

🥶 Coldest morning: 28°F

🔥Hottest afternoon: 104°F

💨 Statuses uploaded (partially): 2

🏔️ Uploaded statuses (full): 3

🥾 Lost shoes: 1 shoe, on the bus in Ashland…

🔥 Destroyed shoes: 6 pairs…maybe more

👓 Destroyed/lost sunglasses: 5

📕 Featured book: The sun is a compass

☕️ Top Route Coffee by State: Sunrise Espresso in Silver City, New Mexico | Coffee on the go in Creede, Colorado | Espresso Monorail in Seattle, Washington | Sisters Coffee in Sisters, Oregon | Theoretical Cafe in Mt. Shasta, California

Walking south along the California border

Yeah…it’s been a minute, hasn’t it? The border between Oregon and California appears light years back. I’ve probably cried ten times since then (definitely more). Bee stings, body aches, and bad weather tested me, but somehow, the road always softens yesterday’s problems.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Following the Oregon-California Border,” October 2025.

After Crater Lake, Napolitan and I had a crisis. We missed our trail friends, our motivation diminished with the rain, and our gear barely kept us dry. The forests changed from tall pines to sturdy California oaks and we traveled for miles that seemed like weeks.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Lush Green Trees,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “PCT California-Oregon Border,” October 2025.

Crossing into California, we crossed Seiad Valley, Etna and Burney. The trail circled Mount Shasta like a bowl, showing every amazing angle of that massive volcano. But the beauty came at a price: the experience of overgrown brush that tore our legs, yellow jackets that found me again, and a snowstorm that dumped ankle-deep piles at 7,000 feet.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Rolling Hills to Burney,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Rock Formations to Seiad Valley,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Snow Before Dunsmuir,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Beautiful Lake to Dunsmuir,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Mt. Shasta,” October 2025.

Route statistics:

🐝 Bee stings: 3

🏔️ Highest point: 7,350 feet near Devils Peak south of Crater Lake

🌲 Favorite view: Sunset over the North Ridge of Shasta

Bay Area Adventures (aka The Trail Vacation)

After too many cold and wet days, we made a difficult decision; We made plans to jump into the Southern Sierra and return next year to finish the miles. The decision hurt, but the path teaches you to bend, not break.

We stayed with my cousin’s family in Burney, snuggling by the fire and inhaling real food again (pancakes, burgers, chicken alfredo). Next came a mini road trip through Northern California. We headed to Redding to rent a car, then to Tahoe for a few days of rest, emails, salmon dinner, and mountain air.

While we were in Tahoe we found out that my best friend got engaged, so the detour was non-negotiable. We celebrated in Antelope, toured the cider farms and bakeries of Placerville, and then headed down Highway 1 to the coast. San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, San Jose, each stop is a reminder of connection, laughter, and the luxury of clean laundry.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Shark Fin Cove in Davenport,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Sunset at the Beach,” October 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Joy Together in the Bay Area,” October 2025.

Route Statistics (also known as Civilization Statistics):

🍎 Local cider tastings: 6

🛁 Showers taken: 5 glorious

🍽️ Real foods: 21

❤️ Friends hugging: Too many to count

All good things come to an end

Leaving the Bay was difficult. Being surrounded by people who love me and know me reminded me of who I am and how much I miss belonging. Life on the trails gives you solitude, but community? That is the real medicine.

Still, it was time. Between hugs, tears and a last stop for coffee, we headed to Saint Mary to meet our friend water bearerwho received us and took us to Kennedy meadows south. The moment my shoes hit the ground again, I felt the switch flip and we were back to the routine, back to the rhythm, back to nature.

Image source: Paige Combs, “South Kennedy Meadows,” October 2025.

Route statistics:

🚗Miles traveled off-piste: ~755

🧺 Laundry loads: 2 (only!)

🎧 Audiobook listening: Ada Blackjack

Joshua Trees and Welcome to the Wilderness

The impact of the desert hit him instantly. The air was dry and buzzing. The ground was cracked and golden. We passed through cacti and sagebrush, watched lizards cross our path, and fell asleep to the chorus of crickets.

Image source: Paige Combs, “The Desert Mountains,” November 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Magnificent Rock Formation in the High Desert,” November 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Sunset at Joshua Tree Spring,” November 2025.

The Joshua trees stood like little dancers pointing to the sky, strange and beautiful. The desert has always felt like a homecoming with all its harshness and bustle of life.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Joshua Trees in the Mojave,” November 2025.

Route statistics:

🦇 Bat sighting: 1

🦎 Lizards counted: lost count after 30

💧 Longest water transportation: 18 miles

The Mojave and a moment of gratitude

Of Inyokern to Mojave was 86 miles in just four hot, dusty days. We carried extra liters of water, chased what little shade there was, and laughed at how brutal it all was (okay, maybe I cried again).

Image source: Paige Combs, “Water Cache at the Road,” November 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Mountains and Mojave,” November 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Gravel Road Stretches Ahead,” November 2025.

Somewhere between the wind turbines and the endless ridges, I stopped feeling frustrated about the miles I hadn’t finished. I just felt…grateful. GRAMI’m grateful to have experienced this once, and even luckier to live through it. twice.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Secret Place Off of Kelso Road,” November 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Rain Clouds Ahead,” November 2025.

Image source: Paige Combs, “Brainstorm Staring into the Mojave,” November 2025.

Route statistics:

🌡️ Average temperature: 95°F

🚶‍♀️ Most miles traveled in one day: 21

💦 Liters of water transported: 3 per section

💭 Gratitude level: Infinite

It’s easy to get caught up in numbers and timelines, but when I step back, all of this is a gift. The ups and downs, the tears and the laughter. Every mile writes another page in a story I will be proud to tell for the rest of my life.

Learnings / Inspirational Quotes

True community is made up of people who reflect your greatness and sustain your growth, even when you can’t see it yourself. -Cool idea

Statistics in the desert:

Temperature range: Low 29 – High 97 degrees

General Location: Ashland, OR to Mojave, CA

Ascent: 73,516.8/536.9 = 136.93 feet per mile

Descent: 76,868.1/536.9= 143.17 feet per mile

What land am I on?? Find out why it’s important to respect the land we travel.