DAY ZERO: Maybe it’s cliché to say it felt surreal, but that’s the only word I can think of to describe my arrival at Camp CLEEF. There were a lot of hikers, which was a little overwhelming for me, so I was pretty quiet. I didn’t realize it all until I walked at sunset to see the monument for the first time. I wanted some time alone and a photo taken and it was everything I thought it would be. The PCT is a spiritual experience for me and one that I have been fantasizing about for 16 years.
When I returned from the monument, the camp was home to two legends, «Scout» and «Frodo.» They sat under a large pavilion and shared professional advice for our impending trip. If you’re not familiar with them, they climbed the PCT around 2007 and have hosted thousands of hikers since. Also publishing a book on THE PCT.
DAY 1: I woke up in my tent at dawn. The CLEEF pavilion was filled with “Pappa Bear” pancakes cooking, freshly brewed coffee, and all the hikers packing their backpacks for our April 11 start and my birthday! I got my label and felt much more social. We (mid-April hikers) are considered the beginning of «The Bubble.» What that means is that there are a lot of people walking at the same time and probably close to the capacity of the permits issued because those are some of the most desirable start dates. I started around 8:30 with 6 other people. At mile 6 we started to lose weight and jump over each other. By lunch I realized I was walking the same with two people and we decided to eat together, picked up two others and all camped at mile 15.5ish. Several other hikers arrived at dusk.
DAY 2: I arrived at Lake Morena in the morning (mile 20). There is a large malt shop with resupply items and a full breakfast menu not far down the road. I highly recommend waiting to eat or walking there on the first day for an easy start on the second day. I hiked most of the day with the same hikers I met on the first day, it seemed inevitable that we would soon form a «Tramily.»
It seems early, but Trail’s days seem like weeks. I was surprised at how sore I was and blisters had already started to break out. I felt a little discouraged as the miles progressed and the reality of what I had committed to began to sink in. Our campsite was beautiful with views of the mountains. Two of our newly formed group walked ahead and the other three, including me, camped together a few miles behind. It rained all night so I went to bed pretty early.
DAY 3: Wow! Lesson number one on Trail. Trust the process! I woke up feeling great and made it several miles early in the morning when it started raining again. The rain quickly turned to hail which quickly turned into huge snowflakes with crazy gusts of wind! Having started earlier, I went ahead and found myself walking alone without being able to feel my fingers. After how I felt on day 2, I would have thought this would have been difficult and it was, but ironically it only energized me and gave me more confidence to keep going. I walked with gratitude. I walked with Joy. I happily walked in total awe of Mother Nature through rain, hail, and snow in the desert.
I arrived at Mt. Laguna Lodge soaked in the face of a fire, two tram members we thought we had lost, a burger, a beer, and a new tram member I picked up in the snow. I would say my first 3 days on the trail were a victory.
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