Tomorrow
The five of us took our time this morning at the lodge and left just before 8am Our friend Frodo is currently supported by his father, who has been our main source of transportation since we started the tour. It’s amazing! He took us from the bunkhouse to have breakfast at Mama Egg’s. We met several others there. The burritos were huge, so Boostie and I split the sausage burrito!
Once we finished breakfast and Bliss and I dropped off a couple of postcards at the post office, we headed to the trailhead. Fortunately, mental preparation for San Jacinto didn’t take much effort, especially once I looked at the elevation map. Sometimes it’s hard to keep my mouth shut about how much I love curves…especially when everyone else hates them. I truly love and appreciate the cold inclines and descents of this trail.
It is true that today we have gained a lot of elevation. Aside from my visit to Pike’s Peak when I was 5, San Jacinto is the highest elevation I’ve ever been to. For Boostie, it’s the highest elevation of his life. At 10,834 feet we reached the top of San Jacinto Hill. The views from the top were stunning and we were lucky that it wasn’t too windy or cold. We took photos, had lunch next to the emergency shelter and then began our descent down the other side of the mountain.
Late
Boostie and I spent the entire descent with Bliss. She has been having terrible pain in her Achilles tendon and we didn’t want to leave her behind. I set the pace for most of the trip to camp, so I kept a nice, easy speed for us. I wanted her to be able to take her time. Honestly, it was the perfect time to slow down and enjoy the views. Finally, we descended enough to be inside the clouds. We watched the sunset from inside the clouds, it was an amazing experience!
Once inside the clouds, and especially once the sun finished setting, the temperature dropped quickly. We hiked with all our layers on, and at camp, Boostie and I decided to share a tent. A couple of guys even decided to share a single-person tent because of the heat.
I made dinner as quickly as I could, but when I opened the beans I was so excited about, they were still runny. I accidentally added too much water and now I had to drink my refried beans. I definitely cried about it… I had to grieve the loss of a good dinner. Alas, the bean water provided some kind of sustenance, and at least that’s something!
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!
For more information, visit the About page of this site.
