Day 14 – Mission Creek

Miles traveled: 21.8

Mile marker: 248.2

The hike at Mission Creek begins at 4:30 am with a beautiful sand smiley face, drawn by none other than acclaimed sand artist: Journey (Dad).

We have eight miles on this riverbed. The walls rise 10 to 12 feet and I can see the layers of sand within them. Large and small rocks are embedded in the walls.

The last time Dad walked here, there were trees, bushes, snakes, animals and wildflowers. There was even a trail! It was its own little world!

Today we do not walk on a path. We can use all those little muscles in our feet (and the sides of my legs) to carefully step on the rocks. We are crossing rivers. While I tried to keep my feet dry on the first two crossings, I am now walking directly on water. My shoes are soaked.

I feel like Huckleberry Finn sailing down a river, even though Huck Finn lived in a very different environment. It is slow and exhausting to navigate each step.

But I’m allowed to be slow about this. Everyone is slow and if we move too fast, we can risk potential injury.

This is a new adventure that I haven’t seen on the PCT yet. It’s wild and rugged. The only way to get back on the trail is to walk through this rubble.

The rock walls are dotted with light and dark grays. Dad wonders how this rock came about. How long did it take to become this? When was it created? What was he like in his childhood?

The weather starts out nice and cool, but soon it gets hot and my feet splashing in the stream cools me down. We’re on a steady slope, but I don’t even realize it until we get halfway across the creek.

Denis comes flying after us. When he gets excited (usually about burgers or friends), he walks like an inspired Sim. His arms swing animatedly with his trekking poles and his long, thin legs move forward. That’s probably why he reminds me of a nutcracker, besides his mustache.

Denis supported us last night because he had to resupply, so he camped with the bubble of hikers we passed through.

«I camped two miles behind you and still caught up to you!» says Dennis.

«Yes, Denis, you are very fast,» I say dryly, but in good humor. Denis likes to remind us how fast he is.

Denis made it this far without getting his shoes wet, so he’s throwing big rocks into the river to make a path. After all, this is Denis.

It’s pretty hot when Dad and I see a split in the river. Another hiker found a trail along the wall of the river bed. We decided to skip it. Although we already climbed that ledge, it always leads back to the rocks. The trail can be quite rugged, with the trail eroding towards the wall.

Not long after, Rafiki says something from the top of the ledge. We move forward and find the track to walk on for a few minutes. It’s warmer up here and the bushes scratch my legs as I walk through them.

Soon we will be on the original path. Dad quizzes us on all the plants he’s looked for so far: grape lupine (which smells like grape and lavender), apricot mallow, buckwheat, Engleman’s hedgehog cactus, desert morning glory, and manzanitas, of course.

Finally we arrived at a stream to refuel with water. I’m exhausted. Today was the first time I got up at 4:30 to go hiking, which is why I suspect I’m so tired.

After filling up my water at the small stream, where some of the other hikers are resting, I lay down under the shade of a pine tree with my group. It’s pretty cold down here, so I put on my raincoat and crawl into the sun in a daze.

Rafiki makes some noodles so we don’t have to cook them tonight since we have a 16 mile water haul (6 miles today and 10 tomorrow).

It’s been hard for me to take a full nap these naps, but I try my best and sleep for a while. The sun warms my body as I lie on my mat in the pine needles and sap.

I hear dad say he’ll be waiting for me when he’s ready. I know I’ve been here for a while, so it’s time to go. More miles to go.

I pack my things. We’re on a larger water transport, so my bag is heavy as I lumber forward and try to snap out of my dream state.

Soon we walked towards another bank of the river. The trail has been destroyed by a storm that occurred a few years ago. Fallen trees and large rocks at odd angles as we climb over them, careful to check the rocks for a reliable foothold.

The place looks trashed and devastated by the storm. This is the saddest part of the road I have ever seen.

We continue after finishing this section. The trail is often eroded and we carefully cross the slopes (or the missing section of the trail) so as not to slip on the loose dirt and fall down the slope.

Rafiki has been using a trekking pole since ascending the Apache. He tried to use my pocketknife to tighten the trekking pole, but abandoned the job when he realized he was probably going to break my tool.

I’m glad you decided not to continue.

However, he walked all these kilometers with just one trekking pole! What a champion! I would have been flat on my face.

We continue towards the cabin, which is probably infested with mice. Golden hour arrives and I’m ready to go to bed. We climbed some curves. Many of the other hikers choose to camp at this cabin (in their tents, outside the cabin), but Dad stops by to talk to Denis while I wait asleep on a rock.

Denis will hang out with the fun kids at the cabin. Dad and I continue.

I’m behind a log when Rafiki approaches.

«Rafiki!» say.

He looks around.

“This way!”

He sees me, I come out from behind my hiding place and we finish the walk to the camp together.

Dad is already working on dinner. We don’t have much time until dark, so I start eating dinner and start doing my nightly chores. My Chicken Fajita with Jalapeño Ramen is delicious! I’m so glad I swapped my spam for Rafiki’s chicken.

Dad and Rafiki are in bed, but I spend more time setting up my tent in the dark and getting ready for bed.

I am finally installed in my store. It was an exhausting day, from early morning until sunset. I’m ready to rest! I skip my journal and go straight to bed.

Good night!