PCT Day 16: How to Get to Big Bear Lake

I arrived at the Route 18 trailhead early in the morning and stuck out my thumb. The third car that passed picked me up. My driver was Laurie, accompanied by her dogs, Sequoia and Cheyenne. She told me that she had picked me up for two reasons. One, that I had smiled and waved so cheerfully and two, because I hated seeing a single woman, alone, hitchhiking.

Blue Moon’s Personal Guidelines for Hitchhiking on the Trails

First, take off your hat, hoodie, and, if possible, sunglasses. The idea is NOT to look like the Unabomber.

Find the right place on the way. You should be in a place where drivers can see you long enough for them to make a decision about whether they want to pick you up without having to brake hard. You’ll also want to be facing somewhere the driver can turn and stop once they’ve made that decision. Intersections are usually a good place because drivers are already slowing down.

If it’s a long way, not just to the nearest town, a sign showing where you want to go can be helpful.

Smile, say hello, do what you can to please a generally pleasant person who will be a pleasure to have in your car. If they don’t stop for you, keep smiling and give them a nice goodbye wave. I’ve seen drivers hesitate and turn around to pick up hitchhikers. Or maybe they’ll pick up the next hiker along the way.

If you hitchhike in a group, don’t put everyone on the road at once. This can be intimidating for a driver. Put the most attractive person in front and have everyone else fall back out of the way. When the driver stops to wait for the first person, you can ask if your friends can come too. Most drivers will say yes.

If you are a woman hiking alone and it makes you feel safer, don’t hesitate to wait for a female driver to arrive or wait for another hiker to come up and accompany you.

Trust your instincts.

Let me say this again. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! If something seems strange, don’t take the trip. The worst that can happen if you turn down a problem is that you’ll miss an easy trip to the city. You don’t want to think about the worst that could happen if you take the wrong path.

Don’t worry about having to offend the driver. I’m not a big fan of lying, but this is one of those situations where a little white lie is called for. “Wow, I just realized I dropped my water filter at the last creek crossing” or “I thought my friend would have caught up with him by now, but I should really wait for him” will do the trick. Thank the driver and wave.

Before getting into any car

Take a photo of the license. Then take a photo of the driver. My go-to line is, «Do you mind if I take your photo? I like to keep a record of all the people who helped me along the way.» That’s absolutely true, but having a photo of the driver is also a safety measure. Send it, or at least pretend to send it, to someone.

Ask the driver where he wants you to leave your backpack. Some people don’t want a smelly backpack in the middle of their car. Attach your poles to your backpack so you don’t leave them behind by mistake. But make sure you take your phone with you. It’s your lifeline if something were to go wrong.

Introduce yourself by the name of your trail. Ask his name. Be curious.

Your driver will probably have questions. Even if they’re the same questions you’ve answered a million times, that’s the price of your journey. Tell stories. Be entertaining. Make it fun for the driver.

Thank the driver when you get in, thank the driver when you get out. Offer money for gas. Most drivers won’t accept it, but it’s the polite thing to do.

Every once in a while, you might be able to get the golden ticket, a trip back to the trail. You don’t need to ask directly. You can simply say something like, «Do you know what traffic is like leaving town on a Tuesday morning? I’ll try to get back on track, but I don’t know how to do it.» The right driver may offer you a return ride.

When dropping off, leave your car door open while you retrieve your backpack. It is not uncommon for a driver to accidentally leave with a backpack still in the trunk. They won’t leave with the passenger door open.

Enjoy the trip!

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