Alphabetsoup - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2014

Section D

After our zero at Cajon pass, its off to wrightwood where we stopped at the yodler for beer and burgers. after filling our stomachs, we head across to the grocery store and resupply for the remainder of this section. Wrightwood is such a great trail town. everyone is always friendly and there is never a shortage of ride offers out to the trail. Just wait outside of Jensons grocery store!

We head out that afternoon to grassy hollow for the night. the next morning its up and over Baden-Powell. the trail is pretty clear of snow with some exceptions being areas of deep shade. we had a couple of falls on the ice on the way down... that night we made camp at Islip Saddle. the following morning we make the road walk detour along hwy2. at around noon we arrive at three points trailhead and hitch into newcombs Ranch restaurant for burgers and beer!!!! within a couple of hours or so, we are back on trail to camp at Sulpher Springs. Upon arriving, we go looking for water and discover a very large group of Hippies complete with bongos, a drum set musical instruments of every type...The sing and dance and carry on until about 9pm then they haul it all out in a small cart on the closed sulpher springs road. craaazzzzy man!!!!

The next day brings the promise of oodles of poodle dog bush...Its so thick on the side of pacifico mountain that we have to walk around and off the actual trail causing severe erosion. It gets a little better as we hit the pass and head back down but its still very prevalent on the trail. we make our way to Mill creek Fire station where we rest and wait out the afternoon heat. as we are about to head out, a 2005 hiker walks up to us and chats with us, then he offers to carry our water up to the fire camp where we intend to camp for the night. (Its at this point the poodle dog bush is so thick on the trail that we take a road walk around all of this section.. ) He leaves us bananas, an avocado, a six pack of beer and extra water..Magic!!!! in the morning we make the climb over Mt Gleason and down to messenger flat for a break.

Oodles and oodles of poodle are to follow, we just dont know it yet...its very overgrown almost all the way to North Fork Ranger Station. and to make things worse, the Poison Oak on the final two miles to the ranger station is so dense its almost completely unavoidable. to further make things worse, poison oak and poodle dog intertwined with one another for your hiking pleasure! We are waiting to find out if we made it out alive!!!!! Down to KOA for the night where we order pizza and drink our fill of soda.

a short 10 miles into Agua Dulce brings us to the close of section D and to the warm and friendly reception of Donna and Jeff Saufley. From here, we are renting a car and heading down to San Diego for Kick off. See ya all there!!!

Alphabetsoup and Dynamo!

Entry 5 of 5
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