Lost in Space - Chapter 2
Warner Springs (mi 110) to Big Bear Lake (mi 266)
Section B & pt. 1 of Section C
These sections have been remarkable, with a wide range of ecosystems and terrain in rapid succession. We started in rolling grasslands and oak woodlands, where the trail wound through the arid chaparral of the San Felipe Hills and the high desert expanses of the Anza-Borrego. Flora highlights were coast live oak, manzanita, and yucca with their flowers in all three stages (pre, during, and post-bloom).
A 3-day heatwave, producing temperatures in the upper 90s with pounding sun and a real-feel close to 110, caused a change in our hiking strategy. We began waking up between 4-5 am, heading out before sunrise and hiking 10-12 miles, stopping by 11 am. Then, we would find some shade near one of the relatively infrequent water sources and camp out until close to sunset.
Once the sun was down, we would set back out for another 5-6 miles, guided by a full moon. It was my first experience with night hiking and is something I will definitely be doing more of throughout the rest of the trek. We would set up camp in the dark and pass out immediately, with another early wakeup on deck.
Just a couple dozen miles and less that 36 hours later we began climbing the cooler, forested slopes of the San Jacinto Mountains. Covering 1,200 square miles and with a max elevation of 10,834 feet, the range is affectionately referred to as the “Baby Sierra” (the Sierra Nevada, for context, covers 24,000 square miles and tops out at 14,505 feet). This section had towering jeffrey pines and firs, many of which were torched from wildfires in 2013 and 2018.
The weather was unforgiving in this section, low temperatures hovered around freezing and 70 + MPH gusts whipped over the ridgeline. Some smaller hikers reserved to crawling on their forearms in the most exposed sections to avoid being blown off the ridge. Despite finding relative coverage, little sleep was had that night, but it did produce one of the most spectacular sunsets to date.
Towards the top of the range, we took a detour to drop down into Idyllwild, a picturesque mountain town filled with dozens of thru-hikers. I camped in the state park downtown and was floored by the luxuries of flowing water, flush toilets, and hot showers (at $1 for 5 minutes). I took a day to rest, do laundry, get some very caloric meals, and explore this alpine paradise. I even got to meet the mayor & vice mayor, both good politicians indeed.
Afterward, we got a hitch back up the base of the mountain and then ascended 6,000 feet to the peak of Mount San Jacinto. After the summit there was a steep descent into San Bernardino National Forest. We went from nearly 11,000 feet down to just 1,100 feet in under 30 miles of trail (and my knees took note). At the bottom we crossed underneath I-10, passing through the hiker haven, and I introduced a few of our international friends to In-N-Out (double-doubles, animal style of course). With more wind in the forecast, we cowboy camped under the stars that night, treated to a direct view of the snowy peak we’d been at the top of just 36 hours earlier.
The next morning, we began our ascent into San Bernardino National Forest. We spent about 15 miles scrambling through a riverbed of unmarked trail, the result of a hurricane washout from 2023. It was fun at first, reminding me of summer days spent scrambling through creeks in Maryland with my cousins Henry, Lexi, and Lily. The charm quickly wore off and the pain of walking on rocks for hours on end couldn’t stop soon enough.
With only 34 miles remaining until Big Bear we decided to push on for a 24 mile day, my longest yet, to set us up for an easy 10 mile hike into town. Now we have a tent site in town for the night, are off to resupply and plan to hit the trail again in the morning!
By the numbers
* Overall mileage will diverge from where I am on the trail as I complete side quests to peaks and other points of interest.
Hiker Profile
Fred “Just Fred” Lawson, 57, of Tacoma, Washington is a recently retired firefighter, avid hunter, husband, and father of two college-aged daughters. He and I met on day 3 and crisscrossed for the next week or so. We spent 4 days hiking and camping together in the latter half of Section B before Idyllwild, hiking through some of the most difficult terrain and worst conditions of the desert section.
Fred was born and raised in Southern California and joined the Army right out of high school working as a firefighter. That took him up to Washington and he elected to go back after his service was up. He met his wife in his mid-30s (“what’s the rush to get married?”) and had his two daughters shortly thereafter. He speaks fondly of his 33 years on the force and his youngest is planning on following in his footsteps.
Fred can be described as a mixture between Sam Elliot and Ron Swanson. He knows what he likes and doesn’t care for overcomplicating things. His trail name “Just Fred” really encapsulates it: straightforward, no-nonsense, unflappable. Our conversations mostly centered around gear, hiking strategies, nature, and his plethora of hunting & firefighting stories. He plans to spend his retirement outside, staying active and keeping in touch with old friends. He hopes to join us for a portion of the Washington section near Mt. Rainier, assuming he’s back from his bow and arrow elk hunt in Idaho by then.
The only thing Fred fears more than a mountain lion? “What my wife will do to me if I don’t get off the trail before our family vacation in August.”
Term of the Week
‘Camel Up’
The act of drinking extra water while at a water source, usually an additional liter, to reduce your hydration needs in the upcoming section.
“You better camel up at the rusted pipe, the next water is in 20 miles on the other side of I-10”
(No) Shower Thoughts
I am going to revive a Divvy classic and put my own spin on it. Obviously the trail has given me the opportunity to do a lot of reflection. While it has been mostly confirmatory to my views/values, its also provided exposure to an entirely different way of life. That really became clear while sitting under a pine tree in the desert on day 7.
By 11 am, most hikers had found their way to “Mike’s Place”, the property of a local trail angel complete with water tank that prevented what would otherwise be a 40 mile water carry. Situated immediately opposite the tank on the other side of a dirt road sat a lone pine tree, under which Mike had erected a few small tables and benches. No less than 20 of us huddled underneath this tree waiting out the mid-day heat, some having to shift every hour or so with the changing shade.
Over the course of 8 hours, we did… almost nothing. We sat and talked, cracked jokes, appreciated the scenery. Some read books for a while, others played cards off to the side, but for the most part we were able to just pass the time living in the absolute present. In the wrong mindset it could have felt like being held prisoner by the heat, boring to no end. But when thinking about it as a gift, an opportunity to learn about yourself and the world around you, it was absolute bliss.
I recognize that often the things we do to occupy our time are borne of our responsibilities and cannot be avoided. But most, (myself included), make a life out of occupying our time with mindless activities where the goal is really to just make it to the next obligation. We binge TV, scroll on Instagram, run to the store, make plans with people we don’t really like, go to the gym, etc. all just to avoid being alone with our thoughts. We excuse the behavior as “needing an escape” or “shutting off” for a bit. While there is certainly a time when that’s necessary, its a strategy that is overused, offering diminishing returns, treating our symptoms and not the root of the problem.
So I would encourage you all, the next time your life allows a few hours on a beautiful day, to avoid slipping back into the habit of occupying your time just for the sake of doing so. Instead, take a long walk with no destination, sit in a park, or invite a friend over to the backyard. Take in everything around you, stop and reflect on it, watch the world as it changes throughout the day. Strike up a conversation with every stranger possible and try to take something new away from them. I think what you’ll find is what I can now truly appreciate: sometimes the fulfillment derived from hum of constant movement falls short of the joy life can bring when you stop long enough to take it all in.
Much love always,
Connor
Useful Links
Love the pictures and stories from the trail. Looks like the scenery and company are great and only getting better. Love what you said about taking time to wholly be in the present without a destination or distraction, reminds me of our phone-free walks back in Berkeley during the pandemic. Enjoy the wandering!
Absolutely loving these posts, and vicariously living through you on my train rides to work. I’m thinking of your trail musings throughout the week, and taking those quieter moments as an opportunity to be present and grateful. Incredibly impressed with you, and can’t wait for the next update! Stay safe out there