We woke on April Fools Day to ice everywhere. We can’t possibly be a few miles north of the US Mexico border? But we are. So it was waiting until the magic of the sun broke through, spreading frozen rain flies and sleeping bags to dry and a leisurely 10:30am start. I decided 7.5 miles and 1,400 feet up was plenty for today (bluebird skies that it was) and Ashley took the car up to Cibbets Flat Campground. I rolled in about 2:30pm and was immediately welcomed by McKenzie and Tor and an offer of beverages and cookies to Thru Hikers! They were ‘21 PCT thru hikers and actually met night one on the trail! They now live in San Diego and were up for the weekend doing a casual 20 mile mountain trail run…
Ashley had picked up some firewood so we ended up hosting around the fire, welcome gifts from McKenzie and Tor and 3 other NoBo hikers, Dana from Seattle, Jeff from Missoula, and Ellen, a traveling nurse. It was classic trail magic and story sharing! Endless fascinating PCT ‘why ya doing this’ stories just 33 miles in.
The next day was finishing out the first total ascent up to 6,000 feet to Mt Laguna, basically the Cle Elum of San Diego, to my people from the Seattle homeland. Except for unseasonably cold for April, the snow on the ground and the new storm coming in. Now at mile 42, the Monday weather forecast called for a stiff wind all day and sub freezing temps, so I booked a second night. Wow was that the right call! Dana from last night was in our tiny house and we met Ed from Central CA. They had planned to continue north Monday but opened the door and said heck no! New hikers were arriving they negotiated half price for the couch and the floor, packing 6 into the 4 person tiny house. We welcomed Alberte from Denmark and Jan and Marseille from Deutschland and had more instant bonding over our adventures so far!
On Sunday I had the most incredible meal and beverage at this restaurant called the Outpost and sauntered back to watch the NCAA men’s b ball final, but alas, they close Monday and Tuesday. Not a single commercial flicker at 6pm in little Mt Laguna and on the way back I ran into two other frozen thru hikers looking for any structure to find shelter. We were maxed in our tiny house, but the floor of the laundry room and public bathroom were opened for $5 a head to throw down a mat and ride out the wind!
Meanwhile, I was sad to see San Diego St lost the b ball game, being just 50 miles from campus here. For our hike, we are shooting for a 6am wake up call and hoping the sun and less wind cancel out the 25F forecast for dawn!