Trail And Errors

Travelling on from Messenger Flats, join the guys as they descend from the bearable heat at 6000ft down towards the valley floor and the unbearable heat at 2000ft. Passing snakes, quail, a mockingbird; they enjoy a pizza break and some ice cream at the Acton KOA before pressing on a few miles more to camp. Enjoy the flavours of the trail, and meet & hear about some of the characters in episode 34 of Trail & Errors.

One of the many challenges on the PCT is the heat; combine that with a steep climb and you know it's going to be a tough day! Experience the highs and lows of Day 32 with Molly & Ethan, as they journey to Messenger Flats campground.  With double trail magic providing them the fuel (thanks Salty Jay, and then Michel & Rachel!), they push up a tough climb during the afternoon, seeking shade where they can whilst avoiding the ants' nests.  As ever they are rewarded with a stunning sunset beyond majestic views. Episode 33 of Trail & Errors :)

Continuing to descend, EthaMol reach an enforced detour around a closed 3 mile section of the PCT; a somewhat frustrating road walk downhill followed by a steep return uphill sees 3 extra miles added to their PCT miles; this ends up being their longest day yet.  They struggle with correctly navigating the closure, are disappointed with unreliable water sources, and miss-out on some trail magic. However the beauty of their surroundings wins them over, and they find a fabulous place to camp, out of the wind, with spectacular views (as seems normal!).  Episode 32 of Trail & Errors :)

A pre-dawn start from their first 'cowboy camp' sees the team begin their ascent of Mount Baden Powell.  With the highway closed from Vincent Gap many choose to walk around the mountain, but a few hardy souls take on the climb. The switchbacks start immediately up the north side of the mountain, and disappear under the snow halfway up, eventually forcing Molly & Ethan to take the direct line straight up. The summit is worth the effort, with magnificent views stretching across this part of the country. They pick their way along the knife-edge descent, linking up with a couple of friends on the way, and make more miles than they'd thought before camping near Little Jimmy Springs.  That should be the end of the snow until the Sierras...  Episode 31 of Trail & Errors :)

What a friendly town Wrightwood is.  Although not as well provisioned as Big Bear Lake it's their favourite stop so far; join the guys as they eat heartily at the Evergreen Cafe (twice!) and bump into some old trail friends - welcome back Panda and Jungle Law! They don't even need to hitch, as a friendly local waits for them to finish their business to then drive them out of his way back to the trail. Molly reflects on this generosity and decides to adopt Steve's approach to the value of the gift of time.  They hike the PCT for 5 miles or so to Vincent's Gap, where it crosses the (at this point closed) highway.  Joining the other hikers preparing for an early morning ascent of the potentially treacherous Mt Baden Powell, they 'Cowboy Camp' for the first time... Be part of their adventure in Episode 30 of Trail & Errors :)

In this double episode the guys carry on ascending towards Wright Mountain past patches of Poodle-Dog bush.  They switch back and forth over the ridge before finding a sublime campsite with views out towards Los Angeles.  They're joined by Jukebox and others that night, and the next morning hit the snow again on the north side of the ridge above Wrightwood with several areas requiring micro spikes.  They pass ski lifts and reach the highway where Rueben kindly offers them a lift into town and gives them a tour of Wrightwood.  This incredibly friendly town has all the amenities they need, and after a great mexican dinner they retire to an AirBnB they're sharing with Prometheus, Not-a-Minor, Fake News, Jukebox, and several others.  Hear about their journey in Episode 29 of Trail & Errors.

EthaMol leave Silverwood Lake and head back into the hills.  Looking for water sources along the way, they enjoy the vistas and crest the ridge overlooking the busy freeway and civilisation, including the famous McDonald's!  Feeling guilty about their appearance and odour, the guys eat a tonne of junk food before heading back through the spooky tunnels under the Interstate and up into the hills towards their next stop in a couple of days time at Wrightwood.  Hear about their journey in Episode 28 of Trail & Errors.

Up up up and out of the valleys, Molly & Ethan pass dams and spillways and have breakfast the other side of the Mojave river. It is another ridge line day with the flat lands around the dam to their right and the slopes of the ranges to their left. They could see the San Gabriel Mountains ahead, where Mount Baden-Powell awaits. After a hot hot morning they cross to the other side of the ridge with beautiful views of Silverwood Lake. Making good progress,  they enjoy the beautiful views and are keen to reach the Cleghorn camp site where delivery pizza can be ordered! On arrival they that a massive group of hikers had gathered around a pile of pizza with enough for everyone. Beers, pizza, and toilets = bliss.  Episode 27 of Trail & Errors.

A slow start sees the team move from the shady river-side to the exposed shrublands. As the heat builds they welcome the sound of water, but the canyon they join is too deep to access the torrent below.  Passing the 300 mile mark water access is in sight, but Ethan is halted in his tracks by a stubborn rattlesnake which refused to move.  Overcoming the serpent they enjoy a dip in the river at lunchtime, before moving on to Deep Creek Springs; where they close their eyes (& minds) to the naked happenings to enjoy the pools, before pressing on to a more refined camp-site.  Hear all about it in Episode 26 of Trail & Errors :)

With fantastic views back across Big Bear Lake to the mountains beyond, Molly & Ethan have a great day's hiking along the ridge past Holcombe Creek.  They take a dip to cool off, and end the day camping with their new trail friends.  Episode 25 of Trail & Errors :)

After a day in Big Bear Lake team EthaMol are keen to get back on the trail.  Waylaid by the prospect of lunch in town they don't get away until the afternoon, but after a quick ride back to the trail they start to make good ground over easier terrain.  With their new supply strategy in force life is a bit easier! Enjoy Episode 24 of Trail & Errors :)

The guys spend the day at Big Bear Lake resupplying and reloading calories!  The decide to take a 'zero' day and spend the night .as the weather forecast for their afternoon departure is rain/snow.  Find out what it's like for hikers on a 'town' day in Episode 23 of Trail & Errors.

After a cold start Molly & Ethan get spurred on by the thought of a town stop at Big Bear Lake.  A short 10 mile hike and a quick hitch sees them enjoying some creature comforts at last.  Episode 22 of Trail & Errors :)

Molly & Ethan wake early in the dark and head into the slopes as the sun begins to rise.  Pine forests dominate the day offering much needed shade to recover from the day before. The air is scented with pine, and glimpses of snow covered peaks foretell the landscape to come.  After a lunch break at mile 250 they push on past a defunct private zoo and although not feeling well fed the day is a great one in comparison to the struggle yesterday.  Episode 21 of Trail & Errors.

Molly & Ethan spend the day criss-crossing the Mission Creek river trying to find the washed out trail.  They struggle with the physical toll and the heat, and realise that they'll need to rethink their food strategy as they run low on supplies.  The effort to hike the PCT is real; hear about it all in Episode 20 of Trail & Errors.

Molly & Ethan cross the desert floor and find some trail magic and company hiding under Interstate 10.  They begin the long hot ascent through giant wind farms and dried out river beds towards the San Gorgonio wilderness.  They relish in some air conditioned comfort, Molly enjoys her first Klondike bar, and they discover pound cake. Live the journey in Episode 19 of Trail & Errors.

Molly & Ethan wake up in the snow and move through Fuller Ridge towards the climb down to the valley floor, meeting Cardinal along the way.  The descent is long, with majestic views across Cabazon Gap to the route tomorrow.  Hear about life on the trail and the changes back from snow to desert in Episode 18 of Trail & Errors.

Molly & Ethan spend most of the day heading uphill!  Taking the Devil's Slide trial via Saddle Junction to San Jacinto peak, the route is slow going in the snow.  Hear about the sketchy conditions & the spectacular views, join the team on the summit, and laugh with them on the slippery descent.  A long day on the PCT in Trail & Errors episode 17.

Plenty of laughs in today's episode, as Molly & Ethan take a 'zero' in the lovely town of Idyllwild.  They join their friends for a hearty breakfast, resupply with some interesting types of beff jerky, arrange a meeting with the mayor, and end the day with a breakdown of their resupply strategy for the next stretch of the trail.  From Day 14, it's Episode 16 of Trail & Errors :)

A stunning sunrise greets the team this morning, and with an early start they begin to hit the snow and the tricky section at Apache Peak.  They don their micro spikes for the first time, avoid falling off the icy trail, slog up a killer hill, trudge through a 4 mile stretch of snowfields, head down Devil's Slide Trail, and finish the day in comfort at the Idyllwild Inn.