Valerie
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1,000 miles completed and leaving Yosemite
~Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass. Miles 955 – 1,018. Days 48 – 50. The PCT continues through Yosemite National Park after it diverges from the Tuolumne River. Thru-hikers tackle rugged trails full of roots, rocks, mud, and steep climbs. They… Continue reading
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Walking into Yosemite: solo camping and lazy mornings
Mammoth to ~Tuolumne Meadows. Days 45 – 47. Miles 904 – 955. From Mammoth, the trail continues through the Sierra Nevada Range. Gradually, the high passes become lower in elevation, and the sharp peaks give way to rounded rock domes.… Continue reading
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Sierras part 2: high passes, heavy packs, and hiker hunger
Independence to Mammoth. Miles 790 – 904. Days 38 – 44. After Kearsarge Pass hikers find themselves in the thick of the Sierras. Each day brings climbs over high passes and river crossings. This is some of the most beautiful… Continue reading
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Into the Sierras: snow travel on Mt. Whitney and Forester Pass
Kennedy Meadows to Independence. Miles 705 – 790. Days 33 – 37. After Kennedy Meadows, the PCT begins gradually climbing into the High Sierra. Hikers are rewarded for their endurance with mountain views and pine forests. The PCT passes near… Continue reading
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Hitchhiking 50 miles for a sandwich and the end of the desert!
Tehatchapi to ~Kennedy Meadows. Mile 566 – 705. Days 27 – 32. Past Tehachapi, the trail feels like the desert, with rolling hills covered in Joshua trees and long dry sections where hikers must carry lots of heavy water. As… Continue reading
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A 40-miler on the aqua duct and zeroing through a heat wave
Agua Dulce – Tehatchapi. Mile 465 – 566. Day 23 – 26. From Agua Dulce the trail returns to moderate elevations in rolling hills with shrubs and small groves of trees. This is a part of the trail where hikers… Continue reading
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Tons of Trail Magic and Trekking from Toilet to Toilet
Wrightwood – ~Agua Dulce. Mile 374 -465. Days 19 – 22. After Wrightwood, the trail climbs steeply up to the 9,000+ foot summit of Mt. Baden Powell. From there, the trail works through pine forested ridges in the San Gabriel… Continue reading
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Hiking for hot springs and hamburgers
Big Bear – Wrightwood. Mile 266 – 363. Days 15 – 18. After Big Bear, the trail gradually descends from the San Gorgonio Range. As the trail makes its way out of the mountains, it follows Deep Creek, home of… Continue reading
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All the Extremes on the PCT: high to low, cold to hot, cruising to rockhopping
Idyllwild – Big Bear. Mile 179 – 266. Days 10 – 14. After Saddle Junction, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) continues cresting the dramatic spine of the San Jacinto range, then descends ~7,000 feet to Interstate Highway 10 near Cabazon.… Continue reading
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6-hour lunch breaks and going up into the mountains
Warner Springs – Idyllwild. Miles 109 – 179. Days 6 – 9. The trail between Warner Springs and Idyllwild gradually gains elevation. It climbs out of the chaparral to larger mountains with pine forests, gaining 5,000 feet of elevation over… Continue reading
Adventures with Val 