ROAD TO PARADISE
PCT DAY 8: Mile 137 (Tule Canyon Creek) – Mile 155
Thursday April 21, 2016: 18 miles +2 miles to Paradise Cafe (32km)
The trail snakes over the other side
It seems that the road to paradise is long and winding and it goes up, then it goes down and then it just goes on and on. That kind of sums up our day today. It was hot, there was little breeze and very little shelter from the sun. It was a tough, tough day.
Despite the shattering difficulty of the walk, the spring flowers were such a welcomed diversion from looking up in the distance and seeing the trail snake away over the side of yet another ridge. I promised not to take any more cactus flower photos but today I saw what would have to be an absolutely perfect specimen, growing amongst sandstone boulders. I could not help myself, I spent ages taking photos of it while Hammer disappeared off into the distance.
View if the moon from our tent. It is about to disappear over the horizon.
Early morning cool lasted till 8am this morning
Beauty amongst the dust and sand.
The trail snakes over the other side
Can’t help but be happy, despite the heat
Tule Canyon Creek defined by the bright green vegetation
Aircraft vapour trails
Perfect
Stunning flowers
First gopher snake that posed for a photo
We were aiming to reach Paradise Cafe (at mile 151.8 and a mile off the trail) for lunch and then decide which route we would take to avoid the trail closure between miles 162 and 177. We made it to the cafe at around 2pm.
Until we reached the cafe we did not see any other hikers out on the trail. Even at the cafe there were only 6 other PCT hikers, who were about to head out. We had not crossed paths with them before. People we have flip-floped over the past few days with had disappeared. Where has everybody gone? Yesterday when we stopped at Mikes’ place, at least 15 other hikers came in behind us before we left. Today it felt like we were the only fools out in the heat of the day today. It may have been the hotest day we have had on the trail so far. Not sure of the official temperature. It seems there is hot and hotter at this time of the year. But it is a dry heat, hence the feeling of being in an oven. We could not arrive at Paradise Cafe soon enough. Such a relief to get there, get out of the sun and rest up a bit.
Icy cold water, at the water cache at Mile 143.
Just like my daydream yesterday, the surfs up.
The trail went on
There is the trail across that ridge
And another ridge.
Beauty and the beast
It was hot but the flowers still sparkled
The trail to Paradise Valley Cafe
My first chocolate milkshake in over 20 years. It was pretty special.
Several hours later, with our bellies groaning full of burger and milkshake we headed a little way up the PCT Trail to mile 155 where we camped for the night. It is a shame the trail is closed a bit further along as the lanscape in this early section of the San Jacinto Mountains looks quite spectacular. Huge sandstone boulder fields, towering over the trail. We saw our first rattle snake on the PCT at a spot just before we camped. As we lie in our tent absolutely smashed by the trail today, there is constant aircraft traffic overhead. We must be close to, or on the fly path to Palm Springs Airport. Looking forward to heading to Idyllwild tomorrow and a full rest day on Saturday.
Late afternoon, on the way to mile 155
First rattler..it was only a small one.
Coming back to give us another look.
It was a tough day today. We were truly tested.
Stef I love this so much…”Late afternoon, on the way to mile 155″ has such spectacular colours it looks like it can’t be real! One of my favourite things are real-life scenes that look so spectacular that if you saw them in a photo/painting/movie you’d think “well the artist reached a bit too far with that one, its just not realistic…”. I love seeing your gorgeous photos and knowing they are an unbelievable moment in real-life time-and-space you have captured and shared with us:).
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2016 01:12:48 +0000 To: r.l.sheppard@hotmail.com
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That is so nice Rachel. I know what you mean about the colours. So many times I’ve taken my sunglasses off thinking the olives were enhanced by Polaroid lenses. Only to realise that it is so intense. The light is amazing and so intense on the morning. I am living the photography. So far missed my SLR a few times but so many times so pleased I am not carrying it. It weighs nearly 2kg. I think of all the food that we can fit in instead.
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Amazed you made it. Even in November this was a hot stretch and I’m sure it was 20 degrees cooler. Congrats! Will be back in Palm Desert (after our week here in Colorado)
Tuesday Evening if you want another respite after hitting the windmills on I 10.
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Looking forward to the windmills. Have driven past them a few times. Will let you know.
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Thanks for sharing the photographs and your thoughts from each day on the trail. Good luck.
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Thank you for following Nanda.
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Thank you for your fantastic photos and posts, such a joy to follow your hike. I know that nature provides wonderful subjects, but the way you look at it through your lens is quite special, and the one of your shadows, holding hands, is poignant. I look forward to your posts and wish you both the best on the trail.
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Kiki,
your comment is so lovely. It has made my rest day morning even nicer. I am so pleased you are following our hike and are enjoying the photos.
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