Journey Day 14 | PCT Day 14

Snow plant, California

4/30/85

From our magic spot, we hike up Apache Mountain, around Southwell Mountain and up to the top of Red Taquitz, often on snow-covered trails. At about 8,000 feet on Red Taquitz, looked back at Antzell Rock, Apache, Spitler, Palm and other mountains.  

At one point, I stepped onto a footprint in the snow and sunk into my hip. My other foot sunk in and I was knee deep in snow, in a t-shirt and shorts. And it was almost May in Southern California. After much struggling I made it out to safety. A chilling experience emotionally and physically.

Lost the path in more snow. Fell, slipped and slid along haplessly until we decided to hike down to a creek, off the trail. Then easily back onto a trail. Filtered some water. Keith came back claiming to have found the path. But we walked in circles for about a half-hour before finding the trail I’d seen, but decided to stay with Keith. 

Hiked to Saddle Junction, up about ¼ mile to a spot overlooking hip hiker town Idyllwild. We passed on the hipness and settled into our campsite.