Author: kaulua26

It’s been just a bit over a month since I finished the PCT and I’ve been reflecting on my journey a lot. It’s hard to believe that it’s now almost exactly a year since I started the Te Araroa and I have a whole additional thru-hike to think back on. I covered over 4500 miles in one year and over 5000 miles in the last year and a half. I would have never guessed that I’d be where I am today before starting all this. If I could use one word to describe my PCT hike, it would be PERFECT. There is not one thing that went terribly wrong in 4 months or that I would do differently. I threaded[…]

October 28th, 2018Mm 18 to The End, mm 0Distance: 18 miles0600 – 1200 I was on the trail early to ensure that I finished around mid-day. My friend Jon (same that dropped me off at Harts Pass) was driving all the way from Phoenix, AZ to pick me up. He had made the offer a few weeks ago and I thought it would be pretty cool to be greeted by the same friend that had seen me off at the start, almost 4 months before. As I was packing in the dark, MECA and Natty came by. They had stayed at the campground and got an even earlier start. Everyone was excited to finish. Sunrise on the trail was very[…]

October 27th, 2018Mt Laguna mm 42 to mm 18Distance: 24 miles1030 – 2000 Sleeping in felt oh-so-good. I slept until 6 am! Then I had TWO coffees and chatted with Zappy and Gail. Zappy, looking like he has commandeered my backpack and tent. We’re twinsies. Gail with his toys I was slow to pack but made it to the PO just as it opened. I bought a few things at the store, which had a good selection, but I no longer needed much. I left town, looking forward to an easy day. The miles passed easily. Honestly, I remember little of the trail from this day. It was mostly downhill and I was feeling pretty euphoric about almost finishing. Everybody[…]

October 26th, 2018Mm 75.5 to Mt Laguna mm 42Distance: 33.5 miles0550 – 1800 I needed an early start today. For one, it’s just better to get in as many miles while it’s still cool. And two, my headlamp batteries were dying, so I wanted to make it to Mt Laguna before dark in the evening. In the early morning, I had the benefit of the moonlight and didn’t need my headlamp. Worst case, I could rob the batteries out of my Spot device. I passed by Zappy’s tent early on and began my way up into the Laguna mountains. This was the last big climb that would take me from about 2300′ up over 6000′. These hills were dry but[…]

October 25th, 2018Warner Springs Community Center mm 109.5 to mm 75.5Distance: 34 miles0800 – 2000 My tent was mostly dry in the morning, despite the sprinklers. It was such a nice area that I took my time packing. I regretted dragging my feet later in the day but at the time felt no rush. Zappy left just after I did but we hiked separately all day. I was in a very good mood starting out on my own and enjoyed hiking up a river valley and then through open plains on a beautiful morning. I came to eagle rock, a series of boulders that have a pretty distinct figure. Can you see the eagle? I spent the rest of the[…]

October 24th, 2018Muirwood mm 145.5 to Warner Springs Community Center mm 109.5Distance: 36 miles0630 – 2030 What a long, hot, and happening day! First, it was another new record for longest distance hiked in a single day. I was inching my way towards 40 miles but wasn’t sure its going to happen in the short time I had left. I knew that I could do it but with the limited daylight hours, it was hard. As it was, I walked for a couple hours in the dark on this night. My goal was to get to Warner Springs so that I could camp at the community center, where there were bathrooms, outlets, and picnic tables. I started in the dark,[…]

October 23rd, 2018Spitler TH to mm 168.5 (rejoining PCT after closure) to Muirwood mm 145.5Distance: 23 miles plus 4.7 miles to town0830 – 2000 I’d arranged to meet Lorraine, the Trail Angel, at 8 am and the grocery opened at 7 am, so I went there to get a breakfast burrito. I also ate a huge pecan cinnamon roll that I got at a bakery the day before. It was as big as my 2 hands. I was so stuffed after all this food that I barely ate anything until the afternoon. With all these town stops, I was no longer loosing weight and may have actually be gaining. I met Lorraine and was shortly at the trailhead. I found[…]

October 22nd, 2018Fuller Ridge mm 189 to mm 179.5, then Devils Slide and Ernie Maxwell Trail to Idyllwild due to fire closure.Distance: 9.5 miles plus 6 miles to town0610 – 1300 I had to go into town today since the trail was still closed for 11 miles from a 2013 fire. There were many side trails from the north end. To get back on the trail south of the closure, there was a detour on dirt roads. Thus a continuous footpath into and out of town could be achieved. Unfortunately, another fire closed the dirt road route this year. Now the only way to get back to the trail was by traveling along 2 narrow,  busy highways that had no[…]

October 21st, 2018Whitewater Preserve mm 218.5 to Fuller Ridge mm 189Distance: 29.5 miles plus .5 mile from preserve.0630 – 1820 First, if my memory serves me right, I wanted to point out that I finished the Te Araroa in 108 days and today was my 108th day on the PCT. It would have been cool if I finished both trails in the same time but I will be done within a week. Not bad for a trail that was nearly 800 miles longer. Secondly, today was like clearing a huge hurdle, perhaps the last big challenge. I was a bit intimidated by the massive climb and lack of water to end the day, but it wasn’t so bad. The trail[…]