Southern CA

This Pie-Eating Contest is Hereby Complete

This Pie-Eating Contest is Hereby Complete

(If backpacking is to thru-hiking as eating a bite of delicious pie is to entering a pie-eating contest)

Border Fever

Border Fever

Idyllwild town day, we transition from the SoCal mountains into the desert hills, water, hiking milestones, and more natural diversity

A Perfect Storm on San Jacinto

A Perfect Storm on San Jacinto

Desert to mountains, stormy weather, aggressive fog, sky islands, our last town stop

So Much Diversity in SoCal

So Much Diversity in SoCal

More rain, another creek, a fire with less destruction, our lowest elevations yet, and a brand-new monument

Pleasantly Surprised In the San Bernadinos

Pleasantly Surprised In the San Bernadinos

Deep Creek Canyon, spiders, snakes, hot springs, back to the mountains, podium time, getting tired

Alone On the Trail But Never Far From Civilization

Alone On the Trail But Never Far From Civilization

Rain in SoCal, very fresh fires, a bonus town night, and solitude on the trail as we transition from the San Gabriels to the San Bernadino Mountains

Desperados and Boy Scouts in the San Gabriel Mountains

Angeles Crest through the San Gabriel Mountains, section hikers day hiking, Coulter Pine (a new tree), poodle dog bush, Boy Scouts aplenty, and brekkie with friends

The Outermost Outskirts of LA

The Outermost Outskirts of LA

Oak-covered slopes, a big milestone, our longest (& strangest) road walk, chaparral hills, and ultra-trail angels

The Hikers of LaMancha

The Hikers of LaMancha

Cool weather and clouds in the desert, wind turbines everywhere & so much wind, horny toads, water caches, Kohnen's AKA the best bakery in all of Tehachapi

Water Is Now the Only Element We Care About

Water Is Now the Only Element We Care About

The high desert of Southern CA has its challenges, but continues to surprise and delight us

Strangers In a Strange Land

Strangers In a Strange Land

Water is precious, desert colors, new sights and sounds, Pinyon pines, Joshua trees, dawn in the desert, the Kern River disappears