October 12th Doble Trail Camp to Coon Creek Jumpoff

I was up and on the trail early hoping to reach Highway 18 in time to get a hitch with somebody taking the morning commute to work. The strategy worked as the first car that was passing pulled over. It was a guy from Big Bear who was very familiar with the Pacific Crest Trail and knew about the thru-hikers that hiked past here each year. He kindly dropped me off at the post office, which, due to the early hour, wasn't open yet. Instead of waiting out in the cold, I crossed the road and entered the doughnut shop. Ah, what a fine array of sweetness--- sprinkled, glazed, old-fashioned, jelly-filled, powdered, etc. What caught my interest were the apple fritters and bear claws. If you're ever in Big Bear, I definitely recommend that you try them. Yummy! When 9 o'clock rolled round, I went to pick up my maps and then back out to the road for a ride. What luck that less than a minute later a van pulled over. Imagine my complete surprise when I opened the passenger door and the driver was the same guy who'd given me a lift into town this morning, only this time he was in his work vehicle. What are the odds?! Big Bear was certainly no Tehachapi. Returning to the trail near Doble Camp, I began a walk on top of Nelson Ridge. To the west were the pines of Big Bear and to the east was the barren desert. Here on the ridge line there were Joshua trees and scrub oak. The pines returned as I climbed higher towards Onyx Summit. A couple of miles past the summit there are some animal cages with all kinds of big cats and bears. I felt sorry for the poor creatures, trapped as they were in their box-like cages. Didn't see much movement either, the animals lying on the concrete floors in the sweltering mid-day heat, a horrible stench hanging in the air. The trail remained in the trees for the remainder of the afternoon, so views were limited. Made camp at one of the best sites along the SoCal trail, Coon Creek Jumpoff, which sits on a high precipice above a steep walled canyon that opens onto the desert in the east. Resting under the branches of a large cedar, I munched on PB and J tortillas and watched the stars come out. A brilliant night sky!

View From Nelson Ridge

22 Miles