October 19th-20th Scissors Crossing to Sunrise Highway and on to Lake Morena

Very early this morning, it started raining. Hurriedly, I created a rain shelter using my plastic ground cloth. One end was attached to the top shelf of the water cache and weighted down with the jugs, while the other end was fixed to some crates in the same manner. This way it created a sloped surface that shed the rain fairly well, so I stayed dry. In the photo, you can see the dry spot where my sleeping pad/bag had been. Luckily for me, there was no wind. If there had been, there would have been no chance of such an improvised rain fly working. By the time I started on the trail, heading into the foothills of Mount Laguna, the rain had ceased, but the low lying clouds remained. Ten miles in a light rain began to fall, which gradually turned much heavier and before I knew it I was walking in a downpour, the trail turning into a muddy creek beneath my feet. I didn't think things could get much worse, but I was wrong. A strong wind started blowing, the temperature plummeted, and suddenly, I was being pelted by hail. I could feel myself getting cold. I had to get out of this maelstrom. Searching for anything that would give me a respite from the storm, I came upon a sign at the Sunrise Trailhead junction. Carefully shielding my maps, I looked to see where the side trail led. Seeing the words outhouse and 1/2 mile, I was off like a rocket. What a relief to get to the pit toilet and close the door behind me. I quickly changed into some dry clothing, hung the wet clothes on the handrail near the commode and crawled inside my sleeping bag, which I had laid on top of the Neoair Thermarest on the floor. Checking my watch, I saw it was just after one o'clock. I told myself that if conditions had improved by three, I'd get back on the trail. In the meantime, I'd eat, rest, and get myself warm. At three o'clock it was still raining cats and dogs. Not good. I have to be at Lake Morena tomorrow to meet my sister. Time for plan B. I'd sleep until midnight and continue hiking then, not on the trail, which would be a thick soup of mud, but along Sunrise Highway to the small community of Mount Laguna, where I'd do some reevaluation. That way, if it improved enough, I could put in enough time to cover the nearly forty miles to my rendezvous point. When I awoke just after 12 a.m., it was no longer raining, but the mountain was shrouded in fog. This I could handle, so out I went. A few miles down the road and it started all over again. First, a light rain followed by a downpour. Then wind and pelting hail. It was the lightning bolt that struck a short distance in front of me, followed a split second later by the peal of thunder that had me most worried. I'm right smack dab in the middle of it; a thought that was confirmed a short time later. Walking along, I felt like I was stepping on sand and gravel that had been swept onto the road by the deluge. Shining the light down at my feet produced a different picture. What I had mistaken for eroded sediment was actually a one inch layer of deposited hailstones. Thankfully, by this point, the worst of the storm was over. The cold, however, was still present. At one point, I went to the manager's office of a private camp. A light was on and the TV was blaring, so I decided to take my chances and rang the bell. All I got for my trouble was the lady on night duty telling me through the door that if I didn't leave, she'd call the police. Back on the road, I figured that as long as I kept moving, my body would generate enough heat to keep me sufficiently warm. About 4:30 I shined my light on a sign that read, "Desert View Picnic Area". I did a double take. I'm in Mount Laguna already?! It was then I knew I'd make it to Lake Morena, which was only 23 miles distant. Not far from Desert View was the visitors center, whose doors were undoubtedly closed, but the restrooms out back were open. I stripped off all my clothing and hung it from the stall divider. The only things that were still dry were my rain jacket and the top half of my mid-weight thermal shirt. Shivering, I crawled inside my sleeping bag and curled up for a few hours of well-deserved shut-eye. At 7 I started dressing for the trail, gritting my teeth as I slipped on the cold, damp socks and skivvies. When I went outside, the sky was lightening up and the temperature was beginning to rise. The weather was spotty in the morning and early afternoon with periods of drizzle, but later on the sun began to break through. I reconnected with the PCT, which, for a few brief miles at that altitude, ran between the pines. A truly fine area under better circumstances. After slipping on some wet clay on a switchback descent and taking a nasty fall, I proceeded much more cautiously. No reason to hurry unnecessarily and injure myself so close to the trail's end. Crossed under Interstate 8, at which point I started to get excited because it was only a six mile jaunt over the next group of hills to the shores of Lake Morena, where I'd reunite with my sister, Tonya, who'd been so instrumental in helping me with resupply packages. Arriving at the campground at half past three, I went to the ranger station to get some information and wait. Had a nice chat with the young guys there and then kicked back in a comfy chair while passing the time. The station closed at 5:30 and I really didn't expect to see Tonya 'til around 6:00, figuring that's about the earliest she could get here from work. My muscles stiff and sore from the day's long journey, I hobbled to the campsite I thought would suit us best, which was the one closest to the PCT Trailhead. There in her car were my sister and nephew, Cameron, waiting for me. With the record rainfall that had just occurred (Yes, I walked through that) and threatening weather closing in yet again, she had decided that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to camp out. I concurred and, without further ado, we were soon speeding down Interstate 8 towards her apartment in South Bay. One more day to bring the journey to an end!

Water Cache at Scissors Crossing

18 Miles to Sunrise Highway

39 Miles to Lake Morena