May 6, Day 37, kilometer 594
Today’s hike comprised the final uphill slog of 11 kilometers, to 2500 meters. Departed a bit later: Olli around 10:40 am, Sabine 40 minutes later. It was cloudy, foggy, and cool. After 2 hours, it even began to snow, growing really cold! Around midday we rejoined and cooked up the last of our noodles (3 packages!). Time and again the clouds rose up along the mountain slopes, engulfing us.
After we'd accomplished the incline, we had to make a decision: either descending via the Acorn Trail to Wrightwood (4 km at a 700-meter difference in altitude) or 10 kilometers on the trail to Highway 2, where we'd try to hitchhike to Wrightwood fahren zu lassen. Given the current weather conditions, neither option appealed. We ultimately decided on the highway, thus saving us the 700 meters in altitude we'd have to deal with in a day or two. Besides, the 10 km are part of the PCT. Thus we stopped at Guffy Campground, where we warmed up at hikers Daisy and Aaron's campfire, taking the opportunity to interview and film them. When it started snowing again, thick flakes this time, we set out once more.
For part of the following trail we could have used our microspikes: we hadn't expected any snowfall or snowfields. Sabine sang German Christmas songs, wordplaying with the lyrics to suit the situation. (Note from the translator: On May 10, our intrepid hikers will celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary!) Olli took another spill, as a result of which his trekking pole is now bent beyond use. Since the Austrian manufacturer Komperdell has a 3-year warranty, promising uncomplicated replacement, Olli's considering sending the poles back. But this will take time. We need to think about what to do.
We pass another ski lift in the Mountain High ski area, but it’s not operating. The atmosphere is ghostly.
Chilled to the bone, we reach the highway around 7 pm. The last hours we hiked at 2 to 4 degrees Celsius. Aside from fire engine and ambulance, we encountered no cars to give us a life to Wrightwood. Strange! And no internet reception, in the event that we might have ordered a car through Uber. Then, suddenly, a car coming from Wrightwood stops at the parking lot; the driver rolls down his window and says, "I'm probably the last bus to Wrightwood!" Rich, the driver, tells us the road is closed due to clean-up of fallen rocks, so no cars can pass! He's a nurse who volunteers as a trail angel in his free time. Tonite he simply drove to the trail on spec to see if anyone needed a ride. For us, once again, this is trail magic at its best. It's amazing how helpful some people are! He told us he'd experienced so much kindness as a hiker that he wants to give something back. He dropped us off at our accommodations at Grand Pine Cabin, not without taking us on a quick and helpful orientation tour of the city.
Unfortunately, the cabin office had already closed half an hour earlier, although booking.com had listed closing time as 9 pm. The 24-hour check-in promised assistance: upload selfie and driver's ID, along with photo of credit card and call number listed. Alas, no answer. We left several messages, but there was no response. After half an hour, we were frozen through, opting to have a meal at the "Yodeler," which had been recommended to us for its tacos and "the best beer in town." We left our backpacks in front of the office. Hiker "Enterprise," whom we keep bumping into since the Mesa Wind Farm, arrived just then in hopes of spending the night at the Grand Pine Cabin. But after we told him about the difficulties, he continued on. He'd heard of another location that might provide accommodations. We had a meal of taco beef, taco salad, Mexican and meatball pizzas, along with beer, wine, and Coke at the "Yodeler." And of course warmed our frigid bones! Finally, at 8:30 pm, we received the hoped-for call from the office manager. He told us the name of our cabin, along with our access code. Thank goodness! We booked another night, too, having decided during dinner to spend a zero day in Wrightwood, in order to rest our weary bones a bit and take care of some errands. More on that in the next blog entry ...
Pictures