I spent a pleasant night camped in Swartout Canyon, reading a John LeCarre novel thoughtfully left by a trail angel in the water cache, and then was up before dawn to try to minimize my exposure to the heat while making the day’s climb. I usually stir with the first birdsong – this gives me enough light to make breakfast without using a flashlight. One of the advantages of not pitching a tent is that I can cook breakfast while still in my sleeping bag. So I am enjoying the luxury of breakfast in bed while watching the sun rise and listening to birds sing pretty much every morning.
If I’d wanted to beat the heat, though, I would have had to start at midnight. I was going from the San Andreas Fault at about 3300 feet, to the Blue Ridge of the San Gabriels at 8300 feet. No water, no shade below 7000 feet. Plus abundant Poodle Dog Bush in burned areas, which can trigger bad rashes. A challenging hike for sure.
Climbing up from Cajon Pass, mi 350
The climb wasn’t so bad, but the heat was intense, as the trail goes west now,and thus is exposed fully to the morning sun. The 4 liters of water I carried were barely adequate. But the views of Mt San Antonio were inspiring, and the water at Guffey Spring was sweet and cold. I shared a ridgetop camp with Easy Strider and Rolf from Switzerland, but the cold ocean breezes drove is into our sleeping bags as soon as the sun went down and the last of the whiskey was gone. I do enjoy a couple of shots once the hiking is done for the day.
On the San Gabriel crest, looking back at the San Bernardinos, mi 360