10-8-06
Start: Pacific Crest Trail, CA
Destination: Poppy CG, CA
Elevation: 5255 ft.
Miles: 18.8
Weather: Made for hiking!
We had an excellent hiking day. The trails were soft dirt, narrow enough for not much more than foot traffic or a horse, the weather was sunny and cool-breezy, great views, rock walls, trees, high windy ridges, low grassy valleys, uphill, downhill, sweet pine smells, clear streams... gorgeous... wonderful. We live for days like today.
Did I mention the pine cones around here? They're HUGE! Not only those big, long ones from the Sequoias, but the short ones, like the ones we have at home, too. Only HUGE! I mean, they're literally as big as my head! We love them.
We climbed this morning to a ridge that almost blew us away. We had fun crossing it. It kind of felt like the wind could almost pick us up and carry us, but we were just a little too heavy to be lifted off the ground. I'd have taken the ride, too. One side of the ridge was a short valley and another mountain ridge on the other side. And the side we were headed to was Picayune Valley. It was so pretty. Down in the woods were tall pines covered in a bright green moss, and the sun shone through. Below that was a low, lush, green valley floor with a creek flowing through. Then it transitioned into a rocky surface. Large boulders, twice as high as us, were scattered around, and we meandered between on the smaller rocks that made up the trail. Fun!
We are seeing more water, and that makes us happy! We love the Sierras, and we feel very fortunate to have such amazing weather. I can't imagine it being any better than this. It must be just amazing after a heavy snowfall, although I don't think there would be any way to see the trail. There are very few markers - only two or three at major junctions. We followed the narrow foot path just by its being used. It was very remote-feeling, and we felt like we were way deep in the forest. Ahh, it all felt right today.
Good night, chattering froggies!
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