Day 1 May 7, 2017

• Daily miles 20
• Total miles 20
• Hiked from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm

Day one is in the bag.  We (daughter and I) left Anahein at around 4 am, expecting to have the freeways to ourselves.  Nope.  Even at that time, there is a fair bit of traffic.  Anyway, made it to Campo and the southern terminus of the PCT without any issues.  Thanks Annalies.

One quick picture of me and the monument, and I was away at about 7am.  I was the second person of the day to sign the register.  Never did see the first fellow.

 All shiny and clean with a strange phallic shadow beside me

                 

Everyone who hikes the trail takes this picture

It was kind of a mixed morning weather wise.  Rain jacket on, rain jacket off.  Repeat.  As the day wore on, it bacame rain jacket and pack cover on to stay.  It was cool, but entirely manageable so long as I kept moving.  

The hiking generally was pretty easy.  There were no huge grades, either up or down.  The first climb of the day was about 1,000 feet over the course of several miles.  The second climb of the day was a bit more strenuous, about 1,400 feet over about 2 1/2 miles.  For any future PCT hiker who may stumble upon this blog, a word of warning.  The climb out of Hauser Canyon is a bit tricky.  You get to the top of the face and switchbacks, and you start a small, personal happy dance.  But wait, there's more.  The climb continues for about another mile.  Then, when you first glimpse Lake Morena, you do a second small celebration, but the trail turns away from the lake and continues up.

But, like I say, considering it was over 20 miles, it was a pretty easy hike.  Now onto the scenery.  I have decided that you do not hike in high desert for sweeping panoramas and breath taking scenery.  I mean it was alright and I have never seen this type of terrain before.  But what was really pretty and interesting were the individual features.

I am sure I will be used to these later, but not on Day One

           

 

Is there a dentist on the trail?

         

 

Cool looking manzanita

As the day wore on, the rain increased until the point that it was a steady downpour.  I hid out in the men's washroom at the campground for a bit until the Park Ranger came along.  He mentioned something about cabins being available.  Well, let's just say, I doubt I have ever been happier to part with $50 in my life.  Yeah, go ahead and judge me, but I am warm, my stuff is drying by the fireplace and I am listening to the rain on a tin roof rather than a nylon one.

My camping arrangement on day one

   

All in all, a very good first day.  Because it was cool and wet, I only drank one litre of water today.  Definitely going to have to increase that.  The trail was nowhere near as crowded as I had expected.  Only saw six other people on the trail all day.  Much larger group once I got to Lake Morena, but that is to be expected.