North Star: Big Bear

Beautiful and tragic was the trail today. We ended our long day hiking down from Mission Creek Campsite watching emergency helicopters recover the body of a woman who became lost hiking with a friend very close to the PCT. We had heard she was missing since Tuesday and looked for signs of her all day - one mile from our destination, we stood with two friends of hers who had been part of the search party her son organized and stood witness as she was lifted off the desert hillside. "The whole time she was looking down on us," said a girlfriend who had been searching for days in the valley below. "At least she had a view," she said. "At least this," gesturing to the beautiful hills, "was the last thing she saw."

Yesterday we hiked through 80 degree hot sunny hills, gained 7,000 feet of elevation, and slept at Mission Creek which was very cold, almost 35. I kept just warm enough in my sleeping bag, down jacket, and a sleeping bag liner another hiker named Tribu gave me. Hiking so near someone else who seems to have died of exposure makes me especially grateful for my warm clothes, gear, and tent (which I am getting better at setting up, though I still would consider carefully your tolerance for wind before investing in a Z-pack Hexamid.)

The day before yesterday, we camped on too windy Fuller Ridge, hiked down 7,000 feet, hiked across what must be the worst stretch of the PCT in the Godforsaken (seriously, I think He forgot about this place) Snow Creek Valley, took luxurious showers at the hostel/home of Trail Angels Ziggy and the Bear, and hiked to a beautiful white sand nature preserve in White River Junction, along what used to be a river.

We're still hiking about 20 miles or more a day - Matan (the Israeli) and I are keeping together. He's particularly happy about that today because my maildrop is enough for exactly two people for four days...and I bought him gummy candies that are his American obsession. Tonight we are staying at the home of Big Bear Trail Angels Papa Smurf and Mountain Mama. Reminds me of my AT night at the home of the Deer River shelter maintainers in 2003, only here there are only three dogs and three cats, not eight and seven. Also, it is not pouring rain outside. I am sleeping outside on a cot in their fenced-off backyard after a dinner of homecooked tacos and so many cherries I am going to have a tummy ache and do not care.

And I am amazed at the generosity (or good marketing) of the Angels in this area. Today on the trail we ran across caches of water, soda, carrots, oranges, sandwich cookies, toiletries, even sofa chairs plunked down on the trail. Thank you Big Bear Hiker Hostel, the Motel 6, Papa Smurf and Mountain Mama, and Nature's Inn. Contemplating a ten-mile slack-pack tomorrow to stay in this strange magical funny place one more night before heading north through some hot, sunny terrain to Wrightwood.

Oh, and the personalities. Here are a few: Hacksaw, a southerner who just finished the AT, blonde ponytail, great attitude, carries Lunchables and hikes 30-mile days nonstop. HiLo and Steadfast, nurses who met on the AT and are now thruhiking - Steadfast is 60 and going strong. Tribu, whose parents live across from Mt. Auburn Cemetery, went to Rindge and Latin, and who spent the months between his 2012 AT thruhike and now working in ashrams in India and Colorado. 7,8,9, a spunky Argentinian experienced hiker girl who I wish was nearby, and also Lucky Winner. Lastly, southbound sectioner Raven Song who was one of the first women to solo hike the PCT in the 1970s.

Love and fresh mountain air to all.