PCT 2007 Day 35 – Boulder Oaks – Laguna CG

PCT 2007 Day 35

Day 35 / 4-29-07 CB
Boulder Oaks – Laguna CG
21.5 miles; 47.9 total miles; 1883.1 trip miles
Sunny; 80-90

Last night I slept like crap. The moon was super bright and subconsciously I was worried about my first cowboy camp experience. It was one of those nights you seem to wake up every time you move. The alarm went off at 5 AM.

Even though I got up early I still could have gotten up earlier to catch first light. I skipped the first water source but it wasn’t too much of an issue. I could have used more but I stopped before it got too hot. I actually stopped at 10:30 AM, which is early. In the desert you stop around 11 AM or 12 PM and chill out in the shade until it cools off. My spot of shade on this day was Long Canyon Creek. It was super windy and not all that cool. I stayed until 2:30 PM. A bunch of us stayed here so we put up my tarp which offered some shade, though it was still hot.

On top of the next ridge, there was a bunch of pine trees and shade. I hung out a little with MC and Willow. It wasn’t that far to Mt. Laguna and to the road where my mom and dad were waiting. We went to the store and Alex, Emily, and Deacon were all there. They all took the short cut through the campground. My folks couldn’t get me the turkey sandwich I asked for but they got me a pepperoni pizza instead. I was beside myself at my good luck, since I was wanting pizza. There was about 10 of us there. Deacon bought me an ice cream sandwich for dessert. I also had 2 Coke’s, cookies, a fruit bar, and a banana. While chilling out, I asked my dad to grab one of my water bottles so I could wash my hands. As I was rubbing them together I noticed the water had a smell. It turns out he grabbed the alcohol for my stove. It was quite funny.

We hung out until about 7 PM and got on the trail. The plan was to go to Laguna CG. Along the way the sunset was incredible. We kept stopping to look at the sun so we didn’t make the best time. Then Flathead Flats was next and it was this really cool table top that we hiked across in the dark. From there it was downhill to the CG. When we got to the road, we didn’t know where the CG was. We thought we found it but it was a Shriner’s camp. It turned out that it was just up the way. We picked a spot and it was off to bed. Deacon went back to this flat spot just off the trail we had passed.

Scatman 2011- I saw so many amazing views in the desert today; flowers, cactus, snakes, ridges and more.  What didn’t see a lot of were clouds and shade.  In my first two days I had a good idea of what the first 700 miles was going to be like.  Little did I know just how out and shadeless some parts would be.  The night hiking and getting so see the sun go down each night was incredible.  As much as I don’t like the desert heat for hiking, it’s beautiful in the light or dark.

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Scatman

Get out there!

You can check out my Appalachian Trail or Continental Divide Trail journals too!