PCT Trail Journal: Boulder Oaks Campground to Mt Laguna (Miles 26 to 48.7) Overview

Alarms start ringing at 6 am in tent city. It makes you also want to get up and get going.

I drank my delicious coffee and studied the map and farout. What does today look like? Where will I get water?

I left camp around 7:35 and started trucking up the mountain. It felt good. My blisters didn’t hurt as much in the beginning. It was chilly but good hiking weather and it felt super nice in the sun. I kept telling everyone it is a great day for hiking. It was true.

Today was all up but I felt good cardiovascularly.

The plants started to change as I climbed. There were a lot of Indian Paint Brush in the beginning. The trail was pretty good but a bit rocky which was rough on my blisters.

I was really happy to be in the mountains and kept thinking how lucky I am. I am really glad I am here.

By mile 9 my feet were really hurting but I wanted to get to water before stopping for lunch. I finally got to Longs Canyon and stopped for lunch. I was starving and ate a cheese, summer sausage, and fried onion sammich!

It felt really good to take my shoes and socks off. Let the tootsies dry out a little bit. It looked like my pinky toe blister popped.

When I got to the highest elevation (5800-ish feet) I entered a pine forest! It smelled so nice and there were a lot of Stellar Jays. There were such nice changes in landscape today.

There were a few snow patches in the shady spots but nothing on the trail.

Finally made it to the campground and joined the PCT tent city. At first I set my tent up on an ant hill. Then I moved it to under a dead tree. So then I moved it a 3rd time.

Then shower time! Win got some soap out of a hiker box and it felt great to wash my hair and body. I felt like a new woman.

Then I went to dinner with Win and Steve. I totally pigged and I loved it. My menu:

– a salad (cuz I am healthy)
– burger with lotsa cheese and prosciuto
– chocolate mousse!

I was stuffed after. We walked back to camp and then there was trail magic! I was too full to eat anything but grabbed an apple, banana and a bag of chips. There were cooking burgers and had beer and all kinds of stuff. I need to plan my eating around trail magic better.

Overall: it’s weird because it’s painful and hard but I really like it. Every step hurt today but I didn’t think about quitting at all. I kept thinking about how much better it will be when my feet are better.

 Read about my day 2 on the PCT here. 

Read my other Trail Journals

✨Day 2: Hauser Creek to Boulder Oaks Campground

✨Day 4: Mt. Laguna to Mile 56.2

✨3 Things I’m Grateful For

1. The beautiful weather.

2. Being in the mountains.

3. Getting to take a shower. I feel like a new woman.

✨3 Things I’m Excited About

1. Figuring out my resupply.

2. No more blisters!

3. Trail magic.

🌟How Was Today? Did I enjoy it?

I really enjoyed the trail today. It was climbing up and up with great views. Then it moved along different landscapes, shrubby to canyons to a beautiful pine forest. My feet did not enjoy it however.

⛺How Was My Gear?

My Sawyer Squeeze was acting up today. It didn’t want to squeeze. Water was barely coming out. I back flushed a couple of times on the trail and then again at camp.

💪How did my Body Feel?

My feet were in a lot of pain 37000 painful steps today. My right neck and shoulder were upset as well.

🍴How was my food situation?

Overall food situation was good. Feel like I haven’t had a lot of my snacks. Need to do an assessment and figure out what I need to get. I heard the next resupply is at Julian. What do I need? I went to Pine Cabin Cafe and totally pigged. I had a salad (because I am healthy), a burger, and a chocolate mousse. Delicious! I was stuffed. Then there was trail magic and I picked up some fruit and chips.

🤔What did I learn and how will I take action?

Need to get my feet in better shape. Today I felt like if I didn’t have these stupid blisters I would just be crushing the trail. When these heal I will be unstoppable. I am going to try the moleskin tomorrow.

Read my other Trail Journals

✨Day 2: Hauser Creek to Boulder Oaks Campground

✨Day 4: Mt. Laguna to Mile 56.2

Map for Hiking the PCT

Maps are fun. Plus you should always have a paper map.