bald & beautiful

Day 27 – We awoke at 3:30am to avoid the unbearable heat as we made our way up the shadeless San Gabriel. We wound up the hills as the noise from the freeway faded, looked down upon the San Andreas fault, said hello to the mouse family in the Trail Ratz water cache and by 8am when the sun hit us we were up around 7,000 feet. For the most part the trail kept to the dry North ridge of Upper Lytle Creek and the spectacular snowy peaks of the San Gabriel’s were just out of sight. But when they finally came into view again they were larger-than-life. Mt Baldy stood before us gleaming white and radiant, deserving of a much more majestic name. When we finally reached Guffy Campground after 23 miles we barely had the energy to set up camp and we definitely didn’t have the patience to melt snow… a snow-melt puddle in the dirt road would suffice.

mile 256 to 369

We’re having a lovely visit w/the g’parents at their house in LA now & they’ve generously said we can borrow their car to make it to kickoff tomorrow…

Lots to catch up on… gorgeous weather around Big Bear, skinny dippin hot springs, Mickie D’s milkshakes, Baldy, Candy & Dan… but for now, just take a look at some pics (click).