Training #3 - Pacific Crest Trail, Sonora Pass to Leavitt Lake

The next training hike I want to share is Pacific Crest Trail, Sonora Pass to Leavitt Lake.

I have been looking for more good training hikes, and given that I spend a good deal of time up in Twain Harte, wanted something reasonably close by.  This hike is about an hour away, up highway 108 to Sonora Pass.  It is 18-20 miles, starts at ~9600', and spends the full hike between that and maximum of 10,900'. There is a lot of elevation gain and loss along the way. Not an easy hike!

There are good places to park near the trailhead (38.327835, -119.63723), which is marked with a Sonora Pass sign.  Across the road is a parking area with camping and picnic tables.  And along the road there is room for a number of cars as well.

The hike starts out with some trees, wildflowers and stream crossings as you work your way quickly up above treeline.  From here, you really feel like you are in another world.  The views of the mountains are awesome.  The peaks are rugged.  The trails are rough and rocky.  There is snow left even after the mile winter that we had - some of which you get to cross:)

As you hike along you are likely to run into backpackers who have been on the trail for months.  Most that I ran into were making their way from Mexico to Canada.  They all seemed pleased to see a "day hiker" as that meant they were close to the  highway.  One asked me if there was a town close.  Seems that he had been thinking of a Coke for the last few days, and had been dreaming about a human sized piece of French toast!

I did this hike two weeks ago and again last week. I was totally unprepared last time.  I didn't have my CamelBak backpack, poles, hat, jacket or Cliff bars. I wore two tee shirts, shorts, took along three water bottles and two peanut butter sandwiches, and put all of this in a drawstring backpack. I didn't have a full charge for my phone and lost battery charge before completing the hike.  I didn't have my backup battery to recharge along the way.  Not too smart, but everything worked out ok.

This time had all of my regular hiking stuff, and was given a inReach Explorer two way satellite communicator with navigation for Father's Day.  The hike was great.  Much less stressful, although long.  The climb out from the lake was a tiring.  The way back was really nice!