PCT Day 5
Start: Mount Laguna – mile 42.7
End: PCT Mile 63.6
Distance: 20.9 miles (33.6 km)
Steps: 52622
Weather: clear skies, 7 degrees, high sustained winds of 35mph with gusts as high as 65-70mph

I slept really well last night safe from the wind inside the Mount Laguna Lodge and woke up ready to tackle the day. The goal was to hike approx 20 miles to a camp site that would put me in good position to make it to Julian on Friday. I left the safety of my comfy room at the  at 6:30 am into the cold windy air. There is a currently a wind advisory in effect for much of the Southern California mountains which happens to be where I presently am. The weather forecast is for sustained winds around 35-40 mph and gusts as high as 65 mph. So I was basically trying to walk a ridiculous distance, with a 45 lbs pack, whist Mother Nature laughed at me and tossed me around like a plastic bag. You know those weather reports they do when hurricanes are about to land… and they’ve got that poor reporter standing by the ocean trying to tell you just how windy it is. Well that was me.. except on ridge tops and cliffs instead of the ocean in the background.

I won’t lie… it was fun and entertaining for the first few hours but after that it got really exhausting.

The scenery was beautiful with the mountains in the distance as I walked alone listening to music all day. At one point I was so completely blown away by the beauty before me I had to tell someone. Fortunately I had cell service at that exact time.

I ate lunch at the pioneer mail picnic area which consisted of summer sausage and string cheese in a tortilla. I started to look for a place to set up camp around 4. I was beginning to gett tired and concerned that the wind would make any attempt to set up camp impossible. Finally at around 5pm I started a long down hill section and the winds got a bit less intense. At the bottom of the hill I found 5 people getting ready to set up camp and plenty more space. The wind is still hallowing so tonight I get to learn two things

1. will my tent hold up in strong winds
2. How will my sleep system perform at near freezing weather

I can unfortunately already tell you my tent is good at letting blowing dirt in. Everything is coated in dirt. So as the hiker trash I am now I lay me down to sleep in a bed of sand and dirt hoping for Mother Nature to be kinder tomorrow.

Fortunately the winds are suppose to die down overnight.