Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - Day 10 April 17th
Day 10: Wednesday 17th April Combs Peak – Anza
I hadn’t slept well during the night due to the wind battering the tent and I overslept
in the morning, not waking until 6.40am. Fortunately I was using a tent rather than the
“tarp”, used by many of the American thru-hikers so I got decent protection from the
weather. There hadn’t been any rain during the night, but the trees were dripping with
water that they had picked up from the low clouds blowing over the mountain.
In the cool northerly breeze , it felt cold after the heat of the first week and I walked
all morning with my powerstretch and fibre pile tops over my shirt. I had hoped to get
water at Tule Creek, but there were only a few puddles left in the streambed and I didn’t
fancy drinking from them, so I had to make my present depleted supply stretch to Anza.
This would have been a problem if the weather had been hot, but I didn’t need much
water at these lower temperatures.
From Tule Canyon I made my first big diversion from the trail following jeep tracks
down to Anza where I had left a supply bag at the campground.
Kamp Anza Kampground provided permanent sites for mobile home owners wanting
cheap accommodation in the desert. I picked up my supply bag from the camp store and
phoned Paul Miller. Paul Miller and Pat Ziegler, former residents of the campground,
lived in their trailer home on a nearby plot and ran the “Hiker’s Oasis”. They had
retired to Anza when Paul sold his San Francisco business 25 years ago and their main
hobby seemed to be looking after thru-hikers. Paul picked me up from the store and
drove me to his home. I set up my tent on the plush lawn that Paul had laid out and
maintained especially for the thru-hikers. I then had a hot shower and used their
washing machine, before joining Paul and Pat in their living room. I shared their evening
meal and chatted with them until bedtime. Being early on the trail they have to minister
to many ill-prepared hikers with injuries and blisters caused by starting too fast. The
only first-aid I needed was ice-treatment to try and reduce the inflammation on my sore
Achilles tendon.
I had been intending to continue my walk from Anza, missing a section of the trail,
but Paul insisted on taking me back to Tule Canyon, where I left the trail, and then
collect me at Highway 74, 16 miles ahead, allowing me to slackpack the section and spend
another night at the “Hiker’s Oasis”. This offer was too good to refuse, particularly as a
day without a heavy pack would be better for my sore Achilles tendons.
Very few thru-hikers walk every step of the PCT. My idea of completing the trail was
to do a continuous walk from Mexico to Canada. If I got a lift from a trailhead to town I
intended to return to the same trailhead to continue the walk, but if I hiked into town I
would be happy to hike back to a spot further up the trail. Further north I intended to
take some detours along alternative trails which were more attractive than the PCT. The
PCT was routed to avoid the most popular mountain sites and because it was also an
equestrian trail, it was also routed to avoid areas where the horses would cause
environmental damage or where the trail would be difficult to maintain for horses. My
philosophy was a “purist” approach and some of the thru-hikers would hitch into a town
and be prepared to take a lift to a trailhead further up the route. Only hikers with
vehicle support considered walking every step of the route.
Day 10:13.9 miles 5.19 hours Camp: “Hiker’s Oasis”, Anza
I hadn’t slept well during the night due to the wind battering the tent and I overslept
in the morning, not waking until 6.40am. Fortunately I was using a tent rather than the
“tarp”, used by many of the American thru-hikers so I got decent protection from the
weather. There hadn’t been any rain during the night, but the trees were dripping with
water that they had picked up from the low clouds blowing over the mountain.
In the cool northerly breeze , it felt cold after the heat of the first week and I walked
all morning with my powerstretch and fibre pile tops over my shirt. I had hoped to get
water at Tule Creek, but there were only a few puddles left in the streambed and I didn’t
fancy drinking from them, so I had to make my present depleted supply stretch to Anza.
This would have been a problem if the weather had been hot, but I didn’t need much
water at these lower temperatures.
From Tule Canyon I made my first big diversion from the trail following jeep tracks
down to Anza where I had left a supply bag at the campground.
Kamp Anza Kampground provided permanent sites for mobile home owners wanting
cheap accommodation in the desert. I picked up my supply bag from the camp store and
phoned Paul Miller. Paul Miller and Pat Ziegler, former residents of the campground,
lived in their trailer home on a nearby plot and ran the “Hiker’s Oasis”. They had
retired to Anza when Paul sold his San Francisco business 25 years ago and their main
hobby seemed to be looking after thru-hikers. Paul picked me up from the store and
drove me to his home. I set up my tent on the plush lawn that Paul had laid out and
maintained especially for the thru-hikers. I then had a hot shower and used their
washing machine, before joining Paul and Pat in their living room. I shared their evening
meal and chatted with them until bedtime. Being early on the trail they have to minister
to many ill-prepared hikers with injuries and blisters caused by starting too fast. The
only first-aid I needed was ice-treatment to try and reduce the inflammation on my sore
Achilles tendon.
I had been intending to continue my walk from Anza, missing a section of the trail,
but Paul insisted on taking me back to Tule Canyon, where I left the trail, and then
collect me at Highway 74, 16 miles ahead, allowing me to slackpack the section and spend
another night at the “Hiker’s Oasis”. This offer was too good to refuse, particularly as a
day without a heavy pack would be better for my sore Achilles tendons.
Very few thru-hikers walk every step of the PCT. My idea of completing the trail was
to do a continuous walk from Mexico to Canada. If I got a lift from a trailhead to town I
intended to return to the same trailhead to continue the walk, but if I hiked into town I
would be happy to hike back to a spot further up the trail. Further north I intended to
take some detours along alternative trails which were more attractive than the PCT. The
PCT was routed to avoid the most popular mountain sites and because it was also an
equestrian trail, it was also routed to avoid areas where the horses would cause
environmental damage or where the trail would be difficult to maintain for horses. My
philosophy was a “purist” approach and some of the thru-hikers would hitch into a town
and be prepared to take a lift to a trailhead further up the route. Only hikers with
vehicle support considered walking every step of the route.
Day 10:13.9 miles 5.19 hours Camp: “Hiker’s Oasis”, Anza
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Looking east from
Combs Peak
Combs Peak
Descending through
chaparral to Anza
chaparral to Anza
Scarlet Bugler
Anza Kampground
Pat and Paul