[pct-l] "Failure"?

[Jblees at energy.state.ca.us (Jonathan Blees)]

Following up on Michael Saenz's description of his aborted trip into the San Felipes last weekend:  I had a similar experience a few hundred miles north.  Like Michael, I'm a section-hiker slowly working my way north (started at Campo in 2000; goal is to get to Manning Park in 2010, when I'll be 60).  A few weeks ago I did a weekend hike on my way to SoCal for business.  On Saturday I started at the Cottonwood Creek Bridge (mile 532.1) and got a little past Gamble Spring Canyon (mile 542.9); I was planning to go to the Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road on Sunday but Saturday's rain turned to snow at night, and with six inches on the trail Sunday morning I decided not to risk losing the trail at higher elevations, so I turned around.  Failure?  Not at all.  I was out in nature, I discovered that my new Cloudburst Tarptent can handle a moderate amount of snow, and I reassured my wife and kids that I won't take unreasonable risks on my hikes.  I also discovered that White's Motel in Mojave is indeed hiker-friendly; I stayed there the night before starting my hike and the next morning the new owner, Badal (he's an Indian gentleman) and the long-time manager, Gary, drove me all the way to the Cottonwood Creek Bridge.  Please give them your business if you layover in Mojave.

Wildheart
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