[pct-l] Fobes Saddle to Saddle Junction 2/25-2/26, 2006 Trip Report

[msaenz at mve-architects.com (Mike Saenz)]

Just got back from a quick overnighter and a little over 16 miles on the
PCT from Fobes Saddle to Saddle Junction (Section B).

Here's the pics: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mikesaenz2000/my_photos

Here's the info:

Erik Yakel met me at Humbar Park in Idyllwild to shuttle me to Fobes
Saddle. I left my truck at Humbar. There was still patches of snow on
the ground in Idyllwild and it was COLD at Humbar. Big sheets of ice
were at the trailhead of The Devil's Slide Trail. Erik drove to Fobes
and joined me as far as Apache Peak, where I continued solo.

The trailhead at Fobes was much warmer than Humbar, being more exposed
and the sun was already shining an hour on it. The 1-1/2 mile climb to
Fobes Saddle was quick and easy. The sky was a bright, cloudless blue.
Small patches of snow were here and there along the trail. The wind was
a gentle breeze, temps around 55 - a perfect hiking day.

When we reached the Saddle, we found two chairs from "The Trail Ratz"
which were not there a year ago. An empty gallon water container was
there as well. I was feeling good about the climb up from Fobes Ranch,
to which Erik warned (with a pat on my back) "The worst is yet to
come...". And he wasn't kidding. The climb up to Spitler was steep. Even
with the new switchbacks. I felt that, when I reached the top of
Spitler, the Desert Divide would be a ridge-walk.

I was wrong.

Though the PCT, as it tends, contours as much as possible, the trail
climbs steadily until it tops out in the San Jacintos at the junction of
the Tahquitz Watch Tower trail, a few miles past the "gap in the crest"
of the San Jacinto range noted in the data book.

The patches of snow we saw, left over from a small weather front a week
earlier, became wider and deeper the higher I climbed and in the
sheltered areas on the north faces, it got to about 12" deep. I found
myself post-holing in many places.

The PCT along the Desert Divide actually contours just below and on the
north face of the ridge line. Once in a while it will cross the ridge
and follow it for a bit before dropping to the north side again. During
these ridge crossings, the views on both side of the Divide are nothing
short of breathtakingly spectacular! Each time we reached a peak, I had
to stop for a few minutes to take in the view and snap pictures. As Erik
was day-hiking with a small waist pack, and I was full pack (about 18
pounds with water/food), Erik moved ahead of me and I saw him from time
to time as he stopped to enjoy the views. I caught up to Erik at the
Spitler Trail, between Spitler and Apache Peaks. There's a weathered
sign at this junction where you can faintly read "Spitler", "Apache" and
"Apache Spring". We assumed this was the trail down to Apache Spring (it
wasn't), and marveled at how steep the "trail" fell into the canyon
below. People HAD climbed down this ravine, as you can see where a
"trail" of sorts has been worn down. BUT THIS IS NOT APACHE SPRING. Do
NOT try to head down this steep ravine looking for water. There probably
IS a spring down there, but it would be an ass-kicker just getting down
it!

I had carried a full 2-liter platy and a quart and 1/2 water bottle,
just to be able to by-pass the Apache Spring. Water would have never
been a real problem on this hike as there was plenty of snow to melt. I
was glad I didn't have to climb down what I thought was Apache Spring.
We kept hiking north.

Just after Apache Peak, we came upon one of the few wide, flat spots on
the ridge. Here is where the Apache Spring trail run-out is. But the
canyon this trail runs down is just as steep and deep as the first one
we thought was the spring trail. There's a more trail-like path leading
down from here, though. Erik kept with me until just north of Apache
Peak and near the first up-close view of  Antsell Rock. The snow was
getting deeper and Erik needed to get back home, so he said good-bye and
turned back while I kept hiking north.

I was a little nervous about Antsell Rock. I've heard of narrow, exposed
passages blasted out of solid rock with steep drop offs on the side of
the trail. Ice axes and crampons are advised in just this short portion
of the trail. As the snow was getting deeper, I thought that maybe the
passage under Antsell Rock would be too dangerous to try. I was prepared
to turn around if this was impassable. But when I was directly
underneath Antsell Rock, the trail was wide enough and in most places
free of snow. I had seen a photo of the worst part of the trail and was
surprised at not finding this while I passed Antsell. This rocky portion
of the trail occurs just north of Antsell Rock, almost between it and
South Peak. When I reached it, only a small patch of snow was at the
south end. The rest was rock without ice. I passed uneventfully.

I was feeling real good by the time I got to South Peak and decided to
keep hiking until I found a perfect place to pitch my new Lunar tent.
This was about 4pm and as I passed each little snow-free, sloped and
rocky perch, I couldn't shake the feeling that I would find no better.
It was getting darker, being on the north side of The Divide, at about
5pm. The ridge was much narrower and I couldn't even find a wide enough
place on the trail to pitch camp on. I was beginning to think that I'd
have to hike up into the Basin to find a decent campsite, when at just
under 8k and within a couple miles of The Gap, I found The Perfect Spot
- a small flat footprint under a small pine tree with the last "double
view" on either side of the ridge. It was perfect: a few yards off the
trail, flat and just wide enough for my footprint. The small tree made
the perfect spot to lean my sleeping pad against and enjoy watching the
lights of Palm Springs come to life below me while I sipped on my oilcan
(which I packed in snow to cool off when I first dropped pack). I had
picked up a strong radio signal out of Palm Springs of an NPR station,
so I listened to some weird music, news and commentary while the night
faded darker, the city lights below grew brighter and the temp DROPPED.

I had brought along my pocket rocket and a canister of fuel which was
almost empty. I figured I had at least enough fuel to boil the 3 cups of
water I needed for my chicken noodle soup dinner. But for some reason,
whether the altitude, temp or lack of pressure in the fuel canister, my
water wouldn't boil. The stove ran out of fuel after about 20-30 minutes
of full-open burning. The water was JUST hot enough to soften the
noodles of the soup, so I ate up the warm mixture and finished dinner
off with the last of the sour gummy worms I hiked up with.

By 7pm, the cold chased me into my tent and sleeping bag. I listened to
the radio until I fell asleep, only to be awakened when something loud
and noisy blasted into my ear buds. By then it was about 10pm. I put my
MP3 player away and fell back asleep.

Next morning I awoke at 8am and decided to stay in my bag another hour
so the sun could warm up the camp site. No hot water, so I had a couple
"power bars" for breakfast. I packed up and hiked off, looking for that
more-perfect camping spot I would have found if I just walked an hour
longer....  But I was happy to find that no other spot existed. Indeed,
the next campsite is at the bottom of the switchbacks before you cross
over the Gap. And at this spot, only views out over Palm Springs were
available (as if this was not enough!).

I climbed the switchbacks and crossed into the gap and was maybe a
half-mile into the Basin when I saw the only other person on the trail!
For the entire hike from Fobes, I was following tracks someone had made
in the snow going SOBO. These tracks were melted off enough to indicate
that they were made a few days earlier. I was sure no one else was on
this mountain besides me. I was surprised to see this guy so far from
Humbar Park or the Tram Station. I was even more surprised to see that
it was my buddy Dave! This was truly a surreal moment... I didn't expect
to see a single soul until I got to Saddle Junction, and here I find
Dave! Apparently, his weekend plans were canceled and he drove up to
Idyllwild to back track the PCT SOBO to meet up with me. So, here he
was. 6 miles from Humbar, six (or so) miles from the tram, and after
greeting each other, he pulls out a cold beer from his pack and offers
me some suds!!! Damn that tasted good!

So at this point Dave turns around, I continue and we both made our way
back to the high point of the PCT in the San Jacinto's: the trail
junction of the lookout tower on Tahquitz Peak and the PCT (8.6k), and
then down to Saddle Junction and the calf-thumping descent of The
Devil's Slide Trail. Once back in Idyllwild, we hit the Mexican
Restaurant and a FULL meal and a couple more cervesas!

Hard Info:

PCT from Fobes to Saddle Junction was clear enough to hike through
without snow shoes, crampons or and special equipment. THIS MAY CHANGE
DRAMATICALLY IN THE NEXT WEEK AS A MORE POWERFUL STORM IS EXPECTED TO
DROP SNOW AND ICE ABOVE 6K IN THIS AREA.

No water was cached at Fobes Saddle. There is a ranch and water pond at
the Fobes Ranch, but I'd rather get water at any of the three springs
between the 74 and Antsell Rock. There was plenty of snow to melt. No
streams crossed the PCT until you get to the Basin, where I counted four
streams flowing across the trail, including Tahquitz Creek.

Campsites are at Fobes Saddle, Spitler Trail junction, Apache trail
junction, just north of Antsell Rock (a couple of single perches), below
the switchbacks to the Gap (wide space enough for many tents - also a
couple of small footprint-sized spots up the spur that would have
awesome views!). Once past  the gap and into the Basin, many spots to
camp.

The Mexican restaurant in Idyllwild has relocated to a small breakfast
diner (morning menu = diner-style breakfast, afternoon menu = Mexican).
I hear that the original location burned down a year ago and they're
operating out of this little diner while they rebuild. The food is
really good!

Michael Saenz ,  Associate Partner
McLarand    Vasquez    Emsiek   &   Partners,   Inc.
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