Re: [pct-l] re: San Felipe Hills

[radney@ix.netcom.com]

>Pardon my ignorance, where is Scissors Crossing? 

Greg, Scissors Crossing is between Mt. Laguna and 
Warner Springs smack in the middle of section A11 and 
near Route 78.  If you really are seriouse about 
helping out with water, etc., Scissors Crossing would 
be a huge help.  Although there is said to be "water" 
here, it is in the form of a "cow polluted creek."  Not 
high on the list as a great water source, but in '97 it 
was better than nothing and not even our worst water 
source! There are a couple of big cottonwood trees here 
for shade, making it is a good place for an afternoon 
nap.  The next couple of miles are a hard and hot climb 
over Grape Vine Mt.

Yes, fruit, water, juice, etc would be fantastic, and 
if you could do it, a ride into Julian would be 
"heaven." I understand there is a restaurant and store 
there where hikers can pig out on ice cream, a 
restaurant meal, and get a chance to see more of 
California off the trail. A ride to Julian and back to 
Scissors Crossing would be great, the bus ride is a 
very iffy thing.   If you picked hikers up in the 
morning and returned them to Scissors Crossing in the 
late afternoon you would certainly make their day. The 
hike up and over "Grape Vine" on the way to Barrell 
Spring can be a killer because you have to carry so 
much water. Barrell Springs was also low on water last 
year because of a broken pipe from the spring (of sorts 
-- real questionable) and I would suggest that hikers 
filter the water here too.  In '97 the horse apples and 
flies were so bad we only stayed to get some water and 
repack our packs.  The trail out was easy to find, 
don't worry about the book saying you could get lost 
here because enough hikers have been through to make 
the trail evident.   

In '97 Walt and I were lucky enough to be at Scissors 
Crossing when some of the locals were "harvesting" the 
water cress.  It grows in the "creek" further back and 
was a much better water source for filtering our water 
in -- wish they had been there earlier in the day when 
we were filtered the "cow" water!  Of course the worst 
"cow" water was at Kelso -- simply putrefying!  We 
passed this by. Help at Pioneer Mail Station would also 
be great -- the horse trough can be a bit "yuckee."

It may be hard going this year for water if La Nina 
holds true and to have extra help at these places could 
be life saving.  If you left a message with Joe at the 
PCTA with the information on the places and dates you 
were willing to stash water at it we could call in and 
get the information.  Walt and I would be glad to 
recompense you for the water and your time -- it would 
also be great to meet you.

We enjoyed all your posts on Martina and Brian last 
year.  We met them several times in Washington when we 
tried to complete some more miles in hopes of 
completing  our '97 hike.  Glad to hear they finished 
and had such a great adventure!

Getting off the subject, but to put in our two cents 
worth on the altimater discussion, we advocate the 
Avocet wrist instrument! The altimater helped us a 
great deal, we were able to calculate how much further 
we had to climb and if we were at the top or not.  This 
year we will both have one so we aren't having to 
share.  Walt got me a "Pathfinder" for Christmas but we 
sent it back because the printout figures were so tiny 
we couldn't even read it.  It did have a light, but 
that was all.  The Sunnoco is too big and complicated!  
We didn't need a GPS last time and don't want to get so 
involved we forget why we are on the trail anyway -- 
for adventure and memories.  

>I had this same idea over the last few years and 
thought that somewhere in >the Mojave just south of 
Tehachapi Mountains would be best considering the 
timing, lack of water.  

That too Greg, or a ride from the trail head into 
Mojave would also be fantastic!  It can take an hour or 
more before someone takes pity on giving anyone a 
hitch. In '97 Walt, Wendy, Gretzky and I got a ride 
into Tehachapi from a great young man named Chris. It 
was the FIRST time ever for me to stick my thumb our 
for a hitch and I was cracking Wendy up because I was 
doing it all wrong! I am 56 and we didn't hitch back 
then!  Chris said he gave us a ride because I looked 
like his Mother and he didn't want her out hitch 
hiking!  What if some weirdo picked her up -- no way? 
Boy were we glad for that ride.  It is long climb into 
Tehachapi and we were all so very tired. It would have 
taken us 4 hours to hike there.  That day the wind was 
blowing 70-80 miles an hour and the windmills were 
really humming! Being a "Geritol" does have its 
advanatages! 

>Maybe this year you '99ers will need what CTMiller 
proposes.

It certainly does sound like it Greg! Thanks for 
everything, your a real Trail Angle for all you have 
done to help thru hikers out. Hope to finally meet you.

The Happy Trails Couple
>
>Greg "Strider" Hummel
>* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List |  
http://www.backcountry.net   *
>
>



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