The Wonderland Journal

Miles hiked: 21.8

Mile marker: 248.2

The trek on Mission Creek begins at 4:30 AM with a beautiful sand smiley face, drawn by none else than the highly acclaimed sand artist: Journey (Dad). 

We have eight miles on this river bed. The walls go up 10-12 feet, and I can see the layers of sand within them. Big and little rocks are embedded in the walls. 

Last time Dad hiked this, there were trees, bushes, snakes, animals, and wildflowers. There was even a trail! It was its own little world! 

Today, we don’t walk on a trail. We get to use all those tiny muscles in our feet — and the sides of my legs — to carefully step on and over rocks. We’re crossing over rivers. While I tried to keep my feet dry the first couple crossings, I now walk right through the water.  My shoes are soaked. 

I feel like Huckleberry Finn navigating a river — even though Huck Finn lived in a very different environment. This is slow and draining to navigate every single step. 

But I’m allowed to be slow on this. Everyone is slow, and if we move too quickly, we may be at risk of a potential injury. 

This is a new adventure that I’ve yet to see on the PCT. It’s wild and rugged. The only way back to the trail is to walk through this rubble. 

The rock walls are swirled with light and dark grey. Dad wonders how this rock came to be. How long did it take to become this? When was it created? What did it look like in its infancy? 

The weather starts off nice and cool, but soon it’s warm and my feet splashing through the creek cools me down. We’re at a steady incline, but I don’t even know this until we’re about halfway through the creek. 

Denis comes flying up behind us. When he gets excited — for burgers or friends, usually — he hikes like an inspired Sim. His arms swing animatedly with his trekking poles and his long thin legs march forward. This is probably why he reminds me of a nutcracker — that plus his mustache. 

Denis got behind us last night since he had to do a resupply, so he camped with the bubble of hikers we passed. 

“I camped two miles behind you guys and still caught up!” Denis says. 

“Yes, Denis, you’re just so fast,” I say dryly, but all in good humor. Denis likes to remind us how fast he is. 

Denis made it this far without getting his shoes wet, so he is throwing big rocks into the river to make a footpath. This is Denis, after all. 

It’s quite warm when Dad and I see a split in the river. Another hiker found a trail up by the wall of the riverbed. We decide to skip it. While we already hiked up on that ledge, it always leads back down to the rocks. The trail can be pretty rough, with the trail eroding into the wall. 

Not long after, Rafiki says something from up on the ledge. We move forward and find the trail to walk on for a few minutes. It’s hotter up here, and the shrubs scratch at my legs as I walk through them. 

Soon we’re on the original trail. Dad quizzes us on all of the plants he’s looked up so far: grape soda lupine (which smells like grape flavor and lavender), apricot globe mallow, buckwheat, Engleman’s hedgehog cactus, desert bluebell, and the manzanitas, of course. 

We finally reach a creek to fill up for water. I’m exhausted. Today was the first time I got up at 4:30 for hiking, which is why I suspect I’m so tired. 

After filling my water at the little creek, where some of the other hikers are resting, I lay under the shade of a pine tree with my group. It’s quite chilly under here, so I put my rain jacket on and drag myself into the sun in a daze. 

Rafiki makes some noodles so that he doesn’t have to cook any tonight since we have a 16 mile water carry coming up (6 miles today and 10 tomorrow). 

It’s been hard for me to fully nap on these siestas, but I do my best and doze for a while. The sun warms my body as I lay out on my mat over the pine needles and sap. 

I hear Dad say he’s waiting for me, whenever I’m ready. I know I’ve been here a while, so it’s time to go. More miles to make. 

I pack up my stuff. We’re on a bigger water carry, so my bag is heavy as I lumber forward and try to pull myself out of my sleepy state. 

We soon hike into another riverbank. The trail has been destroyed by a storm that occurred a few years ago. Fallen trees and large rocks just out at odd angles as we climb over them, careful to check rocks for a reliable foothold. 

The place looks so shattered and devastated by the storm. This is the saddest part of trail I’ve seen. 

We continued on after we finish this section. The trail is often eroded, and we carefully step across the slopes — or missing section of trail — so we don’t slip on the loose dirt and tumble down the slope. 

Rafiki has been using one trekking pole since the ascent of Apache. He tried to use my utility knife to tighten the trekking pole, but retreated on the job once he realized he was likely going to break my tool. 

I’m glad he decided not to continue. 

However, he hiked all of these miles with only one trekking pole! What a champ! I’d have been flat on my face. 

We continue on toward the cabin, which is likely mice infested. Golden hour hits, and I’m ready for bed. We hike up some switchbacks. Many of the other hikers choose to camp at this cabin (in their tents, outside of the cabin), but Dad pops by to check in with Denis while I wait sleepily on a rock. 

Denis is going to hang out with the fun kids at the cabin. Dad and I continue on.

I am behind a log when Rafiki walks up. 

“Rafiki!” I say. 

He looks around. 

“Over here!”

He spots me, and I come out from behind my hiding space and we finish the hike to the campsite together. 

Dad is already working on dinner. We don’t have much time until it’s dark, so I start my dinner and begin to fly through my evening duties. My fajita chicken ram-bomb with jalapeño ramen is tasty! I’m so glad I swapped my spam for Rafiki’s chicken. 

Dad and Rafiki are in bed, but I spend extra time setting up my tent in the dark and getting ready for bed.  

At last, I’m settled in my tent. It was an exhausting day, from early morning until sundown. I am ready for some rest! I skip my journal and go right to bed. 

Good night! 

https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/day-14-mission-creek/