TD Grad reaches mile 151 on Pacific Crest Trail, finds some wisdom in misery
Former TD grad Emily Peterson makes it to mile marker 100 on the Pacific Crest Trail last week near Julian California. Just 2,550 more miles to go.
By Tom Peterson
Emily Peterson, a 2017 graduate of The Dalles High School, has hiked to mile 151 on the Pacific Crest Trail and is resting a sore foot in Idyllwild, California.
With just 14 days on trail, something has become obvious to her.
Peterson said she got her first really good view of the The California desert from this vantage point after leaving Mount Laguna.
“There is no way you can do this without coming out completely changed,” she said, repeating a mantra she has heard on trail.
“They’re right,” she said while hiking around and exploring the locally owned shops and restaurants nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains.
Peterson set out from Mount Laguna with the goal of hitting the small town of Julian with several other newfound hiking buddies on May 3.
They got their first hitch at Scissor Crossing - a spot where the PCT crosses Highway 78 and hikers get rides into Julian to resupply.
Camping along the trail before getting to Julian California for some pizza.
“There’s a trail angel called The Professor who gives people rides,” she said. “So, we hung out under the bridge for a long time. It was so hot. 85 plus. Everybody was so dead. We had just got done hiking three miles on the flat desert.”
“He was jammin’ on that windy road,” she said of The Professor’s driving the 18 miles to Julian.
But alas, the group of four ended up at the Julian Beer Co, and feasted on pulled pork and pepperoncini pizza.
Time for some pie at the Julian Beer Co.
Cactus are in bloom.
Peterson had to do some retooling at a local supply store. She jettisoned her slippery sleeping pad in exchange for a stickier one and also got a longer shirt that would not bunch up under her pack.
She said she had met a hiker who was infatuated with snakes, and was often picking them up.
He had to make rules for himself, she said, limiting himself to snakes that were within 20 feet of the trail and also only picking one up of each variety in a day's time.
After a restful day and good nights sleep at the Julian Lodge, Peterson and three other hikers hitched a ride back to the trail. But given the hot day, they waited until after 6 p.m. before embarking on the 1,000-foot climb out.
She and a fellow hiker made 8 miles that night, stopping to camp around 10:30 p.m
“The stars were out, and it was beautiful,” she said.
They headed out the next day at 6:30 still working to beat the heat and hiking 16 miles before catching a hitch to the Montezuma Valley Market.
“That is where I failed to buy enough food,” she said. “I only bought enough food for three days and I needed four. I was eating twice as much.”
Eagle Rock near Warner Springs on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Still smiling after a 22-mile day.
Something close to 3,000 calories per day.
She had 50 miles to hike to the Paradise Valley Cafe, which was renowned for the best burger on the PCT.
For example in one day, she ate two Cliff bars, two packages of tuna, multiple snacks, granola bars, peach rings, Complete Cookies, nuts, beef jerky and then a rehydrated Pad Thai for dinner.
Seeing her supplies were running short, Peterson said she decided to hike long on May 9 after a long nap under a tree on the dirt. And she separated from her hiking buddy, who had enough food for another day.
And a restless night led to a late start at 8:20 a.m. on May 10th.
That was a problem.
The Cafe closes at 3 p.m. and she was down to two granola bars and a bag of tuna.
And she had 16 miles to go. To make it, she had to average 3 miles per hour, which is fast.
She never stopped. She thought about it.
“There was a part of me that thought I was not going to make it,” she said. “I had to think of every possible way to get out of that spot. I considered calling businesses in Idyllwild to come and get me. I didn't think it was going to work.”
Agave. Tequila’s father.
“Part of me was thinking to stop and rest and figure something out on phone and find a solution to relax and hike at normal speed. But what if I stop, and nothing comes of it. I’d be late for sure. Only thing I could do was keep hiking. It was the best possible solution. Might as well try the hard part first.”
Peterson made it to Highway 74 at 2:20 p.m. and was deflated to see the Cafe was yet another mile down the road. They closed in 40 minutes.
“It was such a series of mistakes,” she said. “First of all not enough food. I should have just camped with people. At least I would have slept.”
Her dad - full disclosure - that’s me, called the Cafe and put an order in for her. Two bacon cheeseburgers with fries and potato salad. The woman on the phone said the food would be waiting for her if she made it by 3 p.m.
Peterson said she got there at 2:40 and found a big group of hikers, and sat down and gorged herself, reviving her body.
She and a new Canadian hiking buddy hit it off and hitched into Idyllwild thereafter, got a campsite and hit the single movie theater to watch Dr. Strange.
“It was crazy feeling. I was at the theater and had a hot chocolate, a hotdog and popcorn,” she said. “I was almost crying. There was such a high point and a low point in such a short time. It felt super emotional. It is more emotional than I thought it would - random moments hit me - it's a good feeling for sure.”
“I am really feeling the immenseness of all of it,” she said. “For years, I said I was going to do this. Now, I am feeling like what this is really going to be. This is my life for the next 5 months. 2650 miles is a lot. But it is all that I want it to be. The only pressure I am feeling is only from me - no pressure from anybody else.
This morning, Peterson said she was taking a second day to rest up.
Peterson met with the mayor of Idyllwild, California on Wednesday, May 11. He happened to be a dog named Max. Idyllwild is unincorporated, but packed with mom and pop shops.
“But the first thing I am thinking is I should be back out there hiking. I feel really bad about it. But I can only do so much. But my brain is saying it is not enough. That is so wrong - I could be out there hiking. But, at the end of the day it (giving myself a break) is the right decision.”
Hot water and Epsom salts brought a bit of happiness to Peterson after reaching mile 151 on the PCT.
