May 1

151.8-164.4

14.6 miles trail miles plus 2 miles for water

We leave Idyllwild with full bellies and get back on trail at around noon. I am immediately struck by how I am able to hike fast without overheating in my new sun hoody. It turns out like I am not as old and fat as I thought. I was just wearing what was essentially a wool sweater through the desert.

We climb 2500 feet, and get to over 7000 feet in elevation for the first time on this trip. We can feel the effects of the thin air as we huff and puff up the slopes. Soon we climb high enough that we can see the valley of Palm springs below us.

Water continues to be scarce, and we have to take a 2 mile round trip, 1000 foot elevation gain and loss, detour off the ridge to get to a spring. It was quite the effort, but this spring is the best water of our trip, top of the podium.

We find a great camp overlooking the valley and watch as the electric lights of Palm springs light up below us. Being up in the darkness, and seeing a bustling, glowing, city below us makes us feel like we are on a space walk, and that we are completely detached from the world at large. We eat our dehydrated meals, and think of the folks down in Palm springs enjoying wine and steak dinners.