A report from Emily Quinn
The Lansing Journal is following the adventures of Lansing resident Emily Quinn and her brother Michael Carrick as they hike the Pacific Crest Trail. We shared the beginning of their journey last week: Scenes from the Pacific Crest Trail. Text and photos below are shared from Emily’s Facebook posts.
April 17
We’re a little over 4 weeks in and a little over 350 miles! We made it to Wrightwood and over Baden-Powell. Most of the San Gabriel area was snow-covered, so we opted to hike on the closed highway for most of this section. Lots of snow on the highway and only part of it was plowed but really cool and felt almost apocalyptic to be on there. Going up Baden-Powell was amazing and my first mountaineering experience!
April 24
Wrightwood —> Big Bear Lake. We’ve made it to the next town, and we’re at about 450 miles! This section of the trail has been our favorite so far. We stopped at McDonald’s not far from the trail and ate there 4 times. A couple of trail angels made us burgers at Silverwood Lake, and I got my trail name: Sunshine! We got to soak in a natural hot spring and made a quick stop at a local bar near the trail called Joshua Inn. Another trail angel had pop and snacks for us too! I did however try to bypass a fallen tree on the trail and in doing so slid down some loose dirt and rocks and scraped my entire leg and arm. I want to say I didn’t cry, but I 100% did. Nothing a little Ben and Jerry’s can’t fix!
April 25
Originally planned to hike 10 miles today, but the ski resort was too tempting. I also ended up eating it down the second run so now my knees match my scabbed-up leg.
We’ll continue sharing Emily and Michael’s journey as they continue providing updates. Stay tuned!
About the Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. It is 2,653 mi long and ranges in elevation from roughly 110 feet above sea level near the Bridge of the Gods on the Oregon–Washington border to 13,153 feet at Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada. The route passes through 25 national forests and 7 national parks. Its midpoint is near Chester, California (near Mt. Lassen), where the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges meet. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Crest_Trail, cited April 22, 2023)
