PCT Section: Paradise Valley Cafe to Southern Terminus Campo, CA

PCT hike, section 3: Paradise Valley Cafe (mile 151.9) to Southern Terminus Campo, CA (mile 0)

As we continue to chip away at section-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (we’ve hiked about 1,400 miles thus far), we were in search of a section to hike in December over our school break. Everybody recommended California Section A and part of Section B (before the San Jacintos) because there is typically no snow. People were right. This was a great 7-day section desert section to do during winter months. It was beautiful, quiet, and a lovely way to ring in a new year.

Logistics:

1. Navigation and Beta: FarOut Guides is such a helpful tool. Not only did we use it to plan our mileage per day, but the crowd-sourced comments told us if there was water left at key sources or if there were recent water caches. Also, the Facebook PCT Section A Campo to Paradise Cafe group is entirely dedicated to this section, which means we were able to ask questions about water, trail angels, etc.! People post relatively frequently and were happy to share their experiences. 

3. Resupply: We did not send ourselves any boxes in advance for such a short section and Stagecoach RV park was open! It was a small gas station resupply, but it had the basics as well as two tables inside next to charging stations and some picnic tables outside. They have a deli, also. When we called, they gave us the name of two local trail angels, one of whom was happy to come pick us up from trail and drive us back after we were done resupplying. 

4. Travel: We flew into Palm Springs Airport, got an Uber to REI to grab fuel and some pizza at a local restaurant, then an Uber to the trailhead, easy peasy! We finished at the Southern Terminus in Campo and had a friend pick us up and take us back to San Diego, only an hour away. Logistically, this was one of the easiest sections we’ve hiked so far. 

5. Gear: We kept most of our gear the same, but because of the very cold nights and mornings and warmer daytimes, we added glove liners, beanies, a sleeping bag liner, leggings to sleep in. Stretch wished he hiked in pants because of all the really bad brush that scratched our legs to hell. He ended up wearing his sleep pants to hike! Lotus just endured the scratches.

Day-by-day:

12/24/24: Paradise Valley Cafe (mile 151.9) to Tentsite (mile 144), 7.9 miles, 760 ft elevation gain

12/25/24: Tentsite (mile 144) to Tentsite (mile 119.6), 24.4 miles, 3,676 ft elevation gain

12/26/24: Tentsite (mile 119.6) to Tentsite (mile 92.7), 27 miles, 2,839 ft elevation gain

12/27/24: Tentsite (mile 92.7) to Tentsite (mile 68.3), 24.4 miles, 2,868 ft elevation gain

12/28/24: Tentsite (mile 68.3) to Laguna Campground (mile 47.5), 20.8 miles, 3,888 ft elevation gain

12/29/24: Laguna Campground (mile 47.5) to Tentsite (mile 23), 24.5 miles, 2,350 ft elevation gain

12/30/24: Tentsite (mile 23) to Southern Terminus (mile 0), 23 miles, 2,931 ft elevation gain

Here are some big reflections: 

1. Section-hiking brings about so many different experiences than thru-hiking! This was our first truly short section – only a week on trail. We weren’t quite sure if or how long it would take to get into the flow of trail life. It turns out we slid right into it and immediately felt at home together in the outdoors. 
2. We’ve handled challenging conditions before so we are confident when we jump on for sections. We planned some big mileage days and we knew we could do them. But we did learn that it hurts a bit more when we really push it. No trail legs! 27 miles was probably too much for day 3. We expended every bit of energy hiking the distance and did not have much left in the tank to enjoy camp at night! It didn’t help that it got dark so early, either. That said, there is also something really gratifying about knowing how capable our bodies are.
3. The desert sunrises and sunsets were unreal throughout this section. They lit up with such deep red, pink, and orange hues during twilight hours and consistently filled us up to start and end long hiking days.
4. Unsurprisingly, water was scarce for long stretches. Water caches proved critical to being able to hike this desert section. Thanks to all the kind folks who stock them – truly a life saver.
5. Weather: It was very cold at night after the sun went down and fairly ideal hiking weather during the day. We used sleeping bag liners and that was so helpful. Also, the wind could be brutal at times. With nothing to shield us in places, we would take the full brunt of each gust. Hiking against it was actually much more difficult. To cap it all off, the wind gave us a rude 5 am wake up call when it ripped some stakes out of the ground and collapsed our tent on us. Terrible way to start the day. 
6. Plants! The desert is filled with so many amazing species. We marveled at the variety of cacti – some squat barrels, others with long sharp spines, and even more branching with tiny fuzzy spines. Bunnies were the most obvious and abundant animal we saw, including one incredibly fast jackrabbit.
7. Views were endless. We could see so far that it almost seemed like we would never reach our destinations. But it is always super rewarding to look back across a massive valley and see where you came from in just a day of walking.
8. Hiking with friends. Chef or now PCT dubbed Calcifer joined us for three days and it was so nice to share the PCT with an AT friend who knows both the pain and the joy of long-distance hiking.