Hiker Heaven to Mill Creek Picnic Area
37.0 miles (1 off trail mile)
Sobo mile 2234.0
Total mileage 4886.6
At about 2:30am I rolled off the massive couch I’d crashed on in the guest house at Hiker Heaven to get my day started. Careful not to wake the other hikers sprawled about, I navigated the inside of the house with my headlamp until I was all packed up and ready to roll. By 3am I was walking down the mile stretch of residential road to rejoin the PCT.
Less than an hour later I passed through Vasquez Rocks County Park disappointed that the unique rock formations were hidden from sight in darkness. Next I passed under the Highway 14 pedestrian tunnel, which was spooky as hell, and popped out the other side to begin trekking into the mountains leaving the headlamps of the cars racing along the busy highway behind me.
The sun rose as I descended towards Soledad Canyon Road, where I’d exited nearly six months early to camp at the Acton KOA. Fond memories of the second night I’d spent with Paige at that campground flooded my memory as I hiked by it.
Pushing on, the next few hours were spent climbing back up into the mountains until I reached the North Fork Ranger Station. I stopped here to fill my bottles with the jugs of water they’d left out before continuing the climb.
The wind began picking up as I increased in elevation, making each step a challenge as a fought against a mighty headwind.
Once I reached the top the trail began to snake along a ridge line for the remaining ten miles until I reached Mill Creek Summit.
I stopped for the evening at the picnic area below the fire station alongside Angels Forest Highway. I found good water flowing from a spigot near the station before setting up camp. As I sat on a picnic table journaling about my day a car pulled up, and Mary and Philip hopped out with big smiles.
The couple had made the drive up from the LA area just to spend an hour hanging out with me. They brought strawberries, carrots and cookies too! I was glad for the company, they truly made my evening special.
When they left I chomped down two Complete Cookies, a Midnight Milkyway and a whole bunch of trail mix before passing out for the night.
Cheers!