Pacific Crest Trail Trek
Offered between May and August. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) winds 2600 miles from Mexico to Canada, staying at or near the crest of the western mountain ranges along the way. This Trek follows a section of the PCT that climbs into the San Jacinto Mountains, starting near Garner Valley, and winds along the ‘Desert Divide’, constantly surrounding you with panoramic views of the San Jacinto mountains, and the desert floor, thousands of feet below.

Sample Intinerary
(subject to change according to conditions)

Day 1:We typically meet at a location in the town of Idyllwild at 8 am. With the direction of your Guides, we will carefully select the gear that we will need, paying close attention to ensuring light packs and sufficient equipment for the variety of conditions we might encounter. We will spend time designating small ‘cook groups’, and plan meals based upon these small groups, designing and packing food according to your unique needs. Once we are prepared, we will do a vehicle shuttle to our ending location. After an overview of the trip itinerary and a review of basic navigation skills, we will travel to our trailhead, and ‘hit the trail’, usually around noon.

Our first day is spent hiking to access the PCT, usually via the Cedar Springs Trail. As we gain the ridge, we intersect the PCT and turn towards the north, following the crest along brushy slopes, with Garner Valley on our left, and the desert floor thousands of feet below to our right. Our first campsite is usually near Fobes Saddle- total mileage of about 6 miles. At camp, we will spend time experimenting with the shelters that we have brought with us, and preparing meals in our designated cook groups.

Day 2: This is the ‘Big Day’ on the trip, as we continue north on the PCT, climbing and traversing multiple peaks, including Apache, Spitler, Antsell Rock, and others as we wind our way towards the San Jacinto mountains. The trail stays close to the crest and it’s spectacular views, often passing sections of the trail that were blasted and constructed to allow passage along the top of the steep ridge. Eventually we turn the corner around Red Tahquitz Peak and enter Tahquitz Valley, where a short cross-country descent brings us to our campsite amongst the pine trees. Total mileage: about 12 miles.

Day 3: After a lovely morning in the pines with the warming sun, we awake and hike towards Tahquitz Peak, with it’s commanding 360° views. From here, we can see virtually all of the trail that we have hiked. After a viewful lunch, we start down the trail to our vehicles, arriving usually around 3 pm. After spending time de-issuing, cleaning and organizing the equipment, we spend a short time debriefing the trip as a group, usually departing around 4:30 pm or so.

What to bring
Generally speaking, you will need to bring your personal equipment, including clothing, and boots, backpack, sleeping bag and pad, as well as your own lunches and snacks. We provide tents and shelters, stoves, cooking equipment, first aid kits, water treatment, and navigational gear such as maps and compasses. We provide dinner and breakfast during the trip, starting with dinner on Day 1, ending with breakfast on Day 3.