TCT: Day 5
Trans-Catalina Trail: Day 5
8/15/2022
Parson’s Landing Campground - Two Harbors - San Pedro
Miles hiked: 6.8 mi
Elevation gained: 1,755 ft (0 - 1,752 - 0)
Animals seen: free-loading seagulls, tourists
Elevation chart created on AllTrails.com
We woke up hungry and damp. The ocean fog had left everything dewey. Jake got up to start coffee and brekkie (store bought instant oatmeal). Coffee in hand, I packed up our stuff in the tent while Jake ate. Then we switched and he packed up the tent while I ate. I believe we have discovered our morning routine. We were the first to leave for the trail around 8am, wanting to get an early and chillier start to the big climb ahead of us.
We had to climb that
Holy cow, it was a big climb, and steep, very steep. We were sweating almost instantly.
It was a slog, no doubt about it. But we made it to the top where the island provided a nice shaded resting bench. Ahhh yes. We took a pack off break to air out the sweaty clothes and eat the last of our snacks.
The trail then continued on the ridgeline and was amazing. Was it exposed, yes. Was it hot, very much so. It was also stunning views, great conversation and we had it completely to ourselves the entire time.
Trail doggo & dad
Starting the ridgeline
Catalina at it’s finest
We short a quick water break at the shaded resting bench at the start of the descent. We were cruising, fueled by empty stomachs and a desire to catch an early ferry. The descent was steep, but thankfully had occasional areas of shade. We were much more careful on this descent than our previous trip out, not wanting to risk more injuries but still made good time on the way down.
On the way to sea level
Once we made it to sea level, we knew we were close. We were cruising, but it was getting even hotter and it was completely exposed. Once we turned the corner around the west harbor, we could see the end. We started passing hikers heading toward Parson’s Landing. I could not imagine tackling that climb in this heat. As we hit the edge of town, Jake skipped ahead to see if we could catch the last morning ferry. That hike had taken us only 2 hours!
We missed the last morning ferry by a few minutes and ended up switching for the first afternoon one instead, leaving us with a few hours to kill in Two Harbors. First, we stuffed ourselves with beer, buffalo milk and lunch. Remembering the hefty price tag of staying at the bar last time, we dragged ourselves away after the lunch.
We walked through town to explore and ended up at the beach to doze the remaining hour until our ferry ride. The ride back was long, but we talked of future hikes and trails to discover. I guess Catalina was the perfect rebound from the lashing we took at Maroon Bells. I may cuss while slogging up a steep hill, but if the views are grand and I don’t feel like I may die, I still enjoy the trip. Lesson learned.
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Our hungry little trail doggo faces a big climb back to civilization and food.