TRAIL JOURNAL
/ May 24, 2022
Heading west from Big Bear Lake towards Lake Arrowhead was fun because we started to see more water, and we were in goldrush country. Holcomb Creek and then Deep Creek were just a trickle in some places and deep pools in others. There was even supposed to be wild trout! I am getting my fishing gear in the Sierras, so I didn’t fish here. But just knowing there were fish in the creek beside me was cool. I really like fishing and have caught fish in mountain streams with my hands before. The trick is to know where to find them and be patient. I also really like gold panning. My Dad taught me how to pan for gold, and he learned from his Grandpa who prospected for gold in the Similkameen River, near Oroville in Washington state.
The trail first crosses over Deep Creek in a day-use area with a pretty impressive bridge. It made me think that the spring thaw here might be pretty spectacular. From there, the PCT goes north, swinging out to the desert side of the San Bernardino forest instead of going through Lake Arrowhead.
The trail runs alongside Deep Creek for about 15 miles through lots of twists and green gullies. We came across only a couple of day-hikers but it was pretty hot when we went through. There is plenty to look at along the way. Lots of different trees in the riparian zone (we learned about this at school!), including beautiful Californian oak, smooth light gray rocks… and water!
We stopped at Aztec Falls and what a beautiful place! The water was cool and we were the only ones there. It’s right on the trail and seems like a paradise just for hot and thirsty PCT hikers.
It was hard to move on. But we found that around every corner was yet another beautiful spot. In some places the water even ran through the trail. The sound of it was so nice. It was hard to believe that just a few days before we were on the desert floor in a dust storm! Just when we thought we’d seen it all, we came across some thermal hot springs.
I really liked Deep Creek. It reminded me of the creeks and waterholes my Mum had taken us to in Australia. The sign at the trail head had said this was a special place, and it really was.
- Magnus!