Section 2 - Warner Springs to Idyllwild View Photos April 28 20 miles today and back to winter. I'm at 5,500 feet, it's 34 degrees at 5 p.m., and the flakes are flying. Brrrrr. I'm huddled in my bag watching it snow and hoping it doesn't get too deep. I spent last night at the Sunshine Summit Resort & RV. It's 6 miles out of Warner Springs but when I called them up and said I'd have to walk there the owner was nice enough to come get me. He had never heard of the PCT and was still sort of shaking his head when he dropped me off this morning. Dinner at the Sunshine Resort restaurant was classic. The cast of characters included a truck driver, a prospector, a tire store owner, a juvenile detention center worker, a loud blond lady who refused to stop talking, two guys in the kitchen whose elevators didn't go to the top floor, and me--a bedraggled, bemused hiker reading e-mail in the corner. It would have made a good play. April 29 22 miles today--a new distance record for me. It was cold, cloudy, and windy all day. Pretty good hiking weather as long as I didn't stop. It snowed 'till about 10 p.m. last night. I think it only accumulated about 2 inches but the snow sliding off the tent roof was almost a foot deep. There were a few extreme wind gusts that had me worried but the tarptent performed admirably and I stayed warm and dry. I dropped out of snow country early this morning and spent the rest of the day hiking through high desert hills and dry canyon bottoms. For a while I crossed into Anza-Borego Desert State Park and I could see Mt. Laguna looming in the distance. Tomorrow I will cross the Pines-to-Palms Highway and the Desert Divide. I then start my ascent of the San Jacinto Mountains. April 30 16 snowy, sloppy miles today. I woke up to the splat of wet snow and it continued to snow until 4 p.m. After fumbling with and fuming at my wet gear I didn't get on the trail until after 9 a.m. All the brush was coated in slush and, despite my poncho, I got soaked. Then I took a wrong trail and lost an hour and 3 miles of my day. "@#$%&*!" I think the wildlife learned some new words today. As I climbed higher into the San Jacintos the snow got deeper and there were a few anxious moments when I lost the trail in the snow. Finally the storm broke and I caught glimpses of both the knife ridge I was walking and the desert far below. I found my way down to a snow-free clearing and promptly parked. It's 33 degrees at 6,000 feet and I'm warm in my bag. Shirt and Packrat just walked by in the near dark and camped a few feet away. They did the smart thing and holed up until the snow abated. Some day I'll learn. Tomorrow I walk to Idyllwild for a food resupply and a day off. I'm dirty, my stuff is wet, and my body needs a rest. Despite--or maybe because of--today's mishaps, this is a great experience. May 1 16 more snowy, slippery miles. At least the sun came out for a while. I walked the spine of the San Jacintos and had incredible views of Palm Springs and the desert below. While walking through knee-deep snow I thought about what it would be like down there laying around by the pool. At 9000 feet the snow was several feet deep and the fog was pea-soup thick. Just then, 3 backpackers from Idyllwild appeared out of the mist and I was able to follow their tracks all the way down the mountain. Idyllwild at last! I'm dining on steak, baked potato, corn muffins, French onion soup, Pyramid Ale (on tap), and cheesecake. Ah, it's good to be alive. Across the street I spy a market--more food! I'm going to hang here for a couple of days to rest the body and soul. Or maybe feed the body and soul. OK, both. Thanks to everyone for all the e-mail. It's great to come out of the wilderness and have mail waiting for me. I'm 1/15 of the way!