PCT HIKE

PCT HIKE Add Heading Here

     I am hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in small bits in Southern California.  This outing was to go from Lake Hughes Rd. north on the PCT towards the top of Liebre Mt.
The trail head on Lake Hughes Rd. was closed due to recent flood damage.  I drove north to highway N2 and then west to dirt road 7N23, then continued south a mile and parked.
The dirt road soon had snow patches on the north facing areas, and the snow melt and re freeze created slippery going.  When the road intersected the PCT, I turned east (south bound on the PCT) .  The trail was easy to follow even through the occasional snow patch.  Upon reaching the Murray Trail Camp,  I intended to continue on the PCT, but could not find any trail to follow.  This is a common experience for me on the PCT.  The map showed it to be slightly north of my position, but I could not locate it.  Instead, I went in the same general direction on dirt service road 7N08.  I continued until mid afternoon, then camped in a grove of evergreens.  I prefer to get settled sooner rather than later in the winter months.  The weather was breezy and clear during the night and my water bottles outside the tent did not freeze.  At day break, I packed up and reversed my route back to the car.  Total one way miles was about 8 miles from the car.