PCT Day 21: Splinters Cabin Day Use Area to Polique Canyon Road (Mile 298.5-278.5) [Southbound]

May 10, 2025	Splinters Cabin Day Use Area to Polique Canyon Road
Mile 298.5-278.5 [Southbound]	7:25 (moving) / 9:58 (total)
	Max 7,875 feet (+4,237 / -1,320)

See Day 21 Section on YouTube

Pacific Crest Trail – Day 21

May is finally here and at last I finally got a start to my 2025 hiking season!   Not only was it my first hike of the year but also the first time back on the PCT since November 2024.  This marked my 21st section of the PCT from 278.5 to 298.5 however this time we decided to hike southbound so did the route in reverse.  For better or for worse it ended up being completely uphill.  

We usually hike northbound or on a few occasions have hiked southbound generally just to avoid a long uphill section so I think it was a little bit of a miss calculation as the ascent was overlooked when we were deciding to do this section in reverse.    What's the saying, "the devil you know is better that the devil you don't know?"    

On the north end of our section we had to access the PCT from Splinters Cabin Day Use Area.  The road had been closed for a couple hiking seasons and we were not exactly sure how far we would have to hike from where the road was closed to where we would actually catch the  PCT so had we hiked northbound we wouldn't know exactly how to get to the car or even how far from the PCT to the car. Since we had been to Polique Canyon Road once before we knew the car would be easily accessible at the end of the hike right next to the trail.  

May in Big Bear is "prime" PCT thru hiking season so if we traversed 20 miles against the flow of traffic we would have the opportunity run into many more hikers than if we were hiking in the same direction.   It wasn't until the day before our hike when I checked the elevation profile that I learned it would be a long uphill slug the entire way.   We had already arranged a ride from where we would stage our car at the trail exit so it seemed like it would be too much work to change the plan last minute.  

The ball started rolling the first week of April as winter was finally over and most of the snow on the upper peaks would have already be melted.   Looking at our calendars I was already jam packed all of April but the first two weekend of May were wide open.  Oobrianoo's schedule worked out as well and either weekend would work for him so we choose the later date.   As we did in November he would drive up on Friday night from San Diego so we could get an early start on Saturday.  This time indeed leaving the house at 4.a.m. to give us ample time to finish our 22 mile hike by sunset.