Trans-Catalina Trail: Day 5

I woke up just before dawn and grabbed my phone and snapped some photos of the glorious colors of the morning sky. My heart and soul were full. I made breakfast and broke camp for the last time. Some were staying two nights, adding in the hike to StarLight Beach, the old end of the TCT, while others were like me and returning to Two Harbors and back to the mainland. I left my fuel and my remaining water for one of the others. 

With a much lighter pack, I retraced my route from yesterday. The only difference was I did need to make it back in town by 11:15. The miles flew by, and I could still feel the day warming up again. One of the campers had a thermometer, and said the low at Parsons was 71! I passed a few folks, one on a gravel bike, a couple of runners getting their miles in, and one fellow heading out to see a buddy who worked at one of the camps. 

I decided to follow the formal route into town and did not take the shortcut, plus I got to see a little bit more of Two Harbors. Once at the pier I got my ferry ticket, cleaned up a bit, bought a couple of cold drinks, and last but not least, 2 patches to add to my collection. As I boarded a ferry, I knew this adventure had come to a close. Soon Anita would be standing on the dock waiting to greet me. I am proud of this journey and what it gave me. When all is said and done, I hiked 39.7 miles over the five days. I logged 19 hours of actual hiking time and measured 6,998 feet of elevation gain.


I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest. 

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