Hike #1 Agua Caliente Creek via PCT

10 miles | +1000'

First hike of 2017! Agua Caliente Creek via Pacific Crest Trail. I hiked this back in September of 2015 and it was bone dry. So I've been waiting for some rainfall to bring the creek bed back to life and it did not disappoint. The sound of water flowing, gurgling, and splashing down the canyon was delightful! Trails through the trees puts me at ease.

"Some of the loftiest- and least visited mountain country in San Diego County surrounds the resort community of Warner Springs. Before the 1970's the canyon of Agua Caliente Creek above Warner Springs seldom saw the intrusion of humans. After the Pacific Crest Trail was routed through, however, it became recognized as a pleasant camping spot for backpackers heading north toward Canada or south toward Mexico. This is one of only four places in San Diego County where the PCT dips to cross a fairly dependable stream, and the only place in the county where the trail closely follows running water for a fair distance."- Jerry Schad

So towards the end of my hike I began to feel something irritating the skin on my neck. I felt it and didn't recall having a mole there. A photo from my phone confirmed my fears... A tick in my neck! A western black-legged tick, to be exact. I didn't want to mess with it until I could see what I was doing with a mirror and I was still two miles away from the trailhead. Fortunately, I came across another hiker who agreed to help me out. So out came the tweezers from the first aid kit and soon I was free of the little blood sucker.

Here in Southern California, tick season runs typically from November through May, when cooler, wetter weather makes the pests more active and more likely to crawl on humans or pets in order to bite and feed on blood. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend removing ticks by grabbing them with tweezers as close to the insect’s head as possible and pulling out steadily and firmly.

Scouting out campgrounds after my hike. Indian Flats Campground is a small 17-site campground in the Cleveland National Forest near Warner Springs. The campground lies within a sunny live oak woodland at 3,600 feet, located below Hot Springs Mountain, the 6,533-foot high point of San Diego County. Granite outcroppings around the campground offer picturesque sunset perches or fun places to climb around during the day. There is a short trail from the campground to the East Fork of the San Luis Rey River, where you will find shallow pools to explore at the end of the winter wet season.