Summerland - Panhandle Gap — Monday, Aug. 28, 2023

Gorgeous sunny quiet day on this trail on a Monday.  No cars in line at the entrance, lot was full by 9:30am but early hikers were already coming down and leaving.  Most of the folks on the trail were Wonderland hikers, so it was a nice vibe.

The WTA trail description omits the fact that the log crossing over Fryingpan creek only spans about half the creek.  The other half must be crossed hopping across (sometimes not too steady) stones.  Everyone's comfort level varies, but for me this was a bit scary, in part because I wasn't expecting it.  I was glad to have my poles and not be carrying a heavy pack.  I saw a pair of hikers with overnight packs being escorted out by rescue workers, and one was pretty banged up.  I wondered if this crossing was where they ran into trouble.  Since I was traveling solo, I waited for some other hikers to catch up before crossing.

The weather was literally perfect -- sunny but not too hot, a few clouds to keep the sky interesting, and a nice breeze to wick the sweat.  I decided to enjoy the peace and quiet of Summerland rather than push up to Panhandle Gap; had my lunch and chatted with a few of the hikers. 

That turned out to have be a good choice as the weather changed just as I made it back to the bottom, with a cool marine layer rolling in low and a big temp drop.  A great reminder of how quickly conditions can change around here.  The Wonderland hikers are in for several days of rain, but hopefully this will put out all the fires that started over the weekend, and reduce the overall fire danger.