6 minute read
Hiking My Feelings with Sydney William
H i k i n g M y F e e l i n g s : A C o l u m n A b o u t H i k i n g & H e a l i n g
Advertisement
I’ve backpacked across Catalina Island on the Trans- Catalina Trail twice so far - the first time in December 2016, and the second time in June 2018. This September 18-20, we’ll be hosting Hike + Heal: Catalina Island, a three-day retreat with myself, my husband Barry, and our friends Melanie + Kaleo Wassman. Melanie is a yoga instructor, reiki healer, and owns Spell Botanicals, an all-natural skincare company. Her husband, Kaleo Wassman, also teaches yoga and practices reiki healing when he isn’t touring or creating new music with his band, Pepper. We are combining all of the things that have been a huge part of my healing journey: hiking, backpacking, healing in nature, yoga, alternative healing therapies, and good music.
The section of the trail we are hiking goes from Two Harbors to Parsons Landing, camp at Parsons Landing, then back to Two Harbors for a total of 15 miles. If you’ve never been backpacking before, this is a great way to start. Our retreat includes gear haul, so if you decide you don’t want to carry your equipment, our partners at Catalina Backcountry will do all the heavy lifting and your breakfast and dinner is included. The hike itself is challenging the first day, climbing nearly 1,800 feet in the first 3.5 miles of the day, then downhill into Parsons Landing.
The second day is a mostly flat fire road that is essentially your victory lap back to Two Harbors to wrap up the hiking part of the weekend.
If you’ve ever dreamed big dreams of setting out to hike the scenic long trails in the United States like Pacific Crest Trail, the Trans-Catalina Trail is a great testing ground to see if you like long-distance hiking. Our retreat is a great intro to backpacking, especially on Catalina Island. If you already know you like backpacking and are thinking about doing a long-distance hike, here is why I think the Trans-Catalina Trail is a great place to try it out:
T h e T r a i l I t s e l f
As with trying anything for the first time, if you’ve never been backpacking before, there’s a chance you won’t like it. So, if for some reason you absolutely hate it by the end of the trip, you can say you hiked across an entire island and call it a day. Even if you never go backpacking ever again, you will be captivated by the coastal views, sage bushes, and tons of quartz crystal that can be found all over the island. Three out of four campsites are on the beach, and the wildlife is abundant. Bison were brought to the island in the 1920’s when they were filming a movie on the island, and they have called the island home since then and roam freely. Catalina is also home to foxes, squirrels, a ton of cool birds, as well as deer, bunnies, etc.
W a t e r A c c e s s
One of the big factors to consider when planning a long-distance hike is water access. On the Trans-Catalina Trail, there is water available halfway through the first day, and at all of the campgrounds, including water that is delivered to Parsons, which is included when you make your reservation. This cuts down on the anxiety of how much water to carry. For reference, I had a 2L bladder and a 32oz Nalgene and always had plenty of water on me between stops.
F o o d S u p p l y
If you want to get the full backpacking experience, you’ll need to carry enough food for all of your meals for the duration of the trip. If you're doing the full trail, there is a break on the second hiking day to eat at the DC-3 Grill at the Airport in the Sky. This break is welcome because camp food takes some adjusting to, and if you’re a texture person like me, there’s only so much mushy food in a bag you can stand. And it reduces your pack weight, for which you will be thankful. There is also a restaurant in Two Harbors, where you could essentially cut out three meals you’d need to carry if you were hiking the whole trail - dinner in Two Harbors when you arrive, breakfast the next morning, and if you’re doing the loop out to Parsons, you could have dinner in Two Harbors when you complete the loop. If you drink alcoholic beverages, be sure to grab Catalina Island’s signature cocktail, Buffalo Milk – it’s a tasty frozen delight!
C a m p g r o u n d s
Blackjack Campground is the first campground of the trip if you’re doing the full Trans- Catalina Trail, and is a welcome oasis after a tough day on trail. This campground is on Blackjack Mountain and is the only night you won’t be sleeping on or near a beach. The last time we visited, there was minimal 4G signal on this campground.
Little Harbor is a large campground and the waterfront sites are gorgeous. You have access to the beach at Little Harbor and Shark Harbor, both of which are GREAT for soaking sore and blistered feet. The water was a bit chilly both times we visited which feels incredible after frolicking on your private beach all day.
Two Harbors has hot showers, a restaurant as previously mentioned, a general store, and bar. By the time you get through Blackjack and Little Harbor, you’re probably feeling pretty ripe and gross if you usually shower every day. They have coin-operated hot showers in Two Harbors ($2 for the first 3 minutes) to get the trail dirt off you. The campground is off to the right of the dock where you’ll check in to get your campsite and there is reliable cell reception in the campsites we were in, closest to the beach.
Parson’s Landing gives you a taste of why we do what we do as hikers/backpackers. Parson’s is the ultimate reward toward the end of this (sure to be some level of grueling) trip. It’s remote, untouched, and absolutely breathtaking. The rock formations to shield campfires and tents from the wind looks
like you’re on another planet. It truly is spectacular. This campground has no cell service or running water. Water is delivered to your locker.
We are excited to head back to the island in September for our retreat and our third thru-hike of the Trans-Catalina Trail. If you’d like to read my firsthand account of the two treks we did across Catalina Island, pick up a copy of Hiking My Feelings: Stepping into the Healing Power of Nature.
And if you’re reading this and you’ve never set foot on the trail before, we’d love to hike with you. We hope to meet you on the road, on the trail, or online!
You can follow Sydney and Hiking My Feelings online here.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hi kingmyfeelings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiki ngmyfeelings/
