Headed a bit South for the weekend adventure to chase nice weather. This isn't one that was on my radar, but I'm glad to have experienced it. At Brittany's suggestion we ran separately and did solo, unsupported adventures starting at Pepperdine Trailhead and running South to the Patterson Trailhead. We then met up at the far trailhead, celebrated with fresh, cold water from the spigot, and then took a long adventuring hike back North to the van.
I probably underestimated this route. The Summit Trail felt like alpine/high country most of the way, which is a great thing. This is definitely not traveled much, and it feels that way. I had the GPX on my wrist, and it proved very helpful. Regular blowdown between miles 9 and ~18 was impactful, causing me to lose the trail more than a handful of times. Lots of overgrown manzanita (and other tough plants) scratched up my shins and forced a walk through otherwise runnable terrain. There was ample water. A pond at 5, lake at 7, and a few streams between miles 12 and 15. The first few I bypassed confidently, but it was an unfortunate realization at mile 12 that my soft flask filter was mostly clogged. I ended up carrying water the rest of the way without being able to access more than a mouthful or two with great effort.
Despite not really having water, the cooler day didn't punish me for it. Weather was nearly perfect. A slight breeze at times, but otherwise high-40s to maybe upwards of low-60s. Tons of exposure and the grind of the second climb got a little warm, but I kept it under control and it didn't become an issue. Effort was steady and smooth. Controlled but intentional. I had an advantage over the prior record by not having to navigate the route in snow. Pepperdine to Patterson elapsed time was 4:04:03.
Carried a ton of extra layers and gear since I'd be making the trek back North as well. Rather than fully backtracking, we chose to take the Owl Creek Trail to experience something different. I would not choose to do that again. Lots of route-finding, most of which you're tucked in thick woods. It was definitely an adventure!