February 10, 2020
Travel Itinerary:
- Hike: 24.2 miles from Two Harbors to Avalon (mile 24.2 to mile 0)
- Ferry: Catalina Express from Avalon to San Pedro Harbor (~60 minutes)
- Drive: San Pedro Harbor to Mission Bay (110 miles)
Overnight Rain
I was glad I opted to spend the night at the Banning House in Two Harbors last night instead of tenting out in the elements. The rain storm that rolled in around 6 pm last night was strong, bringing wind and some pretty solid rainfall. I must have woken up at least once every hour listening to the rattling of the old, wooden windows, and hoping the storm would move out before I needed to begin my hike at sunrise.
I was up for good at 5 am, and spent some time reading on my phone and drinking a cup of hot tea to warm up. The rain had dwindled down to just sprinkles by then, and I was counting on it ending soon. I also was grateful my host took good care of me last night, providing me with some hard boiled eggs and instant oatmeal that I could store in my room. Those items, and a few more slices of cheese from last night’s massive spread, made for a great pre-dawn breakfast.
I left the B&B around 6:30 am with a warm belly and lots of energy. Only 24.2 miles to go! With a reservation on the 5:30 pm ferry leaving Avalon, I should have plenty of time to get there.
Peanut Butter & Barking
Unfortunately, it only took a few steps outside before I came across the first obstacle of the day…mud! This wasn’t the slick kind of mud that would cause me to slip and fall on the ground. No, this mud was like thick, chunky peanut butter. As I walked up Banning House Road, the bottoms of my shoes were caked with heavy, thick mud that felt like it was going to pull my shoes right off.
As a result, it was pretty slow going for the 20 minutes or so. The dirt road doubled as the TCT for this stretch out of town, so there was no way to avoid it. I had to stop every 100 yards or so and use my trekking poles to wedge the thick globs of muck from my shoe tread just so I could walk. This routine went on repeatedly until after I passed mile marker 23, and the trail finally diverged from the muddy vehicle road. Thank goodness! I certainly didn’t count on the overnight rain slowing me down today.
The beginning of my day wasn’t all trials and troubles though. There were some real benefits to getting an early start this morning. The sky was just starting to get light when I set out, and the morning was cool. As I hiked higher and higher up the hill above Two Harbors, I could see the lights of the Southern California coast off in the distance. They twinkled along the shoreline and seemed so much closer than 25 miles away.
The sounds of the early morning seemed equally amplified. Amid the quiet on the trail, I could hear some sort of seals or sea lions barking down in the ocean below me. It was wild to hear them calling out to each other even though I knew I must be at least a mile or two away from the closest one. And as I climbed higher, I looked back toward the west end of the island that I walked around yesterday, and the I was just blown away with the morning views! This alone made my hike worth it.
Bison time?
Near the top of the first major climb out of Two Harbors, the trail passed through a piped gate with nearby signs warning me to watch out for the wildlife. Although the bison can roam any part of the island, these fences tend to keep keep them more contained so they don’t wander down into town and become a menace. Passing through this fence meant I might see them at any moment! I was in their territory now.
As it turns out, I wouldn’t actually encounter any bison for about five more miles, but the evidence of their presence was immediate. There were bales of hay along the side of the road for them to feed on, and there were giant cow pies scattered everywhere. The bison may not be around right now, but they certainly haven’t been gone for too long based on the freshness of their, um ‘deposits.’
Little Harbor
One of my favorite sections of trail today was the stretch between that fence and Little Harbor. The TCT wanders out onto the ridge line, and then becomes a single track path atop the peaks. It was more beautiful that I’d imagined, and those ocean views were unreal. I must have stopped every five minutes to grab a photo of some new and spectacular vista.
As I neared mile 21, I could see one lone bison grazing on the hills to my left. It was just a speck at first, but was pretty easy to distinguish as I got closer. This massive animal was never closer than about 1000 feet, so I had little to worry about. But that didn’t keep be from worrying. After all, I know bison are herd animals, and it seemed strange to see one off completely by itself. And so, I kept an watchful eye out for the rest of the herd, expecting them to pop into sight at any moment. I never actually saw another one on my way toward Little Harbor though, so who knows. Perhaps he was just an introvert who liked being alone 🙂
As I neared Little Harbor, I could immediately see why so many hikers want to camp in this secluded location. It was exactly the type of scene you’d design if you could imagine the perfect hidden cove with beachfront camping. I could see a smattering of tents in a group area. But, the campground was otherwise mostly unoccupied.
As I approached Little Harbor, there was a fairly long descent down from the ridge. But, much to my surprise there were some switchbacks, so getting down to the beach wasn’t too difficult. The area around Little Harbor includes two separate coves that form a W. The first cove is Little Harbor, and the second cove adjacent to it is Shark Harbor. Both locations allow camping, but the bulk of the services (restrooms, running water, and extra port-a-potties) are on the Little Harbor side.
Map reading
As I descended toward the beach, I knew I needed to be mindful of the upcoming junctions. This part of the trail would be similar to Parson’s Landing. The TCT would drop down to the harbor, and then there would be several 4WD roads criss-crossing beside the campground, with other trails diverging off into different directions. I really needed to pay attention here because I didn’t want to get off track yet again.
As I dropped down to the bottom of the hill just past mile 19, I decided to take a quick break and eat one of the snacks I’d packed from home. And to ensure I didn’t get off track, I sat right next a sign that read “Trans-Catalina Trail” with an arrow pointing down the dirt road ahead of me.
Unfortunately, my efforts to stay on the TCT didn’t actually succeed. I followed the dirt road to where the arrow pointed — just like I was supposed to. The path ran through Little Harbor campground and then up a small hill. At the top, there was a road junction, but now there were no more TCT signs telling me where to go.
Looking around, I could see at wooden sign about 50 yards off to my right, and it was right next to a trail going up a hill. Maybe that was it! When I wandered over to take a look though, I was sorely disappointed. Instead of being a sign for the TCT, it read “Sheep Chute.” Aw c’mon did I seriously miss my turn again?
Completely frustrated, I pulled out my phone and scrutinized the map – yet again. After a few moments, I realized I could make left back at the next road junction (Isthmus Road), and rejoin the TCT in 0.4 miles. But seriously folks, why was I having such a hard time navigating around these campgrounds? It shouldn’t be this difficult.
After a quick jog along Isthmus road, I found my way back only to the TCT, and stood there looking back down toward Two Harbors. I was using this higher vantage point to search for where I’d gone wrong.. And then I saw it! About 100 yards after the spot where I took my break, the trail made a hard left and then cut right through the middle of the campground. What the heck?
I never saw any signs pointing me that way!! How was I supposed to figure that out?!? But, to be fair, the trail was much apparent if you were heading downhill (toward Little Harbor) that the direction I was attempting to hike the TCT.
Bison stand-off
With that navigation debacle behind me, I was ready to make the hard climb out of Little Harbor. As I headed up the hill toward mile 18, I suddenly spotted a large herd of bison ahead of me. There was only one problem. They were right on the trail. I don’t mean they were standing near my path and might wander off before I got there. No, these guys were laying and standing on both sides of the trail and looking down at me as if they were holding the high ground.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been around herd of bison. A few years ago, we camped in Yellowstone National Park, and our campground had a handful of these giant beasts wandering around. They mostly kept to themselves, but Keith recalls waking up in the middle of the night with one stomping around next our tent before it plopped itself loudly down (I apparently slept completely through this episode…). Then, there’s the herd of bison that I drove past nearly every day for two year outside Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. But they were in a fenced in area, not on the trail I was trying to hike on.
As I approached, I wracked my brain trying to remember everything I’d read on the Catalina Island Conservancy’s Bison Safety Sheet. It had all kinds of advice, like:
- Make noise to prevent startling any bison as you approach
- Avoid female bison with calves, as the mothers tend to become very protective
- Stay at least 100 feet away
- Remember bison can weigh 1,800 pounds and run up to 35 mph (yikes!)
- Identify an escape route and look for things to hide behind (e.g., trees, poles), if one charges
I started by calling out and banging my poles together to see if maybe they’d just wander off trail as I got closer. No luck. I was a mere curiosity. A few bison stood up and faced me, but none of them seemed in the mood to actually move. I guess it was time to look for an alternate route around them. If they wanted the trail, I wasn’t going to fight them for it.
Most of the terrain beside the TCT was covered with prickly pear cactus and brush, but it seemed to be spread far enough apart that I could forge a path off-trail. I weighed my options and decided there were fewer bison on the left side of the trail, so that seemed the easier way around.
As I got closer, one of the bison got up and started giving me the stink eye. I tried to keep a super wide berth, while avoiding all the cactus and fresh bison poop off the trail. Each time I looked back at the herd though, the same bison was staring at me. He’d just angle his body more in my direction so he could keep a clear eye on me. Talk about intimidating.
Finally, I made my way safely up hill. I was pretty sure he’d lose interest in me now. But, that encounter left me in awe. I couldn’t help but admire the Native Americans that hunted bison with nothing more than tiny arrows. That’s some serious bravery there!
Heading to the Airport
After I was safely past the bison, the TCT continued to climb through the interior of Catalina Island on its way back to the opposite side of the island. The views were still great, but everything was amplified by the endorphins now rushing through my system. I was feeling pretty thrilled after braving the gauntlet unscathed. After all, I probably would have been pretty disappointed if I hadn’t seen any bison at all out here on the TCT, right? Truthfully, I was really having a great experience on this trail.
After working my way up over a series of hills, the TCT intersected with Empire Quarry Road and turned right toward the airport. I was jogging along the dirt road and listening to my AirPods when I started to hear a voice getting louder and louder. I looked behind me, but no one was there. Then ahead of me, a safari-like vehicle crested a small hill and started rolling down the road toward me. As it got closer, so did the voice, and I could hear the person talking about hikers on the Trans-Catalina Trail.
When the vehicle reached me, it slowed to a stop, and I could see it was an eco-tour vehicle from the Catalina Island Conservancy. The guide has one of those headset microphones and was narrating the tour in an open air jeep. He asked me if I was hiking the TCT and where I was headed, then kindly offered me a bottle of water. As we chatted for a few minutes (with our entire conversation being loudly broadcast over the microphone to his tour group), he seemed amazed that I was hiking all the way from Two Harbors to Avalon in a day. After a few more questions, he wished me luck, and continued in the opposite direction down the dirt road.
Not 10 minutes later, I could hear his tour narration approaching again, and I pulled to the edge of the road to the let the vehicle pass. Once again, the guide stopped beside me and posed a few more questions. At his turnaround point, he’d shown his group where the TCT was located on his map, then showed them my route for the day. They were amazed at the distance I was undertaking. Embarrassed by all the attention, I tried to shift the conversation away from my adventure and asked if they’d seen any bison yet. They shook their heads forlornly, so I pulled out my iPhone and started showing them my photos of the bison from just a few miles back.
Another TCT hiker
I bid the group goodbye once again, and they headed off toward their destination. As I approach the airport near mile 13, I saw my first hiker of the day. He was a middle aged man wearing a daypack and seemed to be headed toward Avalon. This guy was keeping a pretty good pace on the descent into Cottonwood Canyon, but I was pretty sure I’d catch him.
The canyon was nice and cool and I could hear frogs croaking in the creek that ran through the bottom of it. There was far more water than I expected, and I had to weave my way around the mud on the banks. As I started to climb toward Black Jack Mountain, I finally overtook the other hiker while he was on the side of the trail catching his breath from the steep incline. I quietly waved hello and pushed on, hoping to get to Black Jack Campground before it got too hot. My goal was to stop and eat my lunch there, and then I’d only have a little more than 10 miles until I reached Avalon.
Black Jack Campground is the only campground on the island that isn’t situated next to the ocean. So, it’s not nearly as scenic as the other options. Nonetheless, it gets plenty of use due to its proximity to Avalon. Westbound hikers have to endure a 3-mile steep climb up Hermit Gulch and another exposed 7.5 miles before they reach this campground. So, despite it’s lack of beach ambiance, it feels like an oasis when they eventually reach it.
When I arrived, I sat down on one of the large boulder in the sun and enjoyed a long break for lunch. Before I was even done eating though, the hiker I’d passed arrived and took a seat at the picnic table near me to pull out his own meal. After a few minutes, I discovered he’s also thru-hiking the entire TCT, but in a far different method. I was intrigued by his method, and he’s now the inspiration for the 3-day Airport Shuttle Hike itinerary that I shared HERE.
Reservoirs and Road walking
After lunch, I was ready to knock out the final 10.5 miles of the TCT. The day was continuing to heat up and I found myself pulling my sleeves up to a bit keep cool. One of the main reasons the TCT is great for a winter hike is because you can enjoy the exposed terrain without dealing with the sunburn and overheating that comes with hiking it in the peak season. Instead of roasting, I was enjoying the mild, winter weather.
The trail had a few additional sights in store for me during this last stretch. The first one was the Upper Cape Reservoir. It wasn’t much to look at up close, but it provided me with a nice reference point as I climbed up the steep hills and looked back at it in the valley below Black Jack Mountain.
The most whimsical site on my TCT journey was a small bench I walked past. Whichever clever person decided to make it deserves an A+ in recycling. They took some of the old wooden roadsigns on the island and turned them into a bench to rest on. It’s simply impossible to walk by this without it putting a smile on your face.
Next up was the larger, and more impressive reservoir at Haypress Recreation Area. This is one of several man-made reservoirs on the island used as a water collection point for the winter rainfall. There’s also a pristine playground and picnic area beside it so visitors can enjoy it year-round. I actually quite was surprised to see it was quite full after the past year of higher than normal rain.
Just after the reservoir, I encountered a large chain link fence, with a gate to walk through. This would mark the end of my potential bison sighting area. It also signaled the beginning of the second longest road walking stretch on the TCT (right after the 7-mile section between Parson’s Landing and Two Harbors).
The two miles along Divide Road weren’t all bad though. I got my first glimpses of Avalon from above, and I could see there was a large cruise ship anchored off the coast. I couldn’t help but feel sad for those tourists though. They wouldn’t really get to experience the beauty of this island. They’d only see the kitschy commercial town where they could buy some souvenirs or get an ice cream cone. But, I’d just learned the ‘real’ Catalina Island is much better.
Winding down
Around 3 pm, I finally reached the top of Hermit Gulch. All that was left of my TCT journey was to descend the final miles and walk into Avalon. With 21.5 miles of hiking on my feet today, I was definitely starting to feel the burn. The end was near though, and those last energy reserves were kicking in with my adrenaline. It was (quite literally) all downhill from here.
The trail wound itself back and forth as it descended through Hermit Gulch, and it was late enough in the day that the TCT was almost completely in the shade. During this descent, I saw more hikers than were on the rest of the entire trail these past two days combined! That’s not to say the trail was crowded, but given the easy access from Avalon, it was pretty foreseeable people would be able to easily access it for a short day hike.
After less than two miles, the trail finally popped out at Hermit Gulch campground and now followed the paved road into town. I stopped to use the running water in bathroom to wash up and change into my dry set of clothes for the ferry home. Once semi-presentable, all that was left was walking into Avalon and avoiding all the golf carts as I crossed the road. My TCT adventure was complete!
Getting home
I had plenty of time to explore Avalon, since the ferry didn’t depart until 5:30 pm, so I just wandered around a bit. Initially, it felt like Avalon changed so much since I was here as a kid. But that’s probably not true. I’m just seeing it through the eyes of someone more experienced and well-traveled.
After grabbing a sandwich and latte for an early dinner, I decided to head over to the Catalina Island Conservancy to see their headquarters. I was just entering the building when I heard someone exclaim, “It’s you! You made it!” Sure enough, it was the guide I’d encountered from this morning’s tour up on Empire Landing Road. He recognized me and pulled me over to the counter area, where he told two women, “This is the hiker I was telling you about. She walked all the way from Two Harbors today. Can you believe it??”
Clearly he was still more impressed by my achievement than I thought it warranted. But, I had time to kill and didn’t mind chatting with him for a bit. I thanked the organization for making sure the trail was in such good condition, and expressed how much I enjoyed seeing the island up close. After we parted ways, I strolled down the pier to board the ferry back to San Pedro.
One of the great benefits of taking the evening ferry back toward the coast this time of year is that it coincides with the sunset. So, without having to pay anything extra, I would be treated to a sunset cruise. I can’t complain about that one bit!
Daily Summary
Distance/Route:
- Total miles: 24.2
- Start Point: Two Harbors (mile 24.2) around 6:30 am
- End Point: Avalon (mile 0) around 4 pm
Cost:
- Catalina Express Ferry (one-way) – $37.50
- Food: $15 for a sandwich and latte in Avalon (I packed my lunch and snacks from home, and had a free breakfast thanks to the Banning House)
Highlights:
- Seeing the California coast at sunrise and listening to the sea lions barking in the ocean
- The stellar views over Little Harbor as I descended into this scenic beach
- Spotting an entire herd of bison near mile 18
- Feeling (just a little) like a hiking badass after seeing the reaction from the Catalina Island Conservancy folks
Challenges:
- Thick mud clinging to my shoes during the first mile and a half out of Two Harbors
- Accidentally getting off trail near Little Harbor campground
- Bushwhacking into the cactus to avoid the bison who didn’t want to move off trail