Dirty Details: Backpacking the Trans-Catalina Trail: BlackJack to Little Harbor to Two Harbors (Day 2)

Detailed Trip Report, Day 2.
Day 1 here | Day 3 here | Day 4 here

Day 2 [May 11]: Blackjack Campground to Little Harbor Campground to Two Harbors

*Hike distances and elevation changes are all educated estimates based on maps and tools such as AllTrails.

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Start of the Leisurely Breakfasts

• Day 2 was the start of our leisurely in-camp breakfasts.  We planned to take our time thinking it might be an hour between when we woke up and left.  Two hours later and we were the second to last group out of camp.  I don’t even know what we did because the only hot food we made was coffee.
• We subsequently learned that you can stop at the Airport in the Sky, about two miles into the trial, for a hot breakfast or lunch, which is what most of the other backpackers did. Woops!

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The Bison Whisperer

• I had read that you will see bison when doing the Trans-Catalina Trail and the plethora of warnings on permit reservations and signs throughout the island seemed to support this.  I did want to see them…but from a nice safe distance.  My dreams came true on day 1 when we saw a heard from a healthy distance.
• Day 2, saw Day 1’s bison sighting and said “watch this.”  After putting in a few miles, we did a standing stop for a quick snack and view.  As I started walking again, I saw what appeared to be a large black-shadow on the bushes but it was the middle of the day and there was nothing causing the shadow.  Then it clicked. “Wait, is that a thing?” I asked Brandon (my vocabulary goes out the window when I’m tired.)  It was indeed “a thing,” a lone bison. 

• By this point, I had seen quite a few signs about bison.  I remembered that they could run 30 mph and jump over a six foot fence.  I remembered that they can become dangerous when agitated.  I remembered that lone bison or bison with their children are more likely to become agitated.  
• I could not remember what you were supposed to do if you saw one, or how you are supposed to know if they are agitated.  I had assumed bison would be like bears and just scatter when they saw you.  Not. So. Much.  In fact, Not. At. All
• As we, and by we, I mean Brandon, because I’m a baby slowly edged forward, the bison spotted us, stopped and stared. And, of course, it’s stopping point was right on the trail.  As we discussed options, a group of about five guys came up the trail and the buffalo ran off….
• …it ran right off to the next section of trail we had to walk.  Sh*t.  Brandon once again took lead while I tried to google what to do if you see a bison.  No service.  We made noise. 
• Eventually, he waved me around a blind corner.  I walked-up to see the bison once again right next to the path.  It was clearly aware of us.  Turning to face us when we moved.  Unlike my McDonald’s breakfast from Day 1, I was not lovin’ it.
• Shortly thereafter, the group of three we had met on the first day walked up.  We jointly discussed the bison problem and reminded each other of the bison’s amazing ability to charge fast.
• The girl from the other group took lead with an enthusiasm for getting close to the bison that I did not share, took lead.  She slowly walked towards it while speaking in an even tone, watching its tail, and stopping if it changed behavior.  She had learned these techniques while growing up with horses.  Sher readily admitted that she wasn’t sure if they behaved the same.  But it seemed to work! 

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• The bison whisper got quite close while the other four of us watched from where we were reluctant about how close she was.  Eventually, we all slowly started walking towards her following her instructions to just walk slowly, speak in an even tone, and not make any fast movements to avoid spooking it.  Again, not sure if this is protocol but it seemed to work.
• FINALLY the bison turned and walked far enough away that it felt safe(ish) enough to continue up the path.  All-in-all, the incident took about thirty minutes.

• Wondering how bison got to Catalina Island? We were too. A sign provided the answer: a film crew in the 1920s brought them. They didn’t end up using them in the film…or taking them back off the island. LOL.

Best. Lunch. Ever.

• The rest of the walk from where we saw the bison to Little Harbor, a campground and beach, where we planned to eat lunch was gloriously uneventful.
• I absolutely loved lunch at Little Harbor, and idyllic beach and campground.  It was pretty, peaceful, and I took my only “shower” of the trip (i.e. I jumped in the ocean).
• Lunch at Little Harbor was one of the highlights for me.

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Hell’s Hills, Heaven’s Views

• We had put in the bulk of our mileage for the day before lunch, but as we set off for Two Harbors, I quickly realized we had not put in the bulk of our climbing.
• We consistently trucked uphill for a bit but the terrain and views looking back towards Little Harbor were spectacular so I was enjoying myself.
• Then I noticed a big a$$ hill ahead…and it appeared that there was a trail on it…and people on the trail.  “I hope we don’t have to go up that,” I commented. We did have to go up that. 
• I slowly, slowly made my way up, counting out steps and taking frequent breaks to catch my breath where I tried to really take in the view…because it was stunning.  This was the sketchiest part of the whole hike as far as drop-offs (but they weren’t that bad…and again. I’m not particularly brave when it comes to things like that).
• Stopped at an overlook at the top, where Brandon had been patiently waiting.  Was looking forward to going mostly downhill for the remaining two or so miles left.  But, I realized on this trip that downhill seems to come with its own set of challenges – on this day it was a combination of my hip bones being so tender that I thought I was going to cry when I put my pack back on after the rest stop and hip joint pain.
• Fortunately, there was something to look forward to at the end of the journey – we heard rumors of (!) a restaurant with beers (!) in Two Harbors.

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Best. Dinner. Ever.

• The Two Harbors restaurant rumors were true.  We opted to eat before going to the campsite to set-up. We quickly ordered burgers and beers without even looking at the menu and just hung out for a bit.  It was GLORIOUS.

Campsite Confusion

• We assumed that Two Harbors would be a small campground like BlackJack.  It was not.  It was also not intuitively set-up.  You’d see number 12 then the next site would be number 55 (an exaggeration, but not that far off.) 
• We arrived at the campground right as the sun was going down, which was quite beautiful, but not conducive to finding our site.  At one point Brandon walked around more while I stood in place. 

• Eventually, we found it!  Site Number 8!  But we also found people in it.  Not one or two people in a tent, but a whole group of people who had clearly been hanging out having a good time based on the sprawl of items across their table. 
• We talked to them.  It was a mess of confusion.  Someone had taken their spot.  They didn’t think anyone would be coming in since the last ferry had come in hours ago and they didn’t know there were backpackers.  Eventually, we decided to take another site that seemed open and pray no one came into it rally late.
• There were no critter lockers at our site or big enough ones nearby so we followed everyone else’s lead and just left our stuff out on the table overnight.  “It’s not supposed to rain tonight is it?” Brandon asked. “No,” I said based on a weather report the day before.  We left it at that and went to bed.
• In retrospect, probably not our smartest move since everything important was in our bags – from clothes to food to cards and cash – and rain, animals, or an unscrupulous person could have really screwed everything up.  BUT, it did end up fine.