Big Bear to Wrightwood via Deep Creek
Five days of food, Deep Creek, Cajon Pass, then rain and snow on the climb to Wrightwood.
By Jeffrey “Atlas” Combs · walked May 18–24, 2021 · published · updated
I left Big Bear with a five-day carry, repackaging the food into premade meals.
By day 21 I was tired. We weren’t taking enough breaks, and I was starting to do my own thing. I took some slower days and let the group move on.
There was a pool below a little cascade on Deep Creek, and the 300-mile post. Day 22 took me past Silverwood Lake and into Cajon Pass. That was 25.7 miles.
Quoted lines are from my 2021 logs, verbatim.
On the way up toward Wrightwood it rained, then snowed around 8,200 feet. I was sleeping in basically all my gear. I got into town on day 24 after five miles, with a zero the next day.
There were seven of us in a studio. A break in town with other hikers helped keep things going. In a message I put it pretty simply: “Just Gatta go day by day.”
Wrightwood was also where I ordered a replacement sleeping pad from 2 Foot Adventures in Julian, with some ProBars and Primal Strips. They shipped it ahead to Acton KOA.
The food, then and now
The Big Bear grocery haul had tortillas, dried pineapple and snack bars. In Wrightwood I laid the food out on the bed to sort the next carry. I don’t remember the cafe name or exactly what was in the bowls.
For groceries now, the chamber lists Wrightwood Fine Foods and Wrightwood Market. Hikers reported a vegan hot dog at Wrightwood Market in May 2026. Older reports of vegan yogurt and cheese were for Jensen’s in 2019; I wouldn’t count on that old stock list for a full carry. Listings checked October 8, 2026.
