My hiker oasis at PCT mile 145.4 is closing permanently on June 15, 2023

On By trailangelmaryIn Uncategorized

I’ve made the difficult decision to close my hiker oasis permanently, effective June 15, 2023. After June 14, there will not be water or other hiker amenities available on my property abutting the PCT at mile 145.4. The PCTA, FarOut, and PCTwater have been informed of this upcoming closure.

55 thoughts on “My hiker oasis at PCT mile 145.4 is closing permanently on June 15, 2023”

  1. One Half

    curious as to what caused this decision.
    I am sure all hiker’s that have benefitted from your service are grateful. It’s a real shame. Hopefully the decision wasn’t caused by bad hikers.

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    1. Hi “One Half,” no, it wasn’t bad hikers that led me to this decision. I had a large burglary six months ago, in which the thieves stole everything on the property that wasn’t nailed down. — About $15k in replacement cost. My security camera caught one image that allowed me to see it was some local tweakers who had set up a new tweakerville in the area. I thought it was a one-time thing, but my security cameras are picking up images of the same folks trespassing on an almost daily basis on my property. I’m so freaked out by this, I’ve taken to walking around my property carrying grizzly spray (aka, “creepy man spray”). I am not willing to continue living here, which is basically required during the nobo thru hiker herd. — I’ll do it through mid-June this year, but no more. (My primary residence is in Montana, and I’m only in SoCal in the spring.) Sadly, there is no law enforcement in the area to assist, so leaving is my only real alternative. I’m trying to find someone who is extremely responsible to take over a defunct cache at mile 143.1; otherwise, this section of the PCT presents a very challenging water carry for late-season nobo hikers.

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      1. Teri

        So sorry to hear this, I met you last year and was extremely grateful for shade and water. Thank you for all you have done for the PCT hikers x

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      3. Brenda gissell

        So sorry Mary, I am grateful for you and that I was able to come through this year. 💕 It was a memory I’ll always carry with me.

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      5. One Half

        that is very sad that you have been treated this way. and really shameful that law enforcement is doing nothing about the problems there. Though I never had the opportunity to partake of your generosity I am grateful that there are people like you in the world helping others so generously and with such a great heart.

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      7. ‘Tweaker’ is slang for a methamphetamine addict. In rural America in places where there is no law enforcement, groups of meth addicts often squat on private land in rundown RV “parks” with no services. These RV shanty towns are called ‘tweakervilles.’ Tweakers make money by stealing and by cooking and selling meth, so, one generally doesn’t want them in one’s neighborhood.

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      9. It’s possible the water cache at PCT mile 143.1 will be revived, in light of my water resource closing, but no one has taken the lead on this, and I’m not going to …

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  2. Daniel

    Thanks for all you’ve done, Mary! As a local, I met you cleaning up the trail on Dec 26, 2021 during my day hike. You showed me the ribbonwood/red shank and I enjoyed your “Still Here” poem in the trail register. All the best!

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  3. Your oasis was a beautiful stop on my hike. Your poetry and thought-provoking trail log brought tears to my eyes and set the tone for the rest of my journey. I’m grateful for your generosity and kindness.

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      1. Cheeto

        Thank you for what you have done !! We truly appreciated your water this season.

        I am sorry about your robbery. Our car was broken in to at a PCT trailhead and just like you stole everything that wasn’t nailed down.

        Be safe !! And again thank you for what you have done

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      1. Margie Reynolds

        So sorry to hear this. One of our group was able to get off trail here due to injury. We appreciated the water, wisdom and a place to camp for the night. You and this Oasis will be missed.

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    2. Sandy N

      My name is Sandy N I am not a hiker, but my husband is doing the PCT for the first time and his first hike he will be in that area after you close ☹️. He will be sad that he won’t be able to see you or meet you it sounds like you have a lovely property I’m so sorry of your loss and having to move due to those tweakers . I wish you the best and thank you for being a lovely trail angels for all the previous hikers.

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  6. Cassie

    I’m so sorry to hear about your misfortune Mary. I remember stopping at your oasis for lunch last year and meeting you and your foster puppies. It was truly a magical experience. Good luck on your future endeavors, you will be missed.

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  7. Thank you for the many years of magic!! Your oasis was beautiful and radiated peace and love of detail. Totally understandable decision, I wouldn’t put up with those conditions either. So sorry about the sketchy lurkers and hope you can enjoy magnificent summers back in Montana!! The trail community loves you!

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  8. Ashleigh

    So sad to hear this. Your place was a welcome reprieve and much needed source of water this spring. I stopped for water in late March and to eat my lunch and admire the poetry of the little oasis you’ve set up. I think I may have seen you out hiking that day (wearing a Montana shirt), though may not have known it was you. I can certainly understand the motivation to leave the area, but sorry to see it happen. Thank you so much for being a support to hikers over the years.

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  9. Edgar

    I met you and your neighbors there in 2018 for Easter lunch. It was the best surprise I could have ever gotten. Since then I’ve been making treks throughout Hesperia and Wrightwood cooking burgers having drinks and chips every year on my birthday. The hikers enjoy it and I absolutely love the smiles and joy we share in meeting.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Edgar. It’s been wonderful having hikers who passed through reminding me of all the wonderful memories I have of my life as a trail angel. Thanks for carrying the baton forward.
      Mary

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  10. Shawn

    Your kindness will be missed! You have a great heart. Thank you for all you have done! We will miss the stop tho.. 😉
    Medicine man

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  11. Zack

    Mary, I had the pleasure of meeting you not once but twice. The first time in 2020 we spoke for just a few moments as you rode your horse along the trail passed myself and my partner and I didn’t recognize your fame. Having just stopped at your place it was tempting turn back and thank you but we mateos pressed on. That year didn’t work for us as a hiking year, and we were privileged enough to be able to attempt again in 2021. As our trail gang approached *Mary’s place* we told them about how cool it was the prior year, and boy were they excited for watering at your place. To my surprise as I made that sharp left down your property, I saw your face once again and was nearly brought to tears because it happened to be may first. And this beautiful soul greeted me by offering a salad and a teriyaki chicken with rice. I had made it just a little further then mm145 the year prior and passing PVC would put me onto the path unknown. To come full circle I will stick with the writing theme of the class of 21’ I learned in 2020 that it simply may not be your year. You may get knocked down, beat up, rained on. Your tent may disintegrate in a windstorm in the first 150 miles. You may break a tooth during a global pandemic. You may struggle to find care for that tooth because the world screeched to a stop. But the next year. It may be your year, and good people are out there even in a sea of terrible ones.

    -Z
    Hopeful in 20’, successful in 21’ happy to have been able to meet you both times

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    1. Thank you, Zack. I’ll always cherish my years as a trail angel and all the hikers I met along the way. While I know implicitly that I have made an impact on some who wander by, it is very rewarding to hear that appreciation in detail.

      May you have many fruitful journeys ahead.

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  12. Al

    Mary, I was fortunate to visit your place during a January LASH in 2022. It was a welcome respite after a long water carry from Mike’s Place. I had seen it in so many videos – but to stand there in person was another thing all together. Thank you for your support.

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    1. Thank you, Al. It’s funny sometimes when I overhear hikers as they arrive and immediately recognize the place from videos and pictures they’ve seen. Makes me feel kinda famous. — Look out, Brad Pitt. 😉

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  13. Bill

    Mary, I stayed at your lovely spot last year. I thought at the time how wonderful it was that you were doing this, the sheltered benches, invitation to leave a note, fun displays – a contribution to trail culture that it was a real morale booster.
    Thank you.

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  15. Rain

    Thank you for providing such an amazing service to the trail! I deeply appreciated stopping by your lovely oasis when I completed my thru hike last year.

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  16. nancy

    Like many others, I met Mary this spring, enjoyed her company, water, and camping site. She helped our injured companion and was a joy to talk with. She did detail the travails she’s having with the area. Very sad. I appreciate what she’s done for the PCT hikers. She made the trail a better place. Peace Mary

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  18. Don

    Hi, Mary, fellow Montanan here (Missoula). I’m sorry to hear things have come to such a pass for you; but I start the PCT next week, and I’m relieved that you’ll still be there awhile longer. Thank you in advance.

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  19. Rabbit

    Dear Mary – I am sorry to hear about the experiences you have endured and understand why you made the decision. I really enjoyed meeting you in March 2023. Our conversation was cut a little short when it started to rain. Thank you so much for your support. It really meant a lot to me.

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