Day 30: Tuesday, February 11, 2014

As promised, I set out after class today to finish the hike that I had started yesterday. This time, I brought some friends along, one of which informed me that the trail I found was definitely not a new discovery. So much for that.

Lucky us, we happened to set out right when a thick cloud bank rolled in from the ocean. Swirling around the mountains, the fog made for some of the most breathtaking landscapes I've seen since I've got here. 

Fog closing in early on in the hike

We stopped for many photos along the way, and this shot of my friend Savannah taking a panoramic gives you an idea of just how thick and dense the cloud bank was.  The usual blue expanse of ocean that the trail overlooks was replaced by an impenetrable layer of misty white.

When I last went back to the mainland, someone asked me if I had gotten used to how beautiful the island is, or if it still takes my breath away. If that same person were here to see how the same landscapes vary in appearance from day to day, I don't think they would have had to ask.

The sun breaking through the fog

In general cacti grow all over Catalina Island, but they happened to be particularly dense along this hiking trail. Despite my caution, I still managed to stub my foot on a baby cacti that slipped my notice. I sincerely hope this doesn't become a trend throughout the rest of the semester.

Cacti covered hill

When we finally reached the top, we had broken above the cloud bank for a pretty spectacular view:

The clouds moving across the hills toward the town of Two Harbors

We couldn't have timed the hike better- by the time we were descending, the fog had lifted, and all was clear blue sky once again. Oh, how I appreciate the whims of Mother Nature.