Day 57Burney Mountain Guest Ranch (Big Bend, California)

I leave at 05:00 and travel the last 6.6 miles to Burney Mountain Guest Ranch. Breakfast is ready at 08:00. Charlie, an Indian and former restaurant chef, prepares an excellent buffet: homemade granola, fruit, dairy products, omelette, potatoes, sausages and orange juice. He even offers granola for the sequel.

I meet Disco, a Quebec nurse who knows several hikers crossed earlier. He gives me some advice for my hand. Isabelle, who runs the ranch with her husband, makes me add my print painted on the water tank, next to those of the first hikers of 2026.

The place is particularly pleasant: hot shower, laundry, loan clothes, armchairs, swimming pool, billiards and rest areas. I take the opportunity to clean and repair anything that can be washed, ventilate the down, recharge the electronics and call my family.

After lunch, I leave around 15:00 with 5 days of food. I find a new tick, much easier to remove than the previous one. Despite the quality of the ranch, I’m happy to take back the trail rather than spend the night there.