Our Christmas Day was spent hiking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail from Inspiration Point to Vincent Gap. The air was calm but crisp and scented with my favorite vanilla Jeffery Pines.  The trek along this stretch of the PCT is mostly evenly graded and under the shade of pine trees until you drop down into Vincent Gap where you’ll lose about 1,000’ of elevation in less then a mile.  If you do this trail, just remember to leave some extra gas in the tank for the climb back up later.  Beautiful pine needles cover much of the path along the way and just before Vincent Gap you’ll pass through a flat section where there’s a pine grove.  As the trail begins to descend the scenery then changes into a scene from Snow White’s forest and you’re suddenly in a fairytale forest of oak trees.  We hiked almost 10 miles round trip stopping at Jackson Flat campground to have lunch.  I can’t think of a better way to have spent our Christmas this year then on the trail in these beautiful mountains!