The PCT Volume 15: Done With the Desert; On to the Southern Sierra

[Brad Young]

We took the day off yesterday after hiking 49 miles in three days (the third of which was 20.6 miles, starting with 1600 feet of uphill). Since we weren't hiking, we did a driving reconnaissance of  the roads and campgrounds in the area north of Walker Pass and then went to Ridgecrest for the afternoon and night.

We hope to set out today from Walker Pass north, intending just under 29 miles in a two day overnight. A very, very warm forecast and a 15 year old with a bit of a lower GI problem may necessitate one more rest day.

We started this trip Saturday, June 11. It was a smooth and practiced start, up at 6:00, drive down the Central Valley and over Tehachapi, and then out Jawbone Canyon Road. We arrived at 2:30 and quickly got ready to start the intended 13.4 mile hike. But first, Katie needed a bit more fuel:





We got going at 2:45; late, but still with plenty of daylight. Here's a photo of us starting past the same place, same sign as where we ended two weeks ago:





Just as we started we ran into a through-hiker heading the same way. The camaraderie between PCT hikers is very strong, possibly even stronger than between climbers. Our new friend, Greg (trail name "Malto" after the 600 plus calories of maltodextrin he was consuming, in addition to his regular food, every day) seemed happy for company. Although he was averaging 30 miles per day, and we offered repeatedly to let him pass, he was quite pleased with the pace Tricia was setting. We hiked together for our entire hike (which was half of his day's hike!):





Hiking doesn't get much easier than this, perfect temperatures, forested trails and, for 90% of the entire hike, slight downhill :








Soon we were six miles along, crossing Piute Mountain Road where we'd fed through-hikers last trip:





Katie signed us in to a trail register:





Then we met Vicki about a mile further, very near where she'd set up camp. We said hellos, made an introduction and had some trail snacks. Vicki and I reviewed the map for the end of the day pickup point:





Soon we were off. Mostly downhill, we were now heading out of the forest and back to the desert; just in the distance after we met Vicki, we lost over 1500 feet of elevation. The flora was changing:





We finished (obviously in the late evening) with two miles of real desert, hiking toward the setting sun, and toward Vicki, waiting on Kelso Valley Road (which can narrowly be seen in the center of the photo, rising from left to right, below the sun/shade line, but above the more obvious slash also rising from left to right):





Then, back to camp at Landers Meadow Primitive Campground (this photo was taken the next morning, since when we got there it was essentially dark):





A very good day. Now, however, we were in the desert. We knew the next day's hike wouldn't be so cool.

[joe]

very nice...

[mungeclimber]

next Day! come on down! you're the next contestant on the PCT is Right!!!

[mynameismud]

Cool.

[Brad Young]

Since we didn't get to bed Saturday night until after 10:00, we slept in some on Sunday. Then we packed camp to move north. A reconnaissance of meeting and pickup points afterward meant we didn't hit the trail until 11:00.

In desert now, the trail dropped in elevation to Butterbredt Canyon Road, the lowest point we'll see on the PCT for at least 800 more miles. Then gentle uphill under Mayan Peak to meet Vicki for lunch at six miles:








Here's Vicki after the drop-off:





Obviously the girls are desert hiking veterans now:








On this stretch we encountered one hapless young man hiking the opposite direction. He looked worn out. He carried nothing but an empty one-gallon water bottle. He was headed to the road (where "trail angels" periodically replenish a bottled water cache). He'd literally abandoned his tent and camp to go desperately in search of water. We later came across his gear, still set up, right next to the trail (we didn't offer him water since we needed all we had, and he needed to go only another mile and a half to the cache).

Vicki drove out Dove Spring Road to meet us for lunch. She hiked out a mile to meet us:







We took an hour for lunch. The truck provided enough shade. Another nine miles followed, still through desert. Abandoned mines and nice views were the themes. One long, uphill, sunny stretch was pretty darned hot:








Soon we rounded Wyley's Knob and got a view of Bird Spring Pass where Vicki would be waiting:











Note in the last photo, just a glimpse, behind a Joshua Tree: there's a pile of water bottles. As I said, PCT hikers are a close community. Included in the mix are trail angels. They are usually people who've done all or some of the trail and who live near it. They undertake (voluntarily, and at their own cost) to help hikers by leaving water caches at roads, by doing trail maintenance, by posting current conditions. Whatever they can to help (kinda like the people doing rebolting at Pinnacles).

In this case the water cache at Bird Spring Pass included over 75 one gallon water bottles. And of these, only 14 were full:





We then headed down about two miles west on Bird Spring Road to make a peaceful "bandit" camp among pinyon pines in the desert:





Up next: an early start, a gruesome uphill slog, and the most miles yet of any day we've spent on the PCT.

[mungeclimber]

cool cool more more

[skully]

I like Katie's entry in the register, too.  chortle.  I'm diggin' goin' along on your journeys, Brad. This stuff is pure Gold. Thank you for posting them.

[Brad Young]

We're off the trail now and at Vicki's sister's house in Los Angeles. Katie gets to go from here to San Diego to stay and play with friends there for the next week (her reward for a week well hiked).

And what a week!

When I left off, we were camped just west of Bird Spring Pass. It's 20.6 miles from there to Walker Pass on Highway 178, with two reliable water sources along the way. So we decided on a day hike, starting early (with a teenager that means, in this case, hiking by 8:30 A.M.). Just as we got out of the car, two through-hikers came up from the south. We talked and visited extensively. Eventually the girls and I got going while Vic continued to talk with two more PCT friends (we'd see them and other through-hikers several more times each):





The day started with a huge climb up Skinner Peak. Switchbacks led to switchbacks. And then we encountered switchbacks. But we had great views, and a gentle breeze kept the heat manageable:








Looking back at where we started from most of the way up the climb:





We then followed the pacific crest for several miles, moving gradually up and down. Our views north now began to include relative "close-ups" of the Sierra Nevada:





Many miles led to a nearly flat plateau that had once been badly burned. This had little cover, and was downright hot:





But finally we arrived at a seasonal trickle/stream that provided great (and, by this point 14 miles into the hike, needed) refreshment:














The next seven miles included only a little uphill. But the heat of the day, combined with the relentless pounding of step after step were starting to take their toll. Our first glimpse of Highway 178 was very encouraging:





The last three miles seemed like ten. Finally we could see tents in the Walker Pass Trailhead Campground. Still we pounded on, feet screaming at us now (and not nice words either). Finally, we came around a corner, and there, there was the ultimate trail angel: Vicki had come up to check on us:





As we arrived in camp, signs pointed to one campsite where there was offered a certain PCT "trail magic." As we walked by on the way to our site, we saw two trail angels completely rigged out, set up for days, intending to help. See, Walker Pass is a big milestone for through-hikers. These angels were there to be, well, angels. They had available vast quantities of fresh water. They had extra clothes and repair tools and parts. Big garbage bags into which hikers could dump parts of their loads (the campground has no water and no garbage service). And they especially had fresh food; barbecue, salad, soda, and ice cold beer. All there for passing hikers, no questions asked. All free, and all for the love of the trail and those who hike it:





And with that, we finished our longest one-day hike ever. We stayed there that night and Dad (that is, me) cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast the next morning:








We spent the rest of that day checking out areas farther north: camping spots, the trail, and drop-off and pick-up points. Then, with a 28.3 mile section coming (too far for one day - we'd need to bivy), we drove to Ridgecrest for a rest/preparation day.

[lasher]

What a contrast from the weather you encountered over Memorial Day.  You guys really cranked out a lot of miles on this trip. 

[Brad Young]

Oh, and here's one for the Muds:

[joe]

very nice...

especially like the trail angels...

I'm thinking we should promote the idea of climbing angels...
so let's say you're half way up a difficult Grade V, like Swan Slab Gully for example, and there you find an ice cold IPA and hot BBQ chicken; certainly increases the chances of red pointing that puppy next time...

[mynameismud]

I like the MudnCrud banner

[mungeclimber]

very nice...

especially like the trail angels...

I'm thinking we should promote the idea of climbing angels...
so let's say you're half way up a difficult Grade V, like Swan Slab Gully for example, and there you find an ice cold IPA and hot BBQ chicken; certainly increases the chances of red pointing that puppy next time...

they exist. they usually come in the form of 1 gallon seal bottles of water 3/4 of the way up a Grade VI sitting there on a ledge. 

[F4?]

Think that bear grills guy........tromping through the wilds, when you recognize a tree...in there is a 12 pack of beer. Who needs food. Beer is better.

Joe start caching for us.

[Brad Young]

Ah, finally home!

I think the climbing equivalent of trail angels is bolt/anchor replacers. They spend huge amounts of time and energy (and sometimes their own money) and the benefit is 99% other climbers, not themselves.

[F4?]

Don't ruin the dream!

[Brad Young]

The next part of our hike took us 28.3 miles north from Highway 178/Walker Pass to Canebreak Road, a dirt road on the edge of Chimney Peak Wilderness. We did this in two days, with light packs and an open bivy. Although we went back and forth a few times from desert to Sierra Nevada during these miles, we finally, truly made the transition by the time we finished.

The first day was rough though. Katie had had a G.I. issue during the last of our hike to Walker Pass and during the (next) rest day. Plus the temperatures had spiked some; Ridgecrest, where we spent the rest day was at 101 degrees by the time we left town just after noon.

But we stuck with the plan: Leave the pass in the early afternoon, endure the miserable heat in the early hike, and then burn up the miles in the afternoon and evening cool to arrive at camp right at dark.

And the first miles truly were miserably hot. Starting out was hot:





Resting in the shade was not quite as hot:





How often do you see a nine year old girl with beads of sweat on her chin?





But as we hiked we got progressively higher and a little cooler. We passed the five mile mark at the memorial to Jim Jenkins, and moved around to the east side of Mount Jenkins:











(That's Owens Peak's southeast side in the background of the last photo). We rested liberally at this point; it was still warm and Katie was less than 100% still:








By the time we made it to the Owens/Jenkins saddle (just over halfway through our intended 16.6 miles), it was 6:00 P.M. But we were starting to hit our stride (and I knew Katie was feeling better because she was talking freely again, this time about what electives and college prep classes she was considering for her upcoming junior year):





We practically ran the next miles of downhill to and past Joshua Tree Spring. We faced one more long uphill trudge then before the last two miles, downhill cruise to where we wanted to camp in Spanish Needle Canyon. But before the last uphill we took a break in the last rays of the sun (now Katie's appetite was coming back - she could eagerly eat an apple):





Right in here we hit mile 662.5, a very significant number. Multiplied by four it is 2,650, which is the total length of the PCT. Here are the girls making a crude "1/4th" sign with their hands:





And then, up and over the last saddle. I offered up the chance of sleeping there, but the girls vetoed it. On we'd go in spite of the now set sun. They wanted the chance to clean off the trail dust in the running stream and, especially, they wanted a shorter hike tomorrow:





Soon there was only one more mile to go. But the sun was truly gone now. Tricia needed a headlamp. Then Katie and I needed them. On we tramped. Then, we hiked around a corner, and, what's that? It sounds like the trickle of water. It is the trickle of water! Camp at last.

It took 10 minutes to wash off the dirt and set up camp. Then dinner: we used a patented back country food preparation method first taught me by my good friend David Harden: don't. Instead of a stove or anything fancy we brought deli sandwiches, which are fine for a few hours unrefrigerated (no mayo or other spreads though).

And, then, off to sleep we went.

Next up: a wonderful finishing hike during which we truly started to feel like we were in the Sierra Nevada.

[skully]

Escape the Desert... It's becoming kinda punishing, eh?
I really like how your girls are such go-getters.  They hike on, for real, huh?
  Diggin' & groovin'......

[Brad Young]

Thanks, Skully. It is certainly nice to be out of the desert.

This was a long trip, so there's more to come, which I'll try to keep short so it doesn't get too much more repetitive.

We awoke early the next morning (due to Katie having a bad dream) which was provident, it allowed us to get an early start on another big climb via switchbacks:











It was kinda chilly when we started hiking, so we wore all the clothes we had with us. This caused a problem in that Tricia's clothing was so totally camouflaged. We actually lost her for a short time because we couldn't see her:



     

Once we topped out on this morning's climb we followed a ridge to a saddle that was the actual pacific crest. This is the last time in 40 miles that the trail is on the actual crest:





A question came up about lunch: When is the right time? The answer, we decided, is when the view and the log are both perfect:





We started getting views north that looked like the Sierra (this one into Lamont Meadow, right near where Vicki would pick us up at the end of this second day):





More miles led into lower/drier country (again), but not desert:





We encountered a calm, quiet friend:





Before we started the two days I gave some thought to how things would likely go. I told Vicki that we'd probably be at the pickup point between 12:30 and 1:00 P.M. We finished 11.9 miles at 12:20 P.M. the second day (and if you think that was anything other than a lucky guess, well I could sell you some swampland, etc.):








The early start got us back to camp early. We enjoyed relaxing and a bunch of family laughing and fun:

















We capped off the day with a nice sunset right over our camp:





And then dinner and to bed; to be ready for another (light) hiking day.

[skully]

Amazing Sky!!!2!!
Good vistas & antics, too. My kinda camp, I think.