Home

Pacific Crest Trail
Kennedy Meadows to San Diego
2014

Saturday, September 27, 2014
We had rain, snow, virga, thunder, and wind from late morning through the afternoon. Yesterday, some small lenticular clouds and a contrail didn't really predict the longevity of the storm. The South Fork Kern south of Kennedy Meadows was dry to cracked mud except for a few pools I saw last night. Fox Mill Spring's pipe was dribbling at ~5 minutes per quart. I flushed a covey of Quail. I camped with Steve and Erin, both section hikers.
Miles: 20
Camp: Beyond Canebrake Road

Sunday, September 28, 2014
I saw a Tarantula. The northern two springs in Spanish Needle Canyon were flowing well enough, as was Joshua Tree Spring. However, this is now signed as unsafe for drinking. The sunset was great.
Miles: 22 42
Camp: saddle between Morris and Jenkins Peaks, a few miles north of Walker Pass / Highway 178

Monday, September 29, 2014
After saying goodbye to Erin and Steve, I ascended the south side of Walker Pass with 7 quarts of water, as the section is reported dry, except for possible caches at Bird Spring Pass and Kelso Valley Road and flowing water at Robin Bird Spring. McIver Spring was bone dry at the pipe and all upstream seep holes. My GPS shows more springs further down the drainage: these may warrant future investigation. The cabin was in good shape and had perhaps 20 ½ quart bottles of water cached, plus a can of chili and two limes (mmm). At the branch to Yellow Jacket Spring, a note said it was dry. At a two mile round trip, I saw no point in seeing for myself.
Miles: 20 62
Camp: Skinner Peak

Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Dirt Stew and Dormouse are ahead of me by a day or less, per trail registers and their very crisp, clear bootprints. I saw 3 Mule Deer, a Black Tail Jackrabbit, and a Raven. Water caches at Bird Spring Pass and Kelso Valley Road were appreciated.
Miles: 24 86
Camp: a mile past the northeast crossing of Piute Mountain Road

Wednesday, October 1, 2014
I've seen no one since leaving the Walker Pass Campground. There was over 2' of water in the concrete dammed spring and in the Robin Bird Springbox. I arrived at Golden Oak Spring at dusk. There was an inch of water in the trough and I could hear water dribbling above and right of the trough, but with the darkness and the mud churned by cattle, I didn't explore further. There was Poodle Dog Bush, Common Turricula, growing in the burn south of the road in section 31, continuing in section 5, northeast of Pine Spring.
Miles: 24 110
Camp: past the Golden Oak Spring, much noise from wind turbines

Thursday, October 2, 2014
After descending the switchbacks I headed east on dirt roads paralleling Highway 58 and then south to Mojave. I was filthy after days of walking through dirt churned by cattle and motorcycles. The laundry, showers, and feasting were greatly appreciated. If I'd stayed at a motel near the grocery store a mile north, I'd have saved about 20% over the motels by the road back up to Oak Creek.
Miles: 19 129
Motel: Mojave

Mojave Predicted Weather
Thursday, October 2 - 82-58F, Clear, 0%, NE at 8 mph
Friday, October 3 - 90-63F, Sunny, 0%, ENE at 12 mph
Saturday, October 4 - 92-61F, Partly Cloudy, 0%, ENE at 8 mph
Sunday, October 5 - 92-59F, Sunny, 0%, ENE at 8 mph
Monday, October 6 - 92-59F, Sunny, 0%, E at 9 mph
Tuesday, October 7 - 90-57F, Sunny, 0%, SW at 13 mph
Wednesday, October 8 - 86-57F, Sunny, 0%, W at 14 mph
Thursday, October 9 - 84-57F, Sunny, 0%, WSW at 13 mph
Friday, October 10 - 85-57F, Sunny, 0%, S at 8 mph
Saturday, October 11 - 84-57F, Sunny, 0%, W at 11 mph
Sunday, October 12 - 85-58F, Sunny, 0%, WNW at 19 mph

Friday, October 3, 2014
I hauled out a roasted chicken and a couple pounds of red grapes for today's eating. Mmm! I saw a dozen Mule Deer, and a Black Tail Jackrabbit. Thanks for the water caches at Oak Creek (+ candy!) and the Larry and Dan Oasis. With the full moon a few days away, I walked into the night, enjoying the full length of a gorgeous sunset on a wave cloud, plus city and windmill lights in the valley below. I'm now ahead of Dormouse and Dirt Stew.
Miles: 16 145
Camp: Tylerhorse Canyon

Saturday, October 4, 2014
23 miles, largely along LA Aqueduct roads, were done by 5pm. It was not too hot, but so dry and throat parching that I wanted to drink another quart every hour. I saw a Road Runner. There was light local traffic on the roads, and no ATV traffic. Dinner at Hikertown included mashed potatoes, corn tortillas, garlic bread, vegetables, and pork chops, all excellent.
Miles: 23 168
Camp: Skaggs Hikertown, Antelope Valley. (Many Thanks!)

Sunday, October 5, 2014
Of the cisterns on the ridge, only the steel tank at Maxwell Camp QM8 was full. The others had at most ¼" of water on mud at the bottom. I saw several Mule Deer, a Coyote, an Alligator Lizard, and a Horned Lizard. I saw no one all day, though I sometimes walked the dirt roads paralleling the PCT.
Miles: 25 193
Camp: a mile beyond Maxwell Trail Camp

Monday, October 6, 2014
The Powerhouse Fire of 2013 had burned much of today's route. In places, sand slides from above the trail had completely buried the PCT. There were many patches of Poodle Dog Bush, Common Turricula. Some rerouting on roads was required. Views of the Antelope Valley showed it filling with subdivisions, wind turbine fields, and solar power facilities. The thought of hitching from Green Valley straight to Mojave was inspired by seeing wind fields I'd walked through a few days earlier.
Miles: 15 208
Camp: Green Valley, Casa de Luna, the Andersons (a big Thank You!)

Wrightwood Predicted Weather
Monday, October 6 - 82-57F, Sunny, 0%, WNW at 8 mph
Tuesday, October 7 - 76-56F, Sunny, 0%, S at 8 mph
Wednesday, October 8 - 75-53F, Sunny, 0%, SW at 8 mph
Thursday, October 9 - 74-54F, Sunny, 0%, WSW at 9 mph
Friday, October 10 - 75-56F, Sunny, 0%, WSW at 8 mph
Saturday, October 11 - 78-57F, Sunny, 0%, SSW at 8 mph
Sunday, October 12 - 78-55F, Sunny, 0%, W at 7 mph
Monday, October 13 - 80-58F, Sunny, 0%, W at 9 mph
Tuesday, October 14 - 72-50F, Sunny, 0%, WSW at 10 mph
Wednesday, October 15 - 66-47F, Mostly Sunny, 20%, WSW at 8 mph

Tuesday, October 7, 2014
The Oasis water cache off Spunky Canyon Road had some algae growing in 5 gallon bottles, but the water would be treatable. At Bouquet Road, 5 gallons of good water were cached. Bear Spring was flowing. I met my first on PCT hikers since leaving the Walker Pass Campground. I resupplied to Cajon Junction / I15 and met a couple who had just section hiked from I15. From packages at the Saufleys, several SOBO thruhikers plan to come thru in the next few weeks.
Miles: 24 232
Camp: Agua Dulce, Hiker Heaven, the Saufleys

Water Report to I15 / Cajon Junction
KOA in Soledad Canyon - Blue Spigot near Pool
North Fork Saddle Remote Fire Station - containers outside
Fire Station on Highway - Hose out front, Table area in back
Glenwood Scout Camp - spigot 20 feet down to left of building
Burkhart ford 1, 2 - better water at 2nd crossing SOBO
South Fork Campground - 2 spring fed cisterns at opposite end of camp flowing
High flow Spring 1 mile before Vincent Gap on alt route
Insulated spigot outside closed visitor center works
Schwartz Road Cache ok

Wednesday, October 8, 2014
I stayed the morning at Hiker Heaven reading the book 'Oh, God!', on which the movie was based. Most chapters were pretty funny. I also solved a pretty tough Sodoku. I bought a few piece fried chicken lunch and ate it through the afternoon. It was sort of too much. I don't seen to have that teenage or even thruhiker appetite any more. Ravens may be mating: I saw several in paired flight of perched in proximity doing a call response - a normal call followed by a distorted dripping water response. Water was available in Vasquez Rocks and in the KOA in Soledad Canyon. The LA commuter trains may have completely taken over the Soledad Canyon tracks: I saw several passenger trains. I'll have to see where the closest stops are for future reference. Many thanks to the Saufleys!
Miles: 14 246
Camp: a few miles south of Soledad Canyon Road

Thursday, October 9, 2014
I saw a Mule Deer doe and a Buck with a nice rack near the North Fork Ranger Station. There was a great deal of Poodle Dog Bush in the Station Fire burn area so I followed ridge roads. Near Mount Gleason the Poodle Dog Bush was growing and healthy and some was in bloom, where elsewhere little of it was green. A huge crew was replacing the transmission lines over the burned out county fire station.
Miles: 27 273
Camp: near the Pacifico Campground Road

Friday, October 10, 2014
I saw 3 Mule Deer does and several hunters. In continuing my theme of hiking part of the day on routes parallel to the PCT, I was walking on the surprisingly empty Angles Crest Highway 2 and enjoying great views, sometimes of the PCT in the distance, when a guy stopped and absolutely insisted on giving me a ride. He was a retired school teacher, driving back from Oregon, and seemed just to want someone to talk with for a while. The water from the visitor center tap was very turbid.
Miles: 25? 298
Camp: between the Blue Ridge and Guffy Campgrounds

Saturday, October 11, 2014
I had 4 excellent tacos and an ice cold Coke with some hunters mid morning. This was the first day of deer / gun season, and I was able to fill them and others in on the several deer I'd been seeing each day. But back to the tacos - a couple each pork skin and pork, each stewed in green chili sauce, with beans, crumbling cheese, and grilled tortillas - certainly not what I expect on the trail. Later, after typical McDonalds dollar burgers and gas station resupply, there was a guy selling Mexican fruit plates on the street by the gas station. Fresh mangoes, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, jicama, and cucumbers with chili and fresh squeezed lime juice. Fresh fruit is so rare on the trail that this seemed to be a decadent luxury. I also found Prickly Pear in fruit. I had a spoon and a lockback knife I'd found. The fruit flesh layer between the tasteless seeds and the prickly skin was fairly thin and was hard to carve out without getting a mouth full of (thorns). I really wished I'd had a fork or pincher of some sort, as the flavor was excellent and I would have enjoyed the feast had I been better able to butcher the fruit. I saw a pair of ravens. Monuments at I15: Southern Arroyo Toad, Santa Fe and Salt Lake Trail 1849
Miles: 24 322
Camp: Crowder Creek, a mile SOBO of Cajon Junction / I15

Big Bear City Predicted Weather
Saturday, October 11 - 68-44F, Clear, 0%, WSW at 3 mph
Sunday, October 12 - 69-43F, Sunny, 0%, N at 9 mph
Monday, October 13 - 68-42F, Sunny, 0%, ENE at 8 mph
Tuesday, October 14 - 67-34F, Sunny, 0%, SW at 11 mph
Wednesday, October 15 - 58-34F, Sunny, 0%, WSW at 11 mph
Thursday, October 16 - 67-37F, Sunny, 0%, W at 7 mph
Friday, October 17 - 65-36F, Sunny, 0%, W at 7 mph
Saturday, October 18 - 62-38F, Sunny, 0%, N at 7 mph
Sunday, October 19 - 65-39F, Sunny, 0%, NE at 7 mph
Monday, October 20 - 65-36F, Sunny, 0%, W at 9 mph
Tuesday, October 21 - 60-35F, Sunny, 0%, W at 9 mph
Wednesday, October 22 - 61-37F, Sunny, 0%, NNE at 9 mph
Thursday, October 23 - 64-42F, Sunny, 0%, NE at 10 mph
Friday, October 24 - 64-39F, PM Showers, 40%, E at 8 mph

Sunday, October 12, 2014
I saw several rabbits and only a few hunters, versus dozens yesterday. Of natural water sources, only the small creek NOBO over the ridge from Silverwood SRA had water, seeping between pools.
Miles: 25 347
Camp: ridge beyond Grass Valley Creek (dry)

Monday, October 13, 2014
I saw a Coyote at Mojave Forks Dam. Two springs were flowing before the dam, the piped spring was flowing quite nicely. The creek a mile north of the hot springs was also flowing well. The hot springs were flowing well and a soak was very well enjoyed. About twenty people were there, far fewer than my previous visits. Two off PCT routes occurred to me: one could leave the PCT at before Warm Springs and travel down the creek or a trail up the opposite side of the canyon to Warm Spring. An excellent trail connects Warm Spring and Hot Spring. I'm told one usually has Warm Springs to oneself, and you may even need to clean out the algae accumulated from lack of use. North of the Hot Springs at you might leave the trail and make your way to old, closed highway 173, which looks to have great views over the PCT near Mojave Forks Dam. Roads from the dam go a little up Deep Creek, a use trail allows access at.
Miles: 21 368
Camp: a mile east of the Deep Creek Bridge and Splinters Trailhead (just off PCT, pit toilets, trash)

Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Water was available at a pipe spring, Holcomb Creek, the creek at Van Dusen Canyon Road, and Doble Spring. I saw Stellars Jays and Quail.
Miles: 29 397
Camp: Doble Spring Camp (Water, table, toilet)

Wednesday, October 15, 2014
I had just a couple of feedings worth of food left and decided to resupply in Big Bear from Highway 38 rather than 18, which I reached too early in the morning, anyway. I left the trail at Balky Horse Canyon Road 2N04. Between the fast, curvy mountain road, and a restriping project with pilot cars, hitching was mostly unsuccessful, and I walked almost to Big Bear. I saw American White Pelicans and Mallards on the boardwalk to the grocers in Big Bear Lake.
Miles: 20 417
Motel: Big Bear City

Thursday, October 16, 2014
I skipped a few miles of trail, including the Arastre Camp, and started one major dirt road north of the Lion and Tiger cages. I saw many Mule Deer and Black Bear prints. Mission Spring was clear and flowing well. High in the canyon, there was water in the creek. But near the campsites down lower, it was dry.
Miles: 18 435
Camp: Mission Creek Canyon

Friday, October 17, 2014
I walked and talked with a doctor doing a section hike in the morning. There were many bear and deer prints. Mission Creek was flowing in many areas, and Whitewater Creek was flowing 3' wide and 4" deep. From Whiitewater Canyon to the windmill farm, the trail was destroyed for perhaps a quarter of its length, and the hillsides denuded by excessive cattle grazing. Through the San Gorgonios and San Bernadinos, there are many trail blowouts caused by illegal motorcycle and bicycle traffic. Many thanks to Ziggy and the Bear for water, a porch protected from wind and I10 traffic noise to sleep in, pizza, hiker box, and great conversation.
Miles: 24 459
Camp: West Palm Springs Village, Ziggy and The Bear's

Saturday, October 18, 2014
In the Indian Visitor Center at the base of the tram road I saw there are trails parallel to and east of the PCT that could be used to bypass the San Jacintos fire closure. They pass through Indian land, so a $9 permit is required. Resupply could be done in Palm Springs, and return to the PCT could be done by the Cactus to Crest Trail, the Tram, or by walking the desert to San Gorgonio Pass. The trails are said to be quite pretty, but in some cases continuously steep.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tram was nice ($24), and lunch was available at the top ($4-20).

I saw some quail. There were 2 springs across the trail from the PCT to Mount San Jacinto, the lower flowing better, and on along the PCT, all good enough to use.
Route: Local Streets, ATV trail south of I10, Highway 111, Visitor Center, Tram Road, Tram, Round Valley Trail, Peak Trail, San Jacinto Peak, (10,834', Great View, could pick out Ziggy and The Bear's place) Deer Springs Trail (2 Flowing Springs), PCT (1 Flowing Spring), Strawberry Junction, Deer Springs Trail
Miles: 21 480
Camp: Deer Springs Trail

San Jacinto Range Rerouting Due to Mountain Fire
My route from the head of the Tramway, through Long Valley, Round Valley, Wellman Divide, San Jacinto Peak, Little Round Valley, PCT, Strawberry Junction, and Deer Springs Trailhead. I hitched to the PCT at Pines to Palms Highway 74 and resumed hiking there, just south of this map.
Open sections of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Closed sections of the Pacific Crest Trail. The trails south from Long Valley towards the PCT were also closed.
Official suggested reroute. Includes miles of dangerous walking on fast, busy, and narrow Pines to Palms Highway 74.
A number of trails connect the PCT or Highway 74 east of this map to Palm Springs, northeast of the map. In the future, I may hike them and return to the PCT in the San Jacintos via the Tramway or the Catcus to Crest Trail, a few miles south of the Tram. Hiking in the Indian Reservation costs $9.

Sunday, October 19, 2014
I breakfasted and resupplied in Idylwild. Returning to the PCT at Pines to Palms Highway 74 required a 3 stage hitch, with long waits at each stage. Water was cached south of the highway and at section corner 33, 32, 5, 4, by the picnic table down from the PCT. The wildlife guzzler had water. I saw a Mule Deer doe.
Miles: 18 498
Camp: Between the wildlife guzzler and Tule Spring Road

Julian Predicted Weather
Sunday, October 19 - 71-58F, Sunny, 0%, WNW at 7 mph
Monday, October 20, 72-55F, Mostly Sunny, 0%, WNW at 8 mph
Tuesday, October 21 - 70-55F, Sunny, 0%, W at 10 mph
Wednesday, October 22 - 74-58F, Sunny, 0%, NNE at 8 mph
Thursday, October 23 - 77-60F, Sunny, 0%, NNE at 8 mph
Friday, October 24 - 77-61F, Sunny, 0%, WSW at 8 mph
Saturday, October 25 - 75-56F, Sunny, 0%, WNW at 10 mph
Sunday, October 26 - 69-51F, Sunny, 0%, W at 10 mph
Monday, October 27 - 64-46F, Sunny, 0%, W at 10 mph
Tuesday, October 28 - 63-48F, Sunny, 0%, W at 8 mph

Monday, October 20, 2014
I didn't visit Tule Spring, but the tank at Trail Angel Mike's at Chihuahua Valley Road (thanks!) and Lost Valley Spring both had good water. I heard Coyotes and saw Quail and many Dragonflies. I followed Indian Flats Road 9S05 after the spring. This provided great views and avoided the thick Poison Oak in Agua Caliente Creek Canyon. A couple enjoying the evening along the road gave me a ride to the fire station. (thanks again!) I'll tank up on water at the community center in the morning.
Miles: 24 522
Camp: Warner Springs, too close to the fire station radio speakers

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
I saw some Mule Deer, Quail, and a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. The Warner Spring Community Center spigots were on, Barrel Springs was flowing nicely, and the water cache was stocked well. At the water cache, a met a young, healthy looking guy with gear more suited to a downtown homeless guy than to a long distance hiker. Keep in mind that it was at least 10 tough desert hiking miles to the nearest road crossings, which also are in the middle of nowhere, so this was not an expected sight. The guy was muttering loudly, and told me that he was making peace with this world in the hopes of leaving it soon, and that he was trying not to see people. Given that I'm human and not looking for a quick exit, after offering food, water, and etcetera, I dedicated the rest of my day to putting some miles between me and him.
Miles: 27 549
Camp: San Felipe Hills, ~½ dozen miles north of Scissors Crossing

Wednesday, October 22, 2014
There was water cached under the bridge at Scissors Crossing, and in the Rodriguez Spur Fire Tank (thanks), but not in the Mason Valley Truck Trail Fire Tank. I stopped a while to repair my short sleeve shirt, which after thousands of miles of sun and fun is all but falling off me. But it's too hot to switch to my long sleeve hiker shirt, and some time in the shade was well appreciated on this hot ascent to the Laguna Ridge. The San Diego Woolly Sunflowers were all dead, but I photographed one anyway.
Miles: 22 571
Camp: south of Mason Valley Truck Trail

Thursday, October 23, 2014
There were several water caches, and the spigot across the Sunrise Highway at the Penny Pines Kiosk / Noble Canyon trail junction dispensed nice water. I talked to a couple of trail maintainers. (Thanks!) I realized that I would arrive at the Mexican Border Saturday around mid day. The busses would not run until Monday, so I made some calls to see about getting a ride. No offers for Saturday, but when I got an offer for tonight from Laguna, I jumped on it. It's been hot and dry, so lugging a ton of water from Laguna to Lake Morena, and then again to Campo, didn't seem like much fun anyway. I saw Poodle Dog Bush off the PCT.
Miles: 15 586
Camp: Gene's Ranch

Poodle Dog Bush and Poison Oak
There are wildfire burnt sections along the PCT throughout Southern California. Poodle Dog Bush grows vigorously in these burn recovery areas. I noted Poodle Dog Bush in every range: The Tehachapis, San Gabriels, San Gorgonios, San Jacintos, and Lagunas.

Poison Oak grows along the entire PCT. In southern Calfornia, it is common on north faces and in ravines which are shaded part of the day.

Though I know and try to avoid these plants, it is probably impossible to hike the PCT and never touch them. On this trip, I developed rashes including redness, small fluid filled blisters, and itchiness. Both Poodle Dog Bush and Poison Oak produce this type of rash. The rash would appear on various parts of my body for a few days, and disappear. This happened several times on different body areas, either from new exposures or from an ongoing systemic reaction. On my feet, due to walking friction, my socks wore through the fluid filled blisters and stuck to my skin. The rashes were gone within a few days after leaving the trail, and by a week later, so was much of the itchiness. Both Poodle Dog Bush and Poision Oak rashes may be worse in future exposures due to the immune system sensitizing to the allergens. Although my rash was just an uncomfortable nuisance, it wouldn't have to be much worse to be a real problem. I'm somewhat concerned, and will closely monitor myself on future southern California PCT corridor hikes.

Off PCT Travel
Both to avoid Poodle Dog Bush patches and to exlore new areas, I often walked dirt roads or trails parallel to the PCT. Because my maps were narrowly focused on the PCT, these routes were close to the PCNST. It occurs to me that if I had good hiking maps of the ranges listed above, I could follow a significantly different route. Finding water might be a challenge; spring would be the best season for finding water yet avoiding snow. A problem would be avoiding Poodle Dog Bush and Poison Oak, which might be overgrowing any other trail.

Home