Weeks 5 and 6 on trail: final stretches of desert hiking

"I love walking along looking at a nice big mountain in the distance, until I realize that, shit... I'm probably going to have to climb over it..."  - Mohalo

A Mojave sunset

What else can I say about the desert? I've had hours and hours of trail time to contemplate the nature of it, while hiking through it. It took me 47 days to traverse the 700 miles of southern california desert. I don't know if that's prophetic in some way or not, but It's definitely taking some time for the experience to sink in. Personal changes are subtle, and though I feel this whole hike will change me in some way, I'm not really sure at this point how I've been affected.

Sun dried and windblown...

In some ways, I'm reminded of my childhood growing up in New Mexico's desert climate. Things like the smell of rain when it first moves in on the wind. Walking the trails reminds me a bit of the old stomping grounds we had, looking for places to build forts, or just playing in shrubby desert area's near my elementary school.

From another viewpoint, it almost feels like it wasn't totally desert the whole way, because a lot of it was high elevation desert climate, with pine trees. The PCT is a roller coaster in that way, repeating a pattern of climbing.. climbing... and then dropping straight down to the desert floor for a short stretch.



As I write this, I've just finished the first week of hiking in the high sierra. I've had to carry a water report for the trail up until this point. Not all of them where on trail though almost all where critical to making it through safely. The final few stretches of desert where the most brutal, with one 35 mile stretch between sources. The Mojave was by far the most miserable and windy stretch of desert. From Hikertown, along the L.A. aquaduct, and into the foothills covered in wind turbines I travelled..

Kennedy Meadows is at mile 702. It's the stop right before the Sierra, which means the end of desert. I had planned to upload a video there, but had no internet or phone service. It made for a cool experience in town though, and everybody spent time talking if the journey so far. We had all just completed a difficult stretch, and spirits were high.

 Every hiker that comes rolling up the road gets a warm round of cheers and applause from the crowd on deck of the general store. We can't cmprehend hiking without a water report at this point. Unaware that we will be passing alpine lakes and late snowmelt streams for miles to come.  So I'm behind a bit and have 2 videos to post. The end of the desert. You'll have to wait a bit to see the first of the Sierra.. but let me assure you it is worth the wait!

Cheers friends, see you further down the old dusty trail... - Traveller


Agua dulce to Mojave section:

Mojave to Kennedy Meadows section: