Tehachapi signified the end of the Southern California section of the PCT but that doesn’t mean the desert is over. Just when we looked upon the southern flanks of the Sierras and let down our guard, the desert came back with one last punch in the gut, one last attempt to beat us down.
Tehachapi to Walker pass was a 90 mile of gruesome desert hiking with an average of 20 miles between water sources. The section started of well but the third day turned out to be the most gruesome and difficult section I have ever encountered on the PCT.
The Start of the section
It started off nicely. Batgirl, Legs (or Batlegs, their couple name) and I left town at 7 pm on Cinco de Mayo after a day of craft beers and party at the trail angel house “The Wit’s End”. The plan was to set myself up at a good spot to wake up early the next day to beat the heat. Carmen stayed behind because she partied way too hard the night before and wanted another night of rest.
It’s Batlegs! With their “prom photo” pose
Fun fact, this is the starting point of Cheryl Strayed in the book and movie Wild. See the resemblance?
The first two days was quite nice actually, I walked through tall trees and meadows giving plenty of shade. Green dominated the landscape and the sky was overcast with clouds. It seems like the desert was indeed over.
Jumping for joy or I miss skiing too much 😉
The Third Day
Then the third day came and brought the full force of the desert’s wrath. I woke up that morning, damp and cold. We chose to camp down at a place called Landers meadow and there was so much condensation I woke up with a wet sleeping bag and everything exposed with frosted over. I hurried to get up and left as soon as I could.
There was absolutely no natural water source for the next 40 miles. Hikers rely on the water caches put out by the locals on this stretch. The day’s plan was to hike to the first water cache in 7 miles, fill up and rest there, then tackle the remaining 15 miles to the other water cache.
I had a few hours of beautiful hiking that morning. The weather was nice and cool before the sun came up and I was flying down the trail. I got to the first water cache by 8 and it was already getting hot. I knew I couldn’t stay here long since the heat was just going to get worse. So I ate a bunch of food, drank a lot of water and then hiked out with 3 litres of water on me.
Real Desert Hiking in Full Heat
By then the landscape had totally changed, it went from the lush green of grass and trees to a barren desert of shrubs and Joshua trees. This was probably the most desert I have ever experienced. The sun relentlessly beat down on me and the landscape was devoid of shade of any form. At this point, it was to make it to camp as soon as possible or not at all. There was no chance of waiting for the sun to go down.
Bit of a “good view” break
Funny side story, it was so hot that when I stepped off the trail to pee on time. I looked down and saw a lizard bathing in the stream of my pee. I was so confused and tried to stop peeing on the poor lizard but he followed where the stream went. Just sat there in the stream and stared at me!
Not the same lizard but looks like this one
The Other Hikers
There was a few of us hiking around the same pace, me and four older gentleman. Saunter, a hiker who has done the PCT in 2016, 2017 and now hiking in 2018. He had a fun and mischievous smile and a belly full of stories from his many years adventures. G, a kind gentleman who is lighthearted and cheerful. Mike, trucks so fast on the uphill but hates the downhill. Also, a section hiker we met that day that we don’t know too much about, making up a few sections to complete the California section of the PCT. So we leap frogged each other, I would hike faster and then see them at break points and then hike past again.
Pushing On Through the Heat
The day went on, hotter and hotter. The sun beat down with its full might. The air feels so hot and heavy that you would think a spark would set it on fire. Sweat poured down and provided no relief of cooling. It was especially bad on the climbs, where the aching muscles worked hard to trudge up the hill, adding more heat to the already unbearable heat.
Saunter and his umbrella in the distance.
Rainbow cloud! Maybe it only happens when it’s too hot.
Making it to Camp
By the last few miles, I was stumbling. Mike had passed me on the last uphill stretch. I have no idea where he gets the energy. My bottle almost out of water and my legs felt like jello, trudging one step at a time up the brutal hills. I occasionally would stop next to some meager shade, sit for a while and then worked to push on because I knew I can’t run out of water before I get to the water cache.
Finally, I crested the last hill and started going down, all my focus was to keep me up right and on the trail. Down, down I hiked and finally made it to the water cache where I drink greedily.
It was annoying how the whole stretch of walking was wind less and as soon as I want to set up camp, the wind starts howling. I forced myself to get up and looked for a good spot before they get all taken and to my joy, found a tiny spot right next to a giant boulder away from the wind. It was just enough for me to cowboy camp in. It was perfect.
Soon, other people started to trickle in. Saunter, Batlegs, Carmen and G. Everyone looks defeated yet relieved to be here. We all set up camp and then gathered around to have dinner and watch the sunset.
I sat there on the dirt, zoned out in my own thoughts, about the conversation I had with Saunter on how a large number of people quit at Walker pass and I am starting to see why. That 20 miles was more than enough to bring up doubt, to remind me why I should suffer through with this, I sat there, pondering before the sound of laughter brought me back to the present. I looked around me. The sky was pink orange and red, glowing brilliantly. All my friends digging into their well earned dinner, laughing, talking and aweing at the beauty around us. Pain and suffering is only temporary but beauty and friendship, that lasts forever. Whatever thoughts I had drifted away like dust in the wind, forgotten.
I don’t know what Legs is doing.
I slept pretty great that night, only woke up once in the middle of the night to see Carmen struggling with her tent. The next morning I found out that a cactus cut away her guyline and she had to get out to fix it. Haha 😂 gonna love other people’s miseries… Jk
We woke up at 3:30 under the stars to try to finish the remaining 20 miles before the heat starts. The sky so dark, the moon is just a silver and the star countless and shinning so bright. We shouldered our packs and climbed by head lamp. The milky way above, the cold crisp air and ever brightening horizon reminded me again of why I am out here. We peaked the crest of the hill right at sunrise. I dropped my pack and stepped up to a giant rock and watched the open valley, edge of sky bright crimson.
A perfect end to a day of hardship and suffering. The sun will always rise after the blackest nights and the hardest days brings the most beautiful sunset.
After the sun came up, I hiked 20 miles by noon to get to Walker Pass and was sitting at a Chinese buffet restaurant by 1 pm. Life is good. 😂
