Miles hiked: 20.5.
Got up and going like normal, with about 7 miles to the next water. It turned out I didn't quite budget my water right yesterday, or just didn't carry enough, or was too active in the afternoon heat, or all of these. I had saved 1 liter for this morning's walk, which generally would be fine for me. Today however a couple things were different: I was coming off a day with a little less water than I really needed, I had 3 miles of climbing to do first thing, and it was already 70 degrees when I started walking at 5:15. I had been counting on much cooler temperatures to get the climb done.
I pushed up the climb a bit harder than I should have on my delicate shin-muscle-thingy, but I was starting to feel some dehydration effects and wanted to get to the water as soon as possible and before it got much hotter. Luckily the weather cooperated, and clouds built which kept the temperature from rising any more. I had camped in a low pass of the ridge I walked the second half of yesterday, and this climb brought me back up to what was now a cliffy edge looking out to the east. Once to the top the going was pretty easy, and I made it to Yellowjacket Spring by about 8. I had my last water as one gulp a mile for the last 3 miles.
Yellowjacket Spring is about 3/4 mile off the PCT, down a little gully. With all the water caches, I had heard not many people were coming down to this spring, but I found a well worn path right to the best place to get water. The spring hadn't been developed, so it was just a patch of soggy ground stretching about 50 meters along a canyon, with sedges and small willows, and little pools here and there where water could be carefully scooped up. I stayed at the spring almost 2 hours, drinking a few liters, making a few more for the next 13 miles, having breakfast, and enjoying all the birds and butterflies who were so there. I had Lawrence's Goldfinches and California Sisters perching right next to me.
Back on the trail, I continued along the ridge for a few more miles, then happened upon Gumbi and Not So Fast having a break where the trail crested over onto a big flat tableland. We chatted for a bit, then a few rain drops started to fall!! What luck to get more cool rain in he desert. But then the cloud right above us darkens more and began to rumble with thunder. I looked around and realized this was about the worst ace to be with lightning right overhead, so we packed up and got moving. The rain became heavier and I tried to hold my umbrella over my pack because I didn't have it very waterproofed, but eventually I had to stop for a quick minute to deploy my pack cover. The. Ext mile and a half went pretty quick, but my leg was starting to hurt a bit so when the thunder eased and I got to a little group of trees I took a quick break to sit down, wrap and elevate the leg, and have some snacks. After only ten or so minutes the thunder picked back up and I decided I needed to move. I used the GPS and Halfmile app on my phone to be sure of my location and came up with a plan. The clouds were darkening and I saw a lightning bolt streak toward the ground a couple miles away, so I turned off the trail and took a side jeep road down to something called McIver's Cabin on my map. I wasn't sure if here would even be anything there, but it turned out to be just right for waiting out some weather. It was a little one room cabin about 15x20 feet, with a few screened windows and a door held shut by some string. Inside was a bit of trash, a log book, an empty flask, a few chairs and benches, and lots and lots of names written and carved all over the walls.
Around 4 I got walking again, continuing along the high plateau for a couple more miles then beginning the long descent down to Walker Pass. This was another spectacular bit of trail, contouring down a steep sided spur ridge, dropping 1500 feet or so in a few miles.
At Walker Pass there was another big messy water cache with a hiker box full of trash and half a case of warm beer. It took me about 30 minutes to figure out where the natural water source was, downhill to the west of the campground in a little gully. This water was a few spring fed cement troughs with cat tails and algae and some sort of big toad and what I'm pretty sure was a marsh wren. I drank a bunch of water, had dinner, and topped off my 7 liter capacity as the setting sun lit up the wispy wester clouds.
Got back up to the campground around 9:30, talked with a couple hikers who were milling around, and quickly set up my bed and got to sleep.
Note: I'm about to enter the Sierra, and Internet/cell access may be pretty hit or miss over the next couple weeks. I'll try to post when I can.
Birds:
California Towhee
California Thrasher
Lark Sparrow
Rock Wren
Common Raven
Spotted Towhee
Swift
Gnatcatcher?
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Mourning Dove
Oak Titmouse
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lawrence's Goldfinch
Bushtit
Hairy Woodpecker
Stellar's Jay
Mountain Chickadee
Pygmy Nuthatch
Red-tailed Hawk
California Quail
Marsh Wren
No comments:
Post a Comment