[pct-l] Itinerary Help-So Cal Desert Sections

[Mary Kwart]

Karen:

I am going to hike the Mohave section E from Agua Dulce to Hwy 58 starting around March 23-24. I chose this section to beat the heat of the Mohave. However, I have heard from a hiker who did that section in February that there was around 2 feet of snow from miles 547 to 554 and patchy snow from mile 503 to 507. There may still be snow at the end of March south of Hwy 58 above 5000 feet because it was a heavy snow year down south. Anyway, I will be ready for the snow--a small price to pay to beat the high temps. I don't know what the flowers will be doing then--hopefully blooming in some parts of the section.

I am going to start Section C from Cabazon after the kickoff and also do D, F and G up to Kennedy Meadows then. I am a section hiker, so have done section A and B (Campo to Cabazon) last year, starting on May 8.

I am thinking of taking a break after I reach Kennedy Meadows in June to let the Sierra snow melt a bit and to do a trip to Alaska, then return at the end of July and do the short bit from Kennedy Meadows to Mt. Whitney. Then I'm onto Washington to finish that state by the first week of September.

Good luck--from my experience in the desert last year, it is well worth doing those sections when the weather is cooler. Unfortunately both section A and B have embedded mountainous snow areas (Mt. Laguna and the San Jacintos), but you could always bale out on roads and do the snow sections later.

--Fireweed