[pct-l] Warning - Mile 548 - North of Tylerhorse Canyon

[pam.bryant at cox.net]

Hello Scott,

     My son and I did a backpack on October 23, 2009 and ran into Sage Clegg (a thru hiker who had started from Canada). She warned my son and I about the signs to stay away, no trespassing and how scary/spooky it was walking through the area you are referring to.

     When we approached the area, it was pretty spooky and scary with the stay away signs, no trespassing. My son remembers some broken glass on the trail and some cut up barbed wire. It was clear to us we were in some private property area, but we were on the PCT so we were fine. I came to the conclusion that someone was trying to keep dirt bikers away.

     It is obvious that what the problem was back then has gotten *much, much worse* . . . . .Hopefully the authorities are able to figure it out and put a stop to this situation and make the trail what is was intended to be . . . safe, serene, with God's beauty all around it. . . 

     Thank you so much for your time and energy contacting the authorities regarding this problem and dealing with the media. 

Pam Bryant 


---- Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com> wrote: 
> Hi all, this is Shroomer writing from the hotel lobby in Tehachapi, and I
> agree, a huge thanks to Half Mile for forwarding my message.  And Miner you
> are correct, this is at the top of the ridge, and the area is a maze of dirt
> bike tracks, and the whole show may be aimed at dirt bikers, and not us, but
> the danger of barreling through the area in tennis shoes or as Amoeba does,
> in crocks, can not be understated.  The trail is littered in broken bottles
> and small cement cylinders with 3 or 4 nails embedded in them.  We saw 20 to
> 30 of these in the trail or along the side, and about 5 or 6 were burried in
> the loose sand, with the nails protruding above ground.  No question that
> they would cripple a hiker if stepped on with the weight of person and
> backpack.  Also the area has numerous signs nailed to the trees warning that
> you are hiking on a rifle range, and a target consisting of two metal arms
> that will spin around if either side is hit, is pounded right into the
> middle of the trail.  If anyone actually fired at that target, they'd be
> shooting directly down the trail at north bound hikers.  Finally a shiney
> new barbed wire fence has been layed directly across the trail and is
> posted, No Tresspassing, Private Land.  Between the shooting gallary, the
> threatening posts, and home made caltrops, the whole scene is very
> threatening.
> 
> Three of us came upon this, and took some photos, and packed up one of the
> caltrops, and hit it down the trail as fast as we could.  As soon as we had
> a bit of cel service, 3:15pm, we phoned the PCT office in Idyllwild and left
> a message about what we had found, and who we were.  Early this morning I
> called the PCTA main office, and then the Kern County Sheriff.  The Sheriff
> was really quick in his response, sending a Sgt to pick up the caltrop.  I
> later heard that the land is private, but the trail is under BLM
> management.  A sheriff's deputy and BLM law inforcement were both dispatched
> this afternoon to investigate the scene.  I don't know what they saw today,
> or what conclusions they've come to.  I've basically been on the phone all
> day, calling and being called by representitives of the Forest Service, BLM,
> PCTA, Sheriff's Office and several local news papers who received a tip, and
> wanted to do a story.  So far, I've been very impressed by the concerted
> response of all agencies involved, and hope the mess will be cleaned up
> soon.
> 
> And on a more positive note, Tehachapi has been a hiker's dream with trail
> angels all over the place.  I needed to get to the post office, and asked
> the person at the desk of the down town Best Western, where it was.  She
> told me it was too far to walk, and wouldn't give me directions until she
> had given me her car keys so I could drive there.  Wow!  And later, I asked
> another gal at the desk how to get to the main road so that I could hitch
> out of town, and she had me call, "The Apple Shed", a restaurant a few
> blocks away and talk to "Cathy."  Cathy is a dear and gave me a long list of
> local trail angels willing to give hiker trash lifts back to the trail.  The
> first person I called said, where and when, and I'm set to get back to the
> trail.  What people!  I've also heard that another Cathy at the "Picture
> Perfect" shop will help hikers, and send free cards for you.  A great town
> to come into after a scary day yesterday.
> 
> I don't have email on the trail.
> 
> Thanks again Half Mile, I do have your number.
> 
> Shroomer
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