[pct-l] Desert Hiking Advice

[Mel Tungate]

The only issue starting at Campo is the many hikers starting there.

If you can do the desert before it gets too hot, CA Section E is great in
March if the weather cooperates.  Starting at Agua Dulce ( you can stay at
Donna's the night before you start ), you have 24 miles of great trail.

Then you can stay at the Andersons.  

Then you walk on a road, or hitch for a dozen miles or so, then go back up
to the trail when you get past the little town of Hughes Lake, then maybe 20
miles of hill hiking.  

>From HikerTown at 518, you have full desert to 566.  You have to plan water
carefully ( stop at Iberdrola at 536 to make it doable. ).  Then you have OK
hiking to 541, and you are in the damaged part until 549 - it is said to be
doable, but expect some issues.  And, I doubt if it gets repaired by the
trail gorillas anytime soon - they have MUCH bigger fish to fry.

At 558, you can hitch to Tehachipi or Mojave, or wait until mm 566 ( CA Hwy
58 ).  After 566, you are in section F, and you need to make sure you have
plenty of water.  A recent hiker found it slow going with a ton of
blowdowns, but again very doable.  I doubt if the Trail Gorillas get up
there quickly either - there are some massive areas that are vital to open
down in SoCal.

Did that help?

Mel

-----Original Message-----
From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Robert
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 6:58 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Desert Hiking Advice

Hello hikers, 
I'm looking for advice/comments/thoughts on a hike I'm planning. My wife and
I live in Portland and have been section hiking the PCT in the northwest for
30 years. In the summer of 2012 we hiked all of Oregon which was so
incredible it left us wanting more. We'd like to have a chance at hiking the
entire trail before it's too late for us. One area where we lack any
experience is in desert hiking. In preparation for our 'someday thru-hike'
we'd like to get a taste of the desert PCT. I was looking at the section
from Campo to Warner Springs mainly because the logistics look pretty
straightforward. And, we have some flexibility in picking a date so we'd
like to avoid 'the herd'. I'd be interested in hearing any thoughts or
suggestions you might have. 

Thanks in advance, 
Rob 
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