[pct-l] Water Section F

[dsaufley at sprynet.com (Donna Saufley)]

The updates have come in from the early hikers for Section F as follows:

LAST UPDATED 05/08/04
 
BETWEEN HWY 58 (CAMERON ROAD) & KENNEDY MEADOWS 

·         Water at Golden Oak Springs ? on trail, 16 miles from Hwy 58.  Slow but steady piped water into trough. Running great.
·         Next water is at Robin Bird Spring (18 miles).  The spring is 100 yards downhill from trail (there are signs).  Face lower fence, left corner has a gate.  Climb uphill toward tank.  Below tank is a pipe with steady flow of good water.  
·         Water from three forks of Cottonwood Creek running clear and well, and available down drainage towards Lander?s Camp.  Water pool behind concrete dam of spring on PCT is deep and clear.
·         Landers Camp, SNF Road 29S05.  Spring is piped  to large fire tank plus has an excellent flow spilling from pipe.  Water at Landers Meadow.  
·         Kelso Valley Road at pass (Map F9).  50 gallon cache (as of 5/3/04) by Mary Barcik of Welden.  Very well maintained with register.  PCT south side of road ? can't miss.
·         Bird Spring Pass -- just 200 yards past pass on north side of road is a 40+ gallon cache by Mary Barcik of Weldon.  Next water is at the junction of Kelso Valley Road and Butterbread Road.  The water hole is an unnamed spring ½ miles downhill of the junction.  Reported to be an unappealing mud hole not worth the hike (not checked 05/03/04).
·         At Bird Spring Pass, north side ? 35+ gallon cache by Mary Barcik of Welden.  Refilled 1-3 times per week ? 5/10/03 with register in good shape.
·         Next water is Lower Yellow Jacket Spring (22 miles).  Reported to be ?just a seep? and ?not worth the hike?. The camp and spring is one mile off the PCT on the Scodie Trail ? Scodie Trail junction is signed. 
·         There is also water at McIver Spring seven miles from Hwy 178.  Spring running well (flowing great 5-8 gallon a minute flow 5/11/03). Junctions to McIvers Cabin is NOT marked.  PCT is blocked by blow down ? stay on road.  Water is on at Walker Pass Campground (5/9/04)
·         Water trough is full and the water from spring is flowing clear, clean and plentiful at Joshua Tree Spring (Map G1) (thanks to Back Country Horsemen volunteers replumbing).  ?Bad? bear reported in previous years.
·         Water flow (both branch and main channel) is flowing well at Spanish Needle Creek.  Wild onions are thriving in the branch of the creek.
·         A mile or so past the main branch of Spanish Needle Creek, there is water crossing the trail again from a spring (about ½ mile or so from the main creek).  If you follow the water you find crossing the trail up about 100 feet or so there is a small, clear pool with good water.
·         Stream running well and clear at Chimney Creek Campground (both stream and spring that feeds the campground); campground water is turned on.  Signs posted warning of poor water quality.  The friendly Camp Host cannot recommend that you drink the water untreated -- but he does.  He has soda pop and candy bars for sale!!! Camping is free and the lower sites have water faucets right in camp.
·         Fox Mill Spring (Map G4) is completely dry.  The trough is empty and the pipe wasn't producing.  Go through the willows to a clear running stream (not verified yet this year).
·         Water at creek crossing of Rockhouse Basin was very good, particularly upstream from actual PCT crossing.  The spring was still flowing feeding the creek.  After this creek it was DRY to the Kern River.
·         Seasonal creeks referenced in the guide from Rockhouse Basin to Kern River are not flowing due to lack of tree cover from a recent fire.  This is a hot, dry section.  Carry extra water.        
·         Kennedy Meadows Campground has water.   


-=Donna Saufley=-