PCT Hikers

I visit Vasquez Rocks 3 to 4 times a week to hike with my dog. It's amazing to watch the hikers come through. Several this past week.

This morning there was new snow surrounding the hills of Agua Dulce.

Yesterday I went out to YouTube to see some of the postings. One, this hike was entering the Tehachapi’s. Early?

I wonder if the store at Kennedy Meadows where it's a major resupply and stopping point will be open this early.

Back in 2011, the road to Horseshoe Meadows didn't open until the end of June. That will be a major problem for some hikers who exit for resupply.

paul

Bird Spring Pass was mostly melted, but they'll definitely be in snow before Walker Pass... I've been rejecting the idea of going up to McIver's Cabin because of the time and fuel that will probably be wasted...

Based on what I saw when I tried to ride up Wyleys Knob last week, I can't imagine what it will look like to the north (other than lots of deep snow)...

I was also stopped by snow riding up Sage Canyon and Cow Heaven Canyon... It hasn't been warm enough for much of that to have melted off at higher elevations...

I've been meaning to get my hiking legs back into shape...the PCT north of Walker Pass is usually my favorite...I may head up to have a look...

Post some pictures of the PCT north of Walker Pass - my legs need to go up there as well but they don't much like slogging through snow drifts.

Looking down canyon from the Owens Peak Trailhead...
Only patches of snow from 5k up...
North and east slopes are still holding snow...

Boy was I wrong…
More later…
Heading for Kennedy Meadows via Chimney Peak Scenic Byway.

Short sections of snow on north facing slopes until the "turn" for Morris Peak about 3 miles from Walker Pass...




Based on what I saw, I decided to try and ride up the Chimney Peak Scenic Byway to Kennedy Meadows...there was a Road Closed sign just off 178...rode around it only to find this where Chimney Creek "crosses" the road...

(Could have made it past this, but didn't want to have to backtrack if there was further damage higher up.)

A few more photos of PCT conditions...


About a mile-and-a-half down from the Fire Station on the way "down" to Chimney Creek Campground. (Was thinking of walking towards Sawtooth Peak...)



Kennedy Meadows Road...



About three miles north of Kennedy Meadows Campground...didn't see any signs of previous visits...Up until this point, the mud was more annoying than the snow...

Thanks Richard.

I was hiking yesterday at Vasquez Rocks and saw a couple PCT hikers. I can't imagine what these people are going to encounter once they hit the Southern Sierras. Resupply will be difficult.

Keep posting pictures.

paul

I forgot to mention that the PCT photo is ONLY 6700'...and that's a perfectly southern exposure canyon the trail heads up...I'd like to see what it looks like on the west side of Olancha Pass and south of Horseshoe Meadow... if only I owned a snow cat...

I didn't look at the PCT log books at Bird Spring, or Walker Pass, but did look at the Kennedy Meadows Campground log... only entries were from about a week ago and stated they were day hiking.

I want to try the ride up to McIvers Cabin, but it's the weekend and I can't stand sharing the road with SxSs... I do love that the PCT up there is mixed use, so I can claim I've ridden the PCT...

Focus is going to shift to Whitney...I want to try "winter" climbing again...and only four more weeks before quota permits are required...

I rode up Forest Road 27S11 to the Sierra crest yesterday (this dead ends at McIvers Cabin) to about 66oo' before turning around due to patchy snow and muddy trail conditions. The PCT would have been "passable," but I can't see it as being any fun...

(Didn't take out the phone for photos...it was cold and windy up there.)

(FYI: this is a few miles north of Bird Spring Pass / Skinner Peak...south of Walker Pass.)

Richard, how was the road to the Owen's Peak trailhead ? Is it passable for cars ?
Thanks

There's enough storm damage in the canyon that I think at least high clearance will be required to make the trailhead. My thought is that all of the snow will be gone by now (only patches last time I went up).

The last couple of times I've been by the Aqueduct, there's been heavy equipment working the trails...if BLM, they'll eventually fix Indian Wells Canyon...more likely (guess), DWP working diversions to prevent more damage to their roads and smoothing out their roads...

So here's some photos...
Nothing has been done to repair the damage yet.


That's my Quad (for size reference)



This isn't even the worst of it...there's some deeper ruts up past the Nadeau Mine turnoff.



Here's a photo of Morris, Jenkins and Owens for perspective on what that section of the PCT will be like...

When it washed out a while back it took them years to fix it. The DWP probably won't do any work past the aqueduct.
Thanks !

The heavy equipment did go up Short and Grapevine Canyons...
I went up both, checking out wildflower blooms...and wanting a look at the north side of Owens (it would be an epic "winter" climb under the right conditions).
(Confused...)

I do remember posting about the damage finally being repaired last time...it was a long time coming...

While at Vasquez Rocks on Wednesday hiking, I ran into 6 PCT hikers heading South. They said that they started in the Tehachapi’s and are heading down to Mexico to avoid the Sierras and the snow. Then, they’ll head back to the Tehachapi’s and start North. They are hoping that by then, some snow will have melted.

Paul

Rode up to McIver's Cabin today...

The photo doesn't do the crowd justice...I'd say at least 10 motorcycles and at least as many SxS's...

There was still a little bit of packed snow in the shade, but there was enough dirt on top to prevent slipping...(Doug's throw a little sand on it trick.)

Didn't see any hikers...the log book was nowhere to be found, so I couldn't tell you whether any thru-hikers have passed by...

The weather was outstanding up there...

Oh, and the spring looked like a river...

Another seldom discussed thru-hiker issue: If they do get to Horseshoe Meadow and decide to bail because of snow, if the road is closed it's a really long trek to LP by foot.

I usually take a look at HM Rd when I head up to Lone Pine, but the snow showing on lower switchbacks had me saving the time and effort. I was amazed at the effect of a little warm weather on the snow melt on WP Rd and I'd imagine it's probably the same on HM Rd...

I am going for a ride up there soon...I love walking around the meadows with nobody else around...

Oh yes....post on what you find going up to Horseshoe Meadows.

Paul

6 PCT Through-hikers today...5 men, 1 woman...

All bailing via Mulkey Pass...

Rumors are:
-There is a (solo) skier doing the High Sierra sections of PCT...
-There is a group of 12 heading for a re-supply at Bishop...(kind of doubt this one...there were NoBo tracks, but definitely not a dozen people worth...)

I spent quite a bit of time talking to a solo at Mulkey Pass...4 days from Kennedy Meadows...another group of 3 couldn't handle more than 10 miles per day and had had enough...The guy at Mulkey told me there were tracks NoBo, so I headed to Trail Pass...no noticeable tracks heading down, but I've been there enough and just plowed my way down to the TH...Look for another thread with photos...

I have been following a few PCT hikers on Youtube. This one posted video, showed 16 hikers leaving Kennedy Meadows in the morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymidY-un52E&t=779s

It was amazing to see the South Fork of the Kern flowing as high as it was. I can't imagine river crossings this year.

I have 4 wilderness permits this year starting at the end of June over Trail Pass to Rocky Lakes Basin. No sure any more on the hike.

paul

The consensus among the hikers (4 0f 6) I talked to...

Forget about this summer if it involves a stream crossing...

My added thought...think about how much of a bog the meadows crossings are going to be...

Rode up past Kennedy Meadows to see if Sherman Pass Road was open...it isn't...

Turned around and headed over to Kennedy Meadows Campground and got chased off by a County Worker...

I saw a big group of SoBo hikers near the river...

The Chimney Peak Scenic Byway has been repaired...

There were campers at the Chimney Creek Campground.

Sorry Paul...with the weather not hitting summer temps yet, I've been riding dirt bikes the past few days...

Crossed paths with a thru-hiker on the contour below Mt. Jenkins (climbed it from above the Mine...)

As expected. none of the drainages off of Morris and Jenkins were running any more...

On another note: the damage up in Indian Wells Canyon is pretty extensive...worse than earlier this year...yesterday (luckily, on a light bike) I dropped into one of the ruts and couldn't ride out, so I had to lay the bike on its side and drag it up-and=out...

Stopped to talk to a SoBo'er just north of Honeymoon Peak while doing 10k on the PCT out of Walker Pass...(Hey Shin, I can still walk...:-)

Interesting conversation...
-Still snowfields to deal with as he was passing thru the Sierra...
-The NPS had finished dismantling the damaged bridge...he felt that it would be replaced...I fear the Wilderness Weenies may protest, making enough noise that the NPS will pass...I'll be glad if I'm wrong on this one...
-When asked about a detour, he said that the water level was low enough that he waded across...





(Shin feared that I might have to learn how to walk again...mileage totals well in excess of 8k miles (physical and virtual on bikes and dirt bikes...)) If winter stays away, I'll probably try a few climbs up Whitney...soon.

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (2 electric, 1 gas) I went for rides into the Southern Sierra...

Indian Wells Canyon is in even worse shape than it was last year...high clearance, or 2 wheels (moto) required...
(I rode 177 instead of 164... to the Owens Peak Trailhead...)

I'd be surprised if there is any snow on the PCT from Walker Pass (significantly) North...

Here are a few photos...the Wildflowers are pretty wild right now:


Five Fingers.



Owens Peak has little snow remaining.



Back side of Five Fingers.



Five Fingers (south).



KTM Freeride (poster photo).



RFN ebike (poster photo).



Hiking up to Five Fingers.



From Morris Peak to Sawtooth...almost no snow...

Richard.....great pictures. You really do a great job of capturing the essence of the area. I've never been there but your pictures make me want to go and enjoy the area.

Just a side note. I visit Vasquez Rocks 2 to 3 times a week for hiking. A little over a week ago, a couple of PCT hikers went through, which seems early. However, come April, when most start arriving in town, you run into, sometimes ten or so a day.

Richard, I don't have to say this, but enjoy life.

Paul

thanks Paul.

I rode up to Kennedy Meadows Campground and did 6+ miles round-trip up the PCT. One snow patch...

The north facing slopes up above about 7k are still holding a little snow, but I don't think those slopes will pose much of a challenge...

I'm thinking of testing my long-distance legs by doing KM to Olancha Pass sometime soon...

Might ending doing the JMT by sections again this summer...

I did my (somewhat) annual ride up to McIver's Cabin on a 12hp 150 today...plenty of 1st gear riding...





2 SxS's and 3 4WD's were all I saw...no PCT hikers yet.

The spring is running strong...





I don't know if it's just me getting old, but the trail just keeps getting worse...and this year there was absolutly no snow...

I rode up past Bird Spring Pass to Wyleys Knob today...
Lots of water and some (emergency?) supplies at the Pass...
From Wyleys, I could see quite a bit of the PCT and didn't see any hikers...

Here are a couple of photos:


PCT South...



PCT North...


Oh, BTW, if you like Lupine, a trip up into Indian Wells Canyon would be worth your while...amazing display up high in the canyon...and I actually saw a man and his dog walking there yesterday afternoon...