pct blog. : Day 49: Mojave - Walker pass CG (mi 628-652)

As the alarm went off at 4 AM, we did something different: we woke up and hit the road. The second cache, as it was called, was still three miles north, and the next water after that was another 34 miles away (and of dubious quality - the water report said it contained uranium. We strode quickly through the cool pre-dawn air, and I paused only to snap a few pictures of the best part of the desert as the sun rose through the dust-laden air to create brilliant red-orange hues.

A beautiful desert sunrise.

More desert sunrise beauty over the lower side of the range we were about to climb.

Brilliant rose and orange hues on the alabaster sand and grey-flecked granite.

Long dawn shadows today! Almost to the second cache by 6 AM.

We arrived at the second cache at Bird Spring Pass at 6:20 AM. I whipped out the stove to cook up a batch of oatmeal, and heard a beleaguered vehicle struggling to crest the hill on the road behind me. I turned around and saw a 1980's Toyota four-banger pickup truck, piloted by an octogenarian lady. She stopped at the top, got out and moved to the rear of the truck, which she opened to reveal approximately 80-90 gallon bottles of water. A Trail Angel at work. We hopped up and helped transfer the payload to its proper place, profusely thanked her for her generosity, and asked a few questions. How long had she been doing this? Does she always have to unload by herself? Where does she get the water? It turned out that she had been doing the cache for a number of years, and was amazed at the number of hikers this year. She intended to stop, but couldn't sleep at night thinking about what "those poor hikers would do for water." She stocked the cache we used yesterday and this one out of her own well, and got the empty bottles from her neighbour, who did not have good well water. We finished helping her and let her get on her way before the desert heated up, as her truck did not have a functional engine thermostat, and her son had yet to replace it.

Smiles helps Trail Angel Mary unload water at the legendary second cache.

A welcome sight in a hostile place.

We powered down on some oatmeal and hurried up the 2,500-foot climb directly thereafter. Smiles was saddled with five liters of water, and I with seven. We were racing the shadows and easily noticed a 20-degree increase each time we scooted out of the shadows provided from the peaks above.

Another tease? Montane conifers and granite are sure signs of the Sierra, but we know that more desert lies between us and the rocky heights.

We joyously gained the top of the climb and walked to see a nice, closed canopy of conifers at the topographic bench above the desert floor to the east.

Smiles powers north and breathes a sigh of relief as we finish the long climb before it heats up. The trail stays on the forested plateau to the north, thankfully, for some time.

We made a quick break, where I was able to evaluate the progress on my still-sore calves and persistent blisters and Smiles merely rested her poor feet. We continued on, relatively happy in the dry heat, as the pines kept the sun from beating down on us too badly. We saw an impromptu register on a cow skull, in the middle of nowhere. I walked slowly and calmly, attempting to only breathe through my nose as a water conservation effort.

A cow's demise becomes an impromptu trail register.

As soon as we lost the closed canopy, we looked for a breaking spot for lunch. We quickly found a good shade spot beneath a scraggly oak and destroyed our last orange while otherwise conserving water.

A most excellent orange, the last of our fresh food, enjoyed at lunch.

Smiles feels similarly about the oranges.

After lunch, we got cooked for the first time of the day and progressed for three seemingly endless miles through a burn area to the edge of the plateau, which brought us into the Owens River drainage and to a view of the Owens Peak wilderness.

Looking north towards Owens Peak wilderness, the last 50 miles until Kennedy Meadows. Slightly more hospitable looking mountains, but we know they too will be dry.

Smiles jams down towards Walker Pass on a long descent that curved around several mountains.

At some point, we became concerned that the trail magic rumored to be at Walker Pass would be done for the day by the time we arrived, so I scooted ahead of Smiles to run down and secure a soda or two, if the trail magic was indeed coming to fruition.

As close as I was getting to a self-portrait as I ran ahead to secure potential trail magic at Walker Pass.

Made it, and trail magic abounded! Campsite at Walker Pass.

The trail magic was happening. Ho yes, I rounded a corner, saw some tents, inspected with my binoculars and saw an entire setup. I tore off at a fast jog over the last mile and a half, still toting about four liters of water. I arrived and saw that these trail angels were in it for the long haul - there was no time concern. Yogi and Jackalope had quite the setup, and Bear Bait (Jackalope's son) went to the cooler and fetched me a cold Budweiser. Man, that was a great beer. Smiles followed shortly thereafter, and a spaghetti dinner was served. Needless to say we did not continue on that night, which left us about four miles short of our goal for the day, but there were no complaints. We figured we would leave after an early pancake breakfast the following day. Cold drinks and plentiful, hot food are strong motivators.