CHAPTER SEVEN (TEHACHAPI PASS mile 566.5 to KENNEDY MEADOWS mile 702)
LESSON LEARNED: Hyperventilating leads to further anxiety.
The trip preparations and planning had taken six months before my departure in April. Research required scouring the web for lightweight gear, reading equipment recommendations, and studying other hikers gear lists. I purchased the lightest gear possible fitting my comfort level after spending endless hours on the computer comparing products and weights.
Having no outdoor equipment stores in the Palm Springs area, I made many shopping trips to the REI store during trips to Seattle. REI does not always carry the lightest gear available and many items were purchased online.
There had been fits and starts. Originally, I had planned to use a lightweight stove burning fuel tablets and/or alcohol. In early 2014 open fires were to be banned along certain trail sections and I decided to switch to a JetBoil. The JetBoil added extra weight but had the advantage of ease of use.
Having a history of breaking several trekking poles, carrying a tent requiring trekking poles to pitch seemed a disaster. The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 was my tent of choice.
I had ordered several sizes of Sawyer filters before I found a workable size to filter water without too much weight.
On the trail, I was thrilled with my choice of gear, my painstaking research paid off.
My pre-planning of food was less successful. It took several weeks on the trail before I settled on the food that worked best for me.
I had sent seventeen resupply packages to locations along the way. Meals planning required a spreadsheet of the trail, showing miles to be hiked and days between box drops.
The meals sent in the resupply packages did not work out as planned. Early on I found I did not wish to take time in the morning to prepare oatmeal or grits. It was easier and faster to eat an energy bar and have no cleanup. I had planned to eat two Gluten-Free Kind bars for lunch. I became allergic to these bars and had to purchase lunch items in towns. When I picked up my resupply packages the oatmeal and Kind bars were placed directly into the hiker boxes. The hiker boxes were overloaded with oatmeal, as hikers became tired of oatmeal or changed their minds as I had.
My preferred lunch most often became a foil pack of tuna with individual packets mayo and mustard stirred in. I made my own trail mix in town stops for morning break. In the afternoon I often ate cheese as a snack. Dinner was normally instant potatoes with freeze-dried vegetables along with some type of meat such as spam or a cut up pepperoni stick or freeze-dried chicken. Once or twice during each section, I varied dinner with a freeze-dried packaged meal. I did not want to carry packaged dinners for every day because of the weight of the waste after consuming these meals and the wait time required before the dinner could be consumed. I kept it simple. I was not interested in elaborate meals. I was on the trail partly for a break from meal planning and preparation. Instant potatoes were quick and easy.
My special treat was a daily candy bar, most frequently eaten after dinner. Since chips are lightweight, I left every trail stop with a bag of some type of chips in my pack. I got teased for eating Pirates Booty, but hey, they’re lightweight.
In town stops, I organized the food separating each day’s food into a large zip lock bag. Each morning I placed the bag of food for the day inside on top of my backpack for easy access. Many hikers munch as they hike. I preferred to stop and sit down to eat for morning and afternoon snacks and for lunch. I do not enjoy eating while moving down the trail as it never seems filling.
Planning for, obtaining, and filtering water was a big part of each day. I left town stops with four one-liter bottles of Smart water. I kept one bottle on the breast strap in front of my backpack attached at all times for easy access while hiking. The other three were in my backpack side pockets. At each resupply town I purchased Gatorade and after drinking the contents used the wide mouth Gatorade bottle to capture water from streams. The wide mouth worked well for this purpose. The Gatorade bottle thereafter stored unfiltered water. The Smart bottles were for filtered water only. I purchased new Smart water bottles in town as on the trail the bottles became gritty and dirty. I filtered all water along the trail except water from potable taps or at the source of a natural spring.
Day 55:
Highway 58 is a busy divided four-lane highway with heavy traffic between Mojave eastward and Tehachapi westward. Because of the length of time to drive from La Quinta, it was a late start getting back on the trail Sunday, May 25th. It was disconcerting for my husband to drop me off and say goodbye at the edge of a busy highway with nothing around. He questioned my going.
I stepped out of the car. Retrieved my pack from the trunk. Took my trekking poles off my pack. Signed into the PCT register and looked up the trail. The trail followed back along the highway for a couple of miles before disappearing steeply upward.
Jim was meeting me in a few days at Kennedy Meadows to switch out desert gear for mountain gear. Because I had already taken so many days off the trail, I was planning for him to bring my gear instead of my going home. Before I had hiked out of Campo, I had sent a bear canister, micro spikes, and an ice ax to Kennedy Meadows.
Having hiked stoveless since coming out after the San Jacinto Mountains, I was looking forward to adding the Jetboil back into my gear at Kennedy Meadows. I had decided against taking an ice ax and micro spikes in the Sierras to save pack weight and needed to send these back home. I was exchanging the Zpad for the NeoAir. And I was adding a heavier weight Smartwool top to my clothing mix.
As the trail headed away from Highway 58, it became very steep. It was midday and well over 100 degrees. When possible, I took breaks under the few mesquite trees along the trail. Ahead of me lay a 2200’ gain in elevation.
Trees were few and far between. Halfway up the climb, I came upon two hikers under a tree. I stopped to talk. This is how I met Rubiks and Apache.
“Hi, I’m Rubiks.” A wide, stocky 24-year-old former rugby player with dark curly hair, Rubiks had a big happy smile. “What’s your name?”
“Lucy, well…Homegirl is my trail name.” I still had not become accustomed to using my trail name in introductions. We exchanged the usual trail questions about where we were from. Rubiks was smart, friendly and articulate.
Further up the trail under the next tree, Apache and I rolled out our Zpads and both of us took an afternoon nap.
In his early twenties, Apache had feathers stuck straight up dramatically around the brim of his hat. He was slight and quiet. He had hiked the PCT in 2013 and had been snowed off the trail in the North Cascades 200 miles before the border into Canada and had come back this year to re-hike the entire PCT, determined to get to Canada before the snow started falling.
Stopped short of his goal just before the finish, he had started all over again. His determination and perseverance were stunning and admirable.
Reaching the 6000’ level, a strong wind swept across the ridge making it difficult to walk. A mile short of the campsite at mile 574, I sought shelter from the wind and sun under a stand of mesquite trees and set up my tent. It was early, but I was worn out from the excessive heat.
Apache came by and hiked on. A gregarious hiker named Cheetos came by.
He was a leader of a group of five hikers headed for the campsite at mile 574. We talked as he was waiting for the rest of his team. Cheetos, a bartender from Honolulu, was enthusiastic and friendly. From the description of his fellow hikers, I gathered Mermaid was with him. We talked for a few minutes, and when none of the others of his group arrived, he eventually continued on.
Day 56:
In the morning I passed Cheetos’ campsite as the group began to stir about. A few more miles down the trail, I passed Apache asleep on top of a large flat rock.
The trail merged into a deeply rutted dirt road. On a downhill, I slipped on loose scree, lost my balance and fell. I was not hurt, just surprised. One moment I was daydreaming then, bam, I was down, flat on top of my backpack.
During the early morning, I saw several herds of Black Angus cattle grazing nearby as the trail passed over private grazing lands. Having spent my early life on a cattle ranch, I was unfazed by their presence. Fresh slippery cow pies dotted the trail creating a mess.
Soon the trail was high and back into pine forests.
In the early afternoon, the water source was Golden Oaks Spring, a small pipe with barely a dribble of water coming out. The water was not running with enough abundance to fill the nearby trough. The slow running water took time to collect and filter. A group of hikers gathered around waiting their turn. Cheetos and others, including Dr. Dan, stopped to filter water.
Further down the trail, under a shade of pine trees, I took a nap waiting for it to cool down before hiking onto the campsite at mile 593.
Dr. Dan was already camped at mile 593 when I arrived. The site was large and open and accommodating for many tents. Later, Mermaid came in and camped.
Day 57:
In the morning I was out of water and thirsty, so I rushed to Robin Bird Spring at mile 602 in the morning before the temperature rose.
As I was filtering water, Apache came in and hiked out.
Handbrake hiked in as I was putting my water bottles in my pack. Handbrake, a 60-year-old oil company engineer who had lived in Saudi Arabia for many years, was retired and making his home in Oregon. We talked, and each took out snacks to eat while resting against our backpacks, legs spread out on the ground.
The afternoon was spent hiking through pine forests. It was a pleasant and beautiful walk through tall pine trees with sparse underbrush. I had not seen other hikers after the spring until I was gaining on Dr. Dan and occasionally caught glimpses of him ahead. He was ahead of me as the trail around the bend to the left when I saw a bear. The bear slowly ambling across a log towards me. Slowing unzipping the pocket on my waist belt to draw out my camera, I accidentally startled the bear with my movements. The bear ran up the hillside at a fast speed before I could snap a photo.
Luckily, Dr. Dan was able to capture a picture of the bear from his position on the trail.
Further onward, Dr. Dan and I dropped our packs and took a 1.4-mile side trip to Willow Springs for water. Near the entry of the campground, a trough of cold, clear water looked refreshing, glistening in the afternoon sunlight. I longed to jump in. However, it is frowned upon to pollute water, so I refrained. In my memory of that day, I can picture the trough nestled in the tall green grass.
There were several hikers at Willow Spring. Dr. Dan and I filtered water and hiked out.
After the day of crossing through pine forests suddenly, I was out of the trees and from the mountain edge could see the desert sprawling before me in a vast barren valley cut with swathes of open washes. The trail descended into the desert valley and crossed several dirt roads. There was a water cache at one of the roads. I was able to fill up two more liters of water.
After the cache, I planned to camp at the first available space a mile or two from the road. However, there were no level areas to be found. I was forced to keep going. Eventually, I found a wash with a flat bottom at around mile 617. Rubiks had already set up his camp. I asked his permission to camp nearby and pitched my tent farther up the wash. It was almost dark when I arrived and dark when Cheetos came in with his group to set up camp. Several other hikers either came in or passed by in the darkness by headlamp.
Day 58:
Cheetos and another person started out at 3 am. Their headlamps flashed around lighting my tent and the noise created by their leaving made it impossible for me to go back to sleep. Since I was not sleeping, I decided to get ready to go. I left at four in the morning and waited until I was out of camp to turn on my headlamp so as not to create additional noise for those left inside tents trying to sleep.
I was worried about a steep climb ahead since I knew I would be required to climb up in the hottest part of the day.
Walking with the headlamp was slow as I could not clearly make out the trail. The cool of the morning was pleasant. Daybreak was a welcomed and beautiful time of day in the desert. However, on this day sunrise came with wind. Thick dust clouds blew across several open stretches of the trail. The trail wound up over a mountain and occasionally dropped down out of the wind.
I arrived at the road and water cache at noon. A steep mountain of 1600’+ in approximately 1-1/2 miles, stood before me. A large number of hikers had gathered at the water cache, sitting around eating lunch under a few giant trees. The best shade had already been taken. Under one tree, Cheetos and his companion were sleeping.
With Dr. Dan, I found partial shade under a small scrub tree and ate lunch and rested. I planned to wait until it cooled down to hike on, however, because my resting spot was not comfortable or fully shaded, I decided to proceed on up the mountain in the heat. A few of the other hikers started out as well.
When I finally neared the mountaintop, Cheetos came by to show me a photo on his iPhone of a rattlesnake under a rock on the switchback below us. I had walked passed the rattlesnake unaware.
I camped somewhere around mile 640 with Cheetos and Dr. Dan. I pitched my tent at some distance from the others as I was planning to depart early to arrive at Walker Pass in the morning. As I was coming to a water source early the next day, I washed my feet and cleaned up before crawling into my sleeping bag. An act of extravagance in the desert.
Day 59:
The hikers had heard rumors for days that Yogi was providing trail magic at Walker Pass. I had dismissed this as not likely as many trail rumors were unfounded.
The trail was mostly downhill and the morning hiking easy. I passed by Handbrake’s tent.
When I made the turn that gave me a view of Highway 178, I could see a blue canopy tent in the distance and realized the rumors were true. I was elated at the thought of trail magic and hurried on.
Handbrake caught up with me, and we walked down to Walker Pass, mile 651, together.
BearCub greeting us with soda and neckless.
Yogi and me (flanked by two volunteers. The volunteer on the left is BearCub’s mother.)
Hikers were greeted with whoops, hollers and applause. A young boy, BearCub, came running out with a cold can of soda. It was exhilarating to meet Yogi, the author of “Yogi’s Pacific Crest Trail Handbook.” I had read her book twice before the start of my hike. The portions of the book covering trail towns were in each of my resupply boxes.
After I had a chance to cool down and enjoy the offered refreshment, I headed down to the spring-fed cistern below the highway and took a shower by pouring buckets of water over my head. I washed my clothes in the bucket with the soap courtesy of Yogi. My clothing dried quickly spread out over bushes in the sun. It felt good to be clean and to relax in the shade of the Yogi’s tent.
“Here, have some lunch.” Yogi brought a plate with a tomato and cheese sandwich and a side of potato salad. I was near the edge of the tent. She motioned her head toward the backpacks on the hillside nearby. “Can you imagine the amount of money spent on gear in those packs?”
I looked out over the thirty or more backpacks lined up next to the tent. Many hikers had congregated making it a long line. Yogi had made a valid observation.
Cheetos and Dr. Dan came by, quickly ate lunch and hiked out.
In the early afternoon, Mermaid arrived looking dehydrated and tired. Mermaid decided to stay overnight at the Walker Pass Campground. I eagerly took her to the cistern to show her where it was and where to get the buckets and soap. As we walked down the road together, we caught up on the news of each other’s hikes.
Yogi very generously invited me to stay overnight nearby in the campground and enjoy dinner and her famous pancake breakfast. As tempting as the idea was, I still had to make my 20 miles for the day. After resting, Handbrake and I hiked out at mid-afternoon planning to get in 10 more miles for the day.
Hiking up off Walker Pass
It was relatively hot, and gaining elevation was slow going. Finally, the sun descended, and I enjoyed the cooler temperatures. As the trail ascended, it became rocky. The rocks were large and sharp making footing uneven at times and jarring for my ankles.
As we lost daylight, it became time to find a place to camp. Unfortunately, we were hiking along the trail cut into a steep mountainside with overhanging cliffs on the left and a steep ravine on the right. We were both concerned we might be forced to keep going into the night by headlamp. The map did not indicate flat areas for miles ahead.
“I think this is as good as we are going to get.” Handbrake had waited for me along the trail at mile 660. At the edge was a tiny outcropping with space for one tent. Since Handbrake’s tent required a more extensive footprint to pitch, he graciously let me put up my tent. He cowboy camped along the side of my tent. It was crowded but workable. We spent the night perched precariously on the rocky mountainside.
A high wind kicked up in the evening. I was happy for the protection of several large rocks at the head of my tent.
Day 60 (May 30):
While Handbrake prepared his hot breakfast, I hurriedly packed up and left in the cold of early morning.
When Handbrake passed me later in the morning, we made plans to meet up for lunch and camp together at Chimney Creek. As it turned out, I saw him only once early in the day when I caught up with him filtering water at a sizeable shallow puddle containing green slime. It was the first crossing of Spanish Needle Creek. I decided to wait for a better opportunity to capture water as the map indicated we were to cross the creek several times.
Water opportunities became less appealing with every crossing of Spanish Needle Creek. Finally, I had to climb off trail up the hillside to find water. I located a small amount of water trickling down a narrow muddy channel. The debris in the water clogged my filter. I did not have sufficient clean water to backwash the filter. I was now without water.
There were two significant ascents and the last mountaintop afforded a spectacular ridge walk with views in all directions. I had lunch while enjoying the view. Unfortunately, I had arrived too late to meet with Handbrake. He had wisely hiked on. I had not seen any other hikers after seeing Handbrake in the morning. It was a quiet day to enjoy the scenery.
By four o’clock I was only a few miles from Chimney Creek.
Descending off the ridge tops, deep in thought I rounded a corner and came suddenly upon a naked man running toward me. He was carrying something that looked like an iPad. When he saw me, he stopped and covered himself with the device. Upon gaining the trail, he stepped aside, and I recognized him with relief.
“Hi, Coppertone.” I kept my eyes on his face trying not to make him feel uncomfortable, feeling very much uncomfortable myself, “Where did you come from?”
“I rode my motorcycle from Walker Pass. Parked on the road below for my daily trail run.” He smiled, “You’re Homegirl. Right?
We talked for a few minutes. Coppertone explained he was looking forward to bagging a nearby peak. Eager to get to Chimney Creek Campground and water, I hurried on.
Luckily I had heard from Pakabear of Coppertone’s running naked on the trail. Otherwise, I might have maced him. Around the next bend, I saw fresh bear tracks. It appeared the bear had been running, perhaps the bear, too, had been frightened by the naked running man, I thought with amusement.
Right before the road, I crossed a small, sluggish, muddy creek. I stepped over the stream and decide it was not a suitable water source. On the sign beside the road, mile 681, Handbrake had left a note for me.
‘Homegirl–Gone on to Fox Mill Spring. Campground too far off the trail.’ –Handbrake
I studied my map, and it appeared the campground was 2/10 of a mile off trail. Fox Mill Spring had a trough which sounded as if I would need to filter water and my filter needed to be back-washed with clean water before I could filter again. I decided to investigate the campground for potable water.
The Chimney Creek Campground had a sign saying there was potable drinking water at one of the campsites. I started walking through the campground looking for the number. It turned out to be a long walk around a large campground. By the time I found the water spigot, I barely had time to collect water, backwash the filter, and set up my tent before dark. It was a huge campground, surprisingly empty of campers. One lone hiker camped at a distance.
Two RVs arrived during the night; otherwise, the entire sprawling campground remained empty which was surprising on Memorial Day weekend.
Day 61, May 31:
I wanted to make it to Kennedy Meadows before the store closed at 5 pm and according to the map, I had a 2,400’ climb ahead at the beginning of the day. I started with my maximum carry of 4 liters of water. A couple of miles up the trail, I passed Fox Mill trough situated down off the trail. Several hikers had camped above the trail. I assumed Handbrake was sleeping there with the others.
In the crisp morning, the climb was pleasant.
By late morning it was sweltering. I had made it over the mountain and down again and was now in the long flat hike into Kennedy Meadows. I found myself stopping under every pine grove to enjoy the shade for a few seconds before dashing to get out of the sun under the next pine grove.
About a mile from the Kern River, another hiker, an older man, asked me if I could spare water. I explained to him we were only a mile or so from the river. If he had been in poor condition, I would have shared my water, but he seemed okay. Anyway, it is bad form to rely on other hikers for water or supplies. I had hauled four liters of water weight up that mountain just to make certain I had water. He could have done the same.
When I passed along the Kern River, there was no time to jump in and enjoy the water as I planned because I was panic-stricken about arriving at the store before closing. My anxiety caused me to start hyperventilating, and the rapid breathing only caused further anxiety.
The last few miles entered a flat open area of sagebrush. There were no trees for relief from the sun and the heat was suffocating. There was no breeze to mitigate the boiling sun. I drank the last of my water. I hastened along the trail at a fast pace filled with dread of not making it by closing time. I was breathing quickly but unable to get sufficient air into my lungs. It was a great relief to arrive at the paved road leading to the store.
As I rounded the corner to the Kennedy Meadows Store, the happiest sight was our car parked in front of the store. I was met with the clapping and hollers of “incoming hiker” all hikers are met with from the deck. I acknowledged the greeting with a wave and opened the trunk of the car, quickly threw in my poles and backpack and hurried in to retrieve my two resupply boxes.
After greeting the hikers I recognized, Luna and Handbrake, I asked Jim to drive me home for a couple of days. My running shoes were falling apart. The next pair of shoes had been sent in the resupply box to the Vermillion Valley Resort. I did not want to go through the High Sierras with worn-out shoes.
I was ahead of schedule. My master plan had been to arrive and leave Kennedy Meadows between the 10th and 15th of June.
DAYS 62/63/64:
Unfortunately, REI’s next day delivery does not count Saturday or Sunday. The shoes I ordered as soon as I had cell service on the drive home Saturday, did not ship until Monday and arrive at our house until late Tuesday night.
Being home was good. I knew this was the last time I would see Jim until I finished the trail.
Lucy Ondo 