What is the Best Section of the PCT?

Part 1: Southern California (The Desert)

Miles 0 – 700

CA Sections A – G, Campo to Kennedy Meadows

Summary

Southern Terminus: 29/03/17 – 17/05/17 :Kennedy Meadows

I started this section thinking it would be flat and relatively dry, despite the heavy rain in the past winter – I guess I am too used to the Australian desert! The desert was, for the most part, an oasis of water and life! There were some sections where I needed to carry 4–5 litres of water, especially around the Mojave section. Luckily, there were water caches in some longer stretches, allowing much smaller water carries.

I timed my start in the desert perfectly for the superbloom – a flowering spectacle like no other I’ve seen before! The cacti and various other desert plants thrived, and presented not a bleak dry landscape, but a vibrant beautiful open landscape – forcing us to forget we were, in fact, in the desert.

I experienced some of the hottest days, such as in the Mojave Desert, and the coldest nights in this section – several times reaching below freezing!

In this section, there were many animals that I had never seen in the wild before (totally different from back home in Australia!):

• a bear (near the end of the desert)
• chipmunks
• several rattle and garter snakes (along with others I couldn’t identify)
• White tail deer

Favourite Section

The San Jacinto Mountain Range 

My first snow hiking summit experience was on Mt Jacinto with an elevation of 3302m (10,833 ft). ‘Snow in the desert?’ — I didn’t know about this until I was on the trail. This section allowed my new friends and me an opportunity to test our snow skills in preparation for the heavily snowed Sierra Nevada range further along the trail.

In the end, we conquered the mountain and had the most amazing bonding experience between all four of us in response. We were told beforehand we wouldn’t be able to summit the mountain due to the difficult snow conditions – well… we didn’t listen! Probably my favourite moment on the entire trail!

Least Favourite Section

The (bushfire) burn areas

These are the parts where a fire has ravaged the region in recent years and leaves no vegetation behind. This is often exhausting when hiking on hot days when there is no shade to retreat out of the sun periodically. There were burns all over the place from past fires!

Favourite Town

Wrightwood 

This small high desert alpine town was a gem – very supportive of PCT hikers and had great trail angel support. The Evergreen Café and Mexican restaurant were delicious, and the hardware store was very supportive and helpful in assisting hikers. With a small ski resort, and the PCT nearby – I felt like I could easily live in a town like this.

There were lots of funny moments here: Echo getting lost, Corky and myself reuniting with Rex late at night – two stinky hikers walking straight into a restaurant with a free feed/beer from her dad (who briefly hiked with her). I also had my most homeless person moment here (along with Corky), where we slept behind dumpsters behind the hardware store.

Least Favourite Town

Lake Isabella 

For the sake of two extra days of food carry, it just wasn’t worth the long hitch and lack of… anything! It had a nice little café in the centre of town, but this place just offered no real community for PCT hikers. I’d say next time I would avoid this one and send a resupply box to the next small town (Kennedy Meadows) to avoid a resupply here.

Main Hiking Partners

Echo – mile 22 to 558 (Lake Morena to Tehachapi)

Rex – mile 179 to 791 (Idyllwild to Glen Pass)

Corky – mile 179 to 791 (Idyllwild to Glen Pass)

Akhuna – mile 620 to 700 (Willow Spring – Lake Isabella)

Rubberball – mile 620 to 700 (Willow Spring – Lake Isabella)

Grim – mile 620 to 700 (Willow Spring – Lake Isabella)

Mellow – mile 620 to 700 (Willow Spring – Lake Isabella)

Canary – mile 620 to 700 (Willow Spring – Lake Isabella)

Was The Desert the Best Section of the PCT?

This was definitely one of the more memorable sections that gave me a plethora of experiences. It was one of my favourite sections, for sure, but perhaps not the pinnacle of what the PCT can offer.

~ Read more about my section review of The Sierras here ~

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