Photos of Southern California

Minor Pacific Ranges: Mexican border to Palms-to-Pines Highway

This section is low (3000-6000') and mostly semi-arid, with brief stretches of true desert. It can get quite cold at night early in the season. People tended to walk too fast and carelessly at first, and at least half of the thru-hikers had feet problems (blisters or inflammation) by the end of first day. A large portion of thru-hikers time their start around the annual "ADZPCTKO," or Kick-off event, at Lake Morena. Lake Morena has a small convenience store, there is a pricey convenience store and post office in Mt. Laguna, and Warner Springs has a post office. Water is a significant issue, so plan your hiking stops around the water report!

Standing at the monument at the southern terminus of the PCT.

Thru-hikers take pictures and anxiously stand around, not knowing whether to set out alone or wait for a group to form. Since the border includes two parallel fences, you can't just go step on the Mexican side.

Lake Morena.

Surveying ULA packs at their stand at the Kick-off. Other gear makers with stands in 2009 included Tarp Tents, Gossamer Gear, and Six Moon Designs. ULA packs (Catalyst and Conduit) seemed to be the most popular backpacks in 2009.

A useful presentation at the Kick-off.

Class of 2009 photo.

Oak grove before the Laguna Mountains.

Desert overlook with yucca (or is it agave?) stalks.

Cactus in bloom. You see many varieties of cactus along the trail.

Important, well-stocked water cache at Scissors Crossing, mile 77. From here it is not hard to get a hitch into Julian. A swimming pool is 5 miles down the road in the opposite direction.

Food purchase at Julian. Don't miss the nuts store.

Desert plant in bloom.

Desert view.

Poppy field approaching Warner Springs.

Oaks on the trail near Warner Springs.

Wide desert view. The sense of space here is magnificent.

More flowers.

Descending towards the Palms-to-Pines Highway, looking towards the San Jacinto Mountains.

San Jacinto Mountains: Palms-to-Pines Highway to San Gorgonio Pass.

Here the PCT rises to about 9000' before plummeting to under 2000' at San Gorgonio Pass. Landscapes include chaparral, oak, pine, and fir forests, and desert. Idyllwild can be reached one of two ways and has a post office, campground, and large grocery store. Water is a significant issue.

For many miles the PCT follows the spine of the San Jacinto range, offering great views of the desert below. It can be very hot out here in the sun.

Looking down from the summit of San Jacinto Peak (10,800'), an easy alternate loop off the PCT. From here the trail descends all the way to the desert floor below.

Late-season snow can make the upper part of this descent challenging.

View of San Jacinto Peak from the north during a nighttime descent into Snow Creek (to avoid the heat).

At San Gorgonio Pass the trail turns into parallel tracks in the sand, which meander towards the railroad tracks and interstate highway.

San Bernardino Mountains: San Gorgonio Pass to Cajon Pass.

In the San Bernardinos -- Southern California's highest mountain range -- the PCT rises to over 9000' before gradually dropping to 4000'. You will see cactus and desert scrub, pine forests, Joshua trees, and chaparral. Big Bear has a post office, hostel, and numerous stores and restaurants, while Cajon Pass has a McDonald's. Water is somewhat less of an issue with a number of reliable creeks and springs along the way.

Windmill farm past San Gorgonio Pass. It is usually very hot here.

Early morning view back towards San Jacinto Peak.

Blue flowers.

View of San Bernardino Mountains with smog from the L.A. basin creeping up the valley.

Joshua trees growing at the upper limit (7000') of their range.

Happy hikers at the hostel in Big Bear City.

View of the main San Gorgonio ridge across Big Bear Lake, a major resort area. Unfortunately, the PCT circumvents the highest part of the San Bernardino Mountains.

A large burnt-out area.

Taking a refreshing dip in Holcomb Creek.

Sunset above Deep Creek.

A melted sign (from extreme heat) along Deep Creek.

Deep Creek hot spring. There are a number of pools of different heat and a spout with hot water streaming into the cold river. Some thru-hikers take a zero day here.

Above Deep Creek, looking towards the San Gabriel Mountains.

Silverwood Lake (reservoir).

Almost everyone stops by at the McDonald's at Cajon Pass, if only to get water and use the bathroom.

San Gabriel Mountains: Cajon Pass to Mojave Desert

Once again the PCT rises to 9000' before beginning a gradual descent through sparse pine forests and oak groves to the lower western end of the San Gabriel range. From there the PCT drops sharply to Agua Dulce, then rises again into the 6000' hills at the extreme western edge of the range. A final descent brings the hiker into the true desert of the western Mojave. Resupply is possible by detouring to Wrightwood, with grocery stores and a post office, and at Agua Dulce, where the Saufleys (trail angels) run a full-blown thru-hiker refugee camp with postal services and trips to the L.A. area as well as the local supermarket. Water sources are often far apart.

View of the sandstone "Mormon Rocks" past Cajon Pass.

View of the main San Gabriel crest towards snow-covered San Antonio Peak ("Mt. Baldy"), which the PCT passes around, not over.

Detour sign to protect the habitat of an endangered frog.

Sunset over desert.

Juniper-yucca plant community outside Agua Dulce.

Happy is the thru-hiker who has a new pair of shoes.

Picture of the dozens of thru-hikers who stopped by the Saufleys in Agua Dulce. They have recently established a limit of 50 people staying overnight on any one day.

An oddly decorated water cache.

Scooping water out of a "guzzler," or cement catchment basin for rainwater. It had a bitter taste due to the decaying pine needles.

Poison oak often grows in the shade of real oaks.

A forest of moisture-loving Bigcone Douglas Firs overlooks the Mojave Desert.

White Oaks grow on the north-facing slopes above 5000'.

Beginning of the descent to the desert.

Overlooking Antelope Valley at the extreme western end of the Mojave Desert.

"Hikertown" -- one of the more unusual trail angel stops on the PCT. It is built out of old Hollywood movie sets.

Tehachapi Mountains: Mojave Desert to Kennedy Meadows

The Tehachapis are geologically part of the Sierra Nevada, but are much lower and drier. This section begins with desert, then moves into the dry Tehachapi Mountains that extend for nearly 200 miles. Streams and springs are plentiful in places, while other stretches are bone-dry. The main resupply point are the towns of Mojave and Tehachapi, accessible from Tehachapi Pass.

The aquaduct carries water from the Owens Valley (east side of the Sierras) to thirsty Los Angeles.

Walking the typically hot, waterless 16-mile stretch along the aquaduct. Get an early (or late) start to avoid the heat!

Unexpected trail magic in the middle of nowhere: hot dogs, chips, and cold drinks.

Climbing into the Tehachapis.

Windmill farms are abundant here.

Patches of the Tehachapis are actually quite verdant, with dense oak and pine forests.

Segments of the trail pass through private property where trail rights have been granted to the Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Nowhere on the PCT are mountains and desert so close.

Desert hills in the evening light.

Burnt-out bus among the Joshua trees in a former mining area.

Views like this abound north of Tehachapi Pass.

Within 50 miles of Kennedy Meadow you can already see the snowy Sierra off in the distance.

Shadows on the desert floor.

More mountain and desert views.

Mile 666.

Coming out of a well-watered canyon.

Indian Paintbrush.

Crossing the sagebrush flat on the way to Kennedy Meadows.

The Kennedy Meadows General Store and post office -- a very important thru-hiker hangout. Most take a zero or two, or three. The post office is overflowing with thru-hiker packages.