On my 24th day on the trail, I hiked uphill out of Antelope Valley and into the heart of the Tehachapi Mountains, beginning within the windfarm and dropping into both Tylerhorse and Gamble Spring Canyons along the way.
From PCT mile 534.9 to 549.7 Total: 14.8 miles 5/2
I woke up early, down near Cottonwood Creek, after a night spent sleeping to the rhythmic sound of large windmills turning. I cooked up my oatmeal and chugged some protein powder mix, more a slurry than a solution. Thus fortified for a long climb, I packed up everything and headed out before most of my neighbors were even stirring. My pack was heavy with water, but that was a good thing. It made the “Be Prepared” Boy Scout in me very happy, regardless of what my legs thought about it.
The first few miles of the day were spent climbing gradually through grasslands and former cow pastures. Now it was all about the Wind Power. There were huge windmills everywhere, all of them facing southwest. This was good, because I was heading northeast! Just the same, it wasn’t all that breezy, and the cloud cover promised a cool day with less sunburn. The miles ticked by as I hiked, and I noticed that the PCT never got all that close to any of the windmills. I was a bit sad about that, to tell the truth. It’s hard to visualize just how huge those towers and blades are from a distance.
The trail kept climbing and the overcast sky began breaking up into big puffy cumulus clouds, which are always beautiful. This was mostly out east, over the Mohave Desert, while more clouds kept arriving from the west. The views got better and I took too many photos, as usual.
Eventually, I arrived at the mountainous section of trail, where there were no more windmills nearby. It was a bit of a relief, but I also knew that there were plenty more after a few more miles. Just the same, I have to say that I liked the constant motion. They were still visible in the distance most of the time, down below in the desert zone.
Tylerhorse Canyon had a flowing creek running through it, and I met a couple of ladies filling up on water. Unlike me, they saved themselves from carrying a heavy load of liquid for five uphill miles. Also unlike me, they had to stop and purify their water mid-hike, as I continued onward without stopping. I decided to take breaks only when I had a killer view, if at all. I tend to just keep plodding along, and only pause for photos. If it’s hot I’ll stop to swap out my socks every hour or two, and I always take a decent lunch break. Every hiker has their own style.
Amazingly, out in the middle of nowhere, a trail register box appeared. It was on a saddle, so a good spot to stop for a breather after a climb. I signed it “BIGFOOT” in all caps, as usual, with a primitive drawing of a foot. Simple yet effective. And then I hiked on.
There were zillions of motocross tracks in the area around Gamble Spring Canyon. It was a Tuesday morning, so there wasn’t much action, although I saw (and heard) three bikes heading down the canyon after I was back up above it. Just the same, I was impressed with these maniacs. There were tracks going directly up the steepest sides of the canyon! It looked like you would fall over backwards due to the incline. And going down must be even scarier. All in all, I was heartened by the fact that they mostly stayed off the PCT and stuck to their own trails. That’s the right way to do things, as those knobby tires can really chew up the bed of a hiking trail.
The Tehachapi Mountains were mostly dry and desertlike, with chaparral and grasses for vegetation, at least at these lower elevations, but this year, 2023, was special. The south and west facing slopes were largely covered in superblooming wildflowers. This was photo-op time!
The trail kept climbing, eventually topping out above the six thousand foot mark. The air was also much colder. As I rounded a corner, Covington Mountain (7877 feet elevation) came into view. It was covered in clouds, and there was snow on the eastern slopes. Brrr! I was not happy about that snow, not at all, as the weather service was predicting that a low pressure system would arrive soon, along with colder temperatures. Good thing I had some warm gear!
I almost camped in an “oasis” spot maintained by a nearby Trail Angel, but I really wanted to make that extra mile, to save me from hiking it tomorrow. And I ended up happy, as there were some actual pine trees on a fairly flat ridge, with several camping spots. The trees should help to keep the breeze to a minimum, I hoped. So I set up my tent and immediately got inside. I changed clothes and put on my goose down pants and jacket, then stuck my legs in the sleeping bag. It was still afternoon, but I didn’t care. It was chilly up there!
I read my kindle, took a bit of a nap, and ate a bunch of snack. Tomorrow I would be arriving at Tehachapi Pass, where my food cache was waiting. At least my backpack would be light for a day. I heard a few other hikers walk by, but nobody else camped in this area. It was too cold to socialize anyway. I sent Vicki a text via my InReach, letting her know that all was well. Then I ate my hot ramen noodle dinner and headed off to bed. It had been a tough but satisfying day on the trail.
For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page
For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page
<< Back to Day 23 Onward to Day 25 >> 
hikingtales.com 