Cajon Pass => Agua Dulce
| Start | 336 | mile |
| End | 447 | mile |
| Distance | 111 | miles |
| Maximum Elevation | 9268 | ft |
| Elevation Gain | 21339 | ft |
| Elevation Loss | -21892 | ft |
2024-5-7 until 5-14
Next afternoon the journey north continued; uphill again and over the clouds.
Water became a scarce ressource again, but trail angels help with a water cache.
In a distance we can already see the next challenge: the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains including Mount Baden-Powell, named after the founder of the boy scout movement.
Before I came closer to its summit, another resupply had to be collected in Wrightwood. When I had selected my resupply locations from several lists of other hikers Wrightwood seemed to be a good choice because it is only 2.5 miles off trail. But I had forgotton to check the difference in elevation, and so I had to hike the 2200 ft elevation difference of the Acorn trail up and down. Later, I found one could also get picked up a few miles further direct from the trail at Inspiration Point…
It has banks with shades and a wonderful view on Mount Baden-Powell; but was quite windy.
Receiving a resupply package is a bit like Christmas; and the people at the Mountain Hardware store where I had sent it were exceptionally friendly and helpful. It is an interesting combination of a hardware store and a sports gear shop, has a PCT hiker area where this photo was taken, trail register, hiker boxes, and helps with whatever you need. The store is located directly aside of the Post Office.
First patches of snow showed up – also the Acorn trail had been partially snow covered on the first half mile – but again, to find enough water is the bigger challenge. Luckily there is a ski area with two water reservoirs for artificial snow.
Some more miles, and the trail went down to Vincent Gap, the trailhead for Baden-Powell.
Now it was already afternoon, summit would be the next day, but where to stay overnight? – there is a tentsite at the parking lot, but it was tempting to go up already as far as possible.
The ascent on the steep slope in switchbacks did not allow to set up tents beside the trail, but the FarOut app promised a place just 700 ft below the summit; comments said that there was one good and 3-4 acceptable tent spots there, partially on snow. I dared to walk up in the snow, following the boot track to the summit, though it was already evening.
And I was the only one this night, and had the perfect spot! Everywhere around was covered with snow and was slanted terrain.
So I could sleep longer and start the next morning only at 8 am to reach the summit before 10 am.
A Badener on Mount Baden-Powell…
The crampons were very helpful at the 45 degree slopes, and I also used the ice axe once for self arrest.
The rest of the day the path continued over several smaller hills with enough snow coverage until the snow finally disappeared in the evening.
The PCT then follows the Angeles Scenic Byway (Hwy 2), including some roadwalk there; if you want to avoid the climb on Baden-Powell one could have road-walked the whole distance.
20 miles further, and a new milestone:
No more snow, enough water from streams, and a good trail with enough camp sites allowed a nice progress.
From mile 418 I went to Palmdale for a town day; but just before the road crossing a trail angel had put a cooler with ice and cans of soda – what a nice surprise! – especially as I had to climb up the trail again to call an Uber because the road had no cell service.
2024-5-15 until 5-17
And when I came back the next day around noon: even more trail magic directly at the parking lot.
My next resupply point was the Acton RV camp at mile 444; the trail was good, with a nice camp site.
The camp itself was not especially beautiful, embedded between a road with trucks and a train line with freight trains; other hikers stayed with their tents on the plot of the 49er saloon in nearby Acton town.
A tipi on the RV camp.
On the way down to the camp a snake was stretched out o a dirt road and was completely relaxed when I passed. I took it for a rattler first, but it seems to be a gopher snake.
The next day was the short walk to Agua Dulce, a real trail town where the PCT went through on a length of 2 miles. We could set up our tents directly aside of the Mexican restaurant “Maria Bonita”, after having dinner there.
Before we went through a tunnel below I-14
and then passed Vasquez Rocks, a scenic rock formation which Hollywood had used in several movies, among others Star Trek, because it is located so conveniently.
