11     Mojave - Kennedy Meadows   144 miles

Mojave

Tehachapi Pass                                        10.6 m

Sweet Ridge                                            11.8 m

Piute Mountains                                       20.1 m

Pinyon Mountain Pass                               19.7 m

Scodie Mountains                                    19.8 m

Walker Pass                                           11.5 m

Needle Creek                                         17.5 m

Prospect Pass                                        19.0 m

Kennedy Meadows                                  14.0 m

We took the bus to get back to the PCT. There is a time table. However it seems to be at best a recommendation for the driver. Riding a bus is mostly limited to the poorest in the US and they can be glad that there is a bus at all. Next morning we hiked up hill from Tehachapi Pass. During the night the wind had picked up considerably. Now it became so strong that more and more wind power generators were switched off. And the higher up I went the stronger the wind became. In the end I could not even continue on all fours. A fellow hiker's back pack was blown away. And I needed help to get down into wind shade in a gully. Quite a few other hikers were allready waiting. Despite the sunshine it was so cold that we hid in our sleeping bags. Many hours later the wind force came down a bit so that we could just about make it further uphill until we got some cover in the forest. Later I learned that some of the planes at Mojave Airport were damaged by the storm. The wind had reached up to around 100 miles/hour. The many wind power generators indicated that this was a windy place; but not this windy.

Arriving at Walker Pass there was a big surprise; trail magic. Food and drinks and ice cream until I was filled up. And then I got even more food. Having spent half a day I started very early next morning. I did not want to wait for the offered breakfast. I was afraid this would take too long. Kennedy Meadows and the following mountains of the High Sierra were calling.

As was to be expected many hikers were already at Kennedy Meadows. Some of them I had not seen for a while. A lot of gossip went on; about the trail and about fellow hikers. This included information about who has dropped off the trail and why. My bear canister with food until Independence had arrived. Soon after Kennedy Meadows food must be stowed in an approved bear resistant canister. Otherwise it is not permitted to camp in the back country all the way until leaving Yosemite NP. This ment an extra two pounds on my back. I had a day off for resting. At night I went to see "No country for old men" at the local outdoor cinema. And finally we learned the latest news about the status of clearing the PCT from blow downs near Red's Meadows. It sounded good. The trail was cleared.

Waiting out the gale force storm at Tehachapi Pass; it was very cold despite sunshine.

Blooming Agave near PCT

Bird Spring Pass

Many rocks along PCT

Blooming cactus

Sun set at Prospect Pass

Kennedy Meadows General Store

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