#water cache

Kelso Valley Road crosses the PCT in between Tehachapi and Walker Pass with lots of dry trail miles.  Water is available a long way off trail. I was so grateful to the volunteers that maintained that cache.  At the time I went through, the volunteer that had been maintaining it was no longer going to be able to do so . . . we felt very grateful that it was there.

As is wise counsel . . . don’t rely on caches!

Water in the desert south is delivered in many ways beyond the spring, the creek, and the lake.  As Trouble and Rogue document on their 2018 thru-hike, there is the guzzler, the barrel, and the cache.  The guzzler -- there are several near the trail along the PCT above Lake Hughes -- is an ingenious system developed to support wildlife.  The large metal roof gathers precipitation and protects the reservoir below from excessive evaporation. The barrel, a rather recent development supported by the LA Dept of Water and Power, was installed at least for 2018 above the inaccessible LA Aqueduct north of Hikertown.  And caches have been fortuitously placed in many locations along the trail.  As it oft repeated, all three of these options are NOT to be relied upon although they are wonderful when available.

By Howard Shapiro

Coming out of Tehachapi, where I had met my friend Billie, we headed north toward Walker Pass. The unrelenting wind really got our attention from the get go. We were hoping not to get blown off of our feet. It was everything we could do to keep moving forward. This was a rude welcome to the trail for Billie. I had been out for a couple of weeks already but this wind was remarkable and captured both of our attentions. 

After a few hours of walking we arrived at our ‘summit’, a crest of a nearby hill and ducked into some trees in the hopes they would serve as some kind of wind block. It was a great relief to have a shelter out of the wind once we wrestled to get the tent up. As the wind continued to howl the foreboding roar left us wondering what was next? 

The morning arrived breezy and cold. Since this was Billie’s first full day these conditions felt a bit shocking. He had anticipated warm dry weather. One of the concerns he had shared was whether or not we would have access to enough water. I was less concerned but certainly wanted to assure him we would be okay. 

The trail meandered and climbed easily. The air remained cool and crisp. We were both happy to be walking through low trees that served as minor wind blocks while  having some layers to insulate us from the biting wind. The sun was teasing as it came in and out from behind a gray cloud deck. No rain but there appeared to be a subtle threat, though not enough to concern us. 

We made a short water stop much to Billie’s delight and met a hiking couple I had met earlier when I had started my hike a couple of weeks prior. Everyone was in fine spirits. They were in their groove and Billie and I were finding ours. They shared a weather report that indicated the possibility of some rain but only 1/10 of an inch of precipitation...hardly anything for a couple of northwesterners like us. We know rain! Not far past this  point the weather report went from prediction to reality. 

A soft light rain began quickly changing to sleet. We were prepared for this and broke out our rain jackets. I had opted for the lightest version I owned when I was packing assuming that would be more than substantial for this section. The sleet subsided and we continued to climb and contour toward Kelso Road. We had heard there was a water cache there and maintaining adequate water supplies was essential for the security and happiness of my hiking partner. I couldn’t deny, that fact reassured me as well. 

In a short time the light rain changed to snow. Snow!! Hold on, it is May 1st! How can this be? May 1st in the ‘desert’ and we are walking in snow? At first it seemed like nothing. As we walked on I noticed the trail slowly being dusted with a covering of white frozen water. I also noticed that my hands were getting uncomfortably cold. An old plague from childhood from walking to school in bitter cold midwest mornings. 

The cold was seeping in to our cores. Drawing on experience and not letting this turn of events become a bigger deal than either of us wanted, I made a determination. As beautiful as the blanket of snow was on the trail and our surroundings we needed to focus on our wellbeing. We ducked under a low overhanging branch to escape the heavy wet snow and break out some food. The sausage sticks and energy bars were just what we needed to ward off the biting cold and give us some needed energy. In these situations the balance of physical and mental energy is vitally important. 

I knew from years of running that low blood sugar can kick off a distracting internal  voice that can sound like a soothsayer of doom. Despite being damp and getting wetter, the calories really helped us feel like we would be okay Instead of wondering about the distinct change in the weather and just how long it might linger, we pressed on. In a short time the snow changed back to a cold rain. My light rain jacket was barely keeping the wet out. 

Soon after we arrived at Kelso Road and the water cache. We decided this was far enough for today. Others had made a similar decision  as we could see three or four tents already set up. We found a suitable tent site, set up and crawled in to hunker down. I was so pleased that the tent was dry and the rainfly worked. It was mid-afternoon so technically there was more day left but in the cold surroundings tucked into our sleeping bags and reading was very pleasing.