Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - May 15th
Day 36: Wednesday 15th May Aqueduct Road – Gamble Spring
Canyon
I left at 5.55am just as the sun was rising and kept going until I reached Cottonwood
Creek before 10am. As expected, Cottonwood Creek was dry, but the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power, owners of the aqueduct, had installed a water tank fed
from the aqueduct, for the benefit of hikers. I drank several pints of tea, replenished
my water supplies, washed most of my clothing and had a towel bath. While bathing I
was surprised by Mary, who somehow had got her motor home to this site and was
parked out of sight. Fortunately, she was not upset by the sight of a naked man.
“Cloudwalker” and “Billy Goat” got in about 10.30am having started walking before
dawn.
The trail now left the aqueduct behind and headed up old jeep tracks towards the hills
along the northern edge of the Mojave Desert. Although it was very hot the increasing
breeze and low humidity made the conditions bearable. By the time I reached the hills
the wind was getting strong enough to impede progress and I could see “dust devils”
down in the heart of the Mojave Desert. After the flat desert I was surprised to find the
sharp V-shaped Tylerhorse Canyon and even more surprised to find the spring-fed creek
in the canyon was still running. I stripped off in the sun and had dinner, before heading
on to dry Gamble Spring Canyon in the relative cool of the evening.
I camped on the loose sand of the creek bed. The strong wind was still blowing and I
only got the tent up with difficulty, needing to use heavy stones to stop the tent pegs
coming out. I was hoping the wind would drop overnight as it wasn’t likely that I would
get any sleep with the buffeting I was getting in the small tent.
Day 36: 18.7 miles 7.57 hours Camp: Gamble Spring Canyon
Canyon
I left at 5.55am just as the sun was rising and kept going until I reached Cottonwood
Creek before 10am. As expected, Cottonwood Creek was dry, but the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power, owners of the aqueduct, had installed a water tank fed
from the aqueduct, for the benefit of hikers. I drank several pints of tea, replenished
my water supplies, washed most of my clothing and had a towel bath. While bathing I
was surprised by Mary, who somehow had got her motor home to this site and was
parked out of sight. Fortunately, she was not upset by the sight of a naked man.
“Cloudwalker” and “Billy Goat” got in about 10.30am having started walking before
dawn.
The trail now left the aqueduct behind and headed up old jeep tracks towards the hills
along the northern edge of the Mojave Desert. Although it was very hot the increasing
breeze and low humidity made the conditions bearable. By the time I reached the hills
the wind was getting strong enough to impede progress and I could see “dust devils”
down in the heart of the Mojave Desert. After the flat desert I was surprised to find the
sharp V-shaped Tylerhorse Canyon and even more surprised to find the spring-fed creek
in the canyon was still running. I stripped off in the sun and had dinner, before heading
on to dry Gamble Spring Canyon in the relative cool of the evening.
I camped on the loose sand of the creek bed. The strong wind was still blowing and I
only got the tent up with difficulty, needing to use heavy stones to stop the tent pegs
coming out. I was hoping the wind would drop overnight as it wasn’t likely that I would
get any sleep with the buffeting I was getting in the small tent.
Day 36: 18.7 miles 7.57 hours Camp: Gamble Spring Canyon
Billy Goat and
Cloudwalker
Cloudwalker
Bathtime at
Cottonwood Creek
Cottonwood Creek
Joshua Tree
Mojave Desert
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PCT sign with
bullet holes
bullet holes