Week 13: Ridgecrest to Kennedy Meadows

Day 88 ( June 27 )

I rode with Pancakes to Kennedy Meadows. She was going to pick up a pair of hikers coming off trail. I went along to pick up a package I had mailed from Wrightwood and the foam pad I misplaced in Tehachapi.  Pancakes was originally going to drive her car, but decided to take her SUV instead. Good Thing. It turned out there were 5 hikers coming off trail. I had hoped to visit 2 Foot Adventures as they carry the brand of shoes I like. Unfortunately they weren't there so I will make do with what I have.

Day 89 

"Pancakes" dropped "Purple Rain" and I off at Walker Pass.

Purple Rain and Pancakes

We started hiking at 8:15. The first 5 miles was a hard 1552 foot climb.
Looking down at Walker Pass 
from 1 mile up the trail

After that it was a mix of uphill and downhill.
Mount Jenkins is named for the Man who scouted the PCT through Southern California 


The last two miles were hard on me. I ended up short on water until Purple Rain gave me a Liter. Then my right knee started acting up. I finally limped into camp at 7:45. I tried sleeping in just my sleeping bag liner ( low temps were in the 50's) but it wasn't warm enough.

Day 90

I got another late start. I had thought of sleeping in and then hiking at night, but got moving at 8:15.


I reached Chimney Creek Campground 12 miles away at 3:30.

Purple Rain was there napping.  We rested until 5:45 and then hiked 2 miles to Fox Mill Spring arriving at 7 PM.

Day 91

I departed at 7:45. Purple Rain left 15 minutes earlier. I get the feeling she doesn't want me around, but is too kind to say so. Before I left, I  took some photos of the ruins of Fox Mill.





At 2:30 I took a long shade break before hiking on.

At 3:15 I came to the Kern River, the first river I have seen on trail ( Deep Creek near Cedar Glen is the outflow of a dam ).

Unfortunately it wasn't really deep and the water was warm, so I filled a pair of 1 Liter bottles and hiked on.

There were comments in the FarOut ap about people getting sick from the water. I filtered it and am OK so far. I made it to Kennedy Meadows General Store at about 6 PM.




There is a PCT tradition that when a hiker hikes up to the General Store, all the hikers present give the newcomer a round of applause. Normally the Store closes at 5 PM but will stay open later if hikers are present. Good thing, because I was hungry and thirsty.  Plan to Zero tomorrow. 

Day 92: Zero at Kennedy Meadows 

At 10 AM a bunch of us took the shuttle to Grumpy Bears Resort. My eyes were bigger than my stomach.  I ordered a Triple Crown burger, a salad, fries and a drink. I managed to eat most of the burger and salad and about half the fries. I then went next door to Triple Crown Outfitters to rent a Bear Cannister ( required for most of the Sierra high country) and to do resupply.


Yes, an actual working payphone






Jackie, who owns TCO has hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail... three times ! She gave me some advice on packing my pack. We'll see how it works. By some good fortune, all my food fits in my Bear Cannister.

Hard to believe that 4 or 5 days of food will fit.

I watched several people literary cramming and crushing ( Ramen and freeze dried ) food trying to get it into their Bear Cannisters.

Day 93: Independence Day Parade

I decided to take a second Zero to get this blog up to date and to watch the Kennedy Meadows Independence Day Parade.








Purple Rain left at 11 AM.

A lot of other hikers came and went.

At 5 PM, "El Matador " arrived.


He is attempting an FKT ( Fastest Known Time ). Condider this: it "Only" took him 15 days to hike the 702 miles from the Mexican Border to Kennedy Meadows. God Speed El Matador and good luck. He is trying to hike the whole trail in 52 days. Last year there was a guy who did a Supported Hike in 52 days. He was sponsored by a shoe company and only carried a running vest and water bottles. Somebody else transported his gear, cooked his meals, etc...





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