The Pacfic Crest Trail is one of the premiere long trails in the US. On this trip, I visited a motley collection of its segments in the California desert section within several national forests.
The Mojave Forks Dam exists to control flooding. I suspect that it has an easy job to do today.The PCT carves through the hills on the left, while a road (upper right) carves through the other side of the Mojave River (far lower righ).A quiet section of the Mojave River on a quiet morningThis little guy was fearless as I approached. But when I touched it with my trekking pole, it vanished instantly.The PCT is known for its many places of pristine beauty. But it also spends some time in areas affected by civilization. Here Bouquet Canyon Dam, Bouquet Reservoir and the inevitable power lines render it much less than pristine. But something of beauty remains.Strange stuff. I’m pretty sure this cotton fluff did not belong in this acorn bush (sic) but was blown thru the air to this location.This was shot on the edge of Angeles National Forest. “Forest” makes me think of trees, of course. Here, the trees are merely bushes, and they pretty much end at that road below. Wouldn’t you know, that’s the edge of the Forest. Beyond that lie hills, towns and endless flat land that belong to something else. Being a “crest” trail (sort of), the PCT seeks out higher terrain.This evergreen tree stood virtually alone in a land of mere shrubbery as it surveyed the barrenness in beyond. The pine cones at its base were rather large.None dare call it an eyesore. Environmentally popular, windmills are also an eyesore, IMHO. Modern life brings difficult choices and tradeoffs. If only we would see these as tradeoffs and not absolutes!What trail is this? Here, the PCT is a wide wash used by vehicles with an unseen (but heard) freeway on the left.Here, the PCT uses a blacktop road (barely visible at bottom) as it passes by Snow Creek Village (center). It sure looks like a scenic place to live.This rather creepy area below a freeway (I-10) overpass turned out to be a friendly outpost for PCT thru hikersRivers in the desert seem out of place. Here it is the Whitewater River in the Mojave Desert in the San Gorgonino Wilderness.The scenery in the San Gorgonino Wilderness was continually changing
Adventure After 60 