is the secondary route thru the mojave along the LA aqueduct an advisable alternative route to the PCT?
it does end closer to the city of mojave (only 3mi) making hitchhiking for resupply much less an issue…
any comments or experiences with this route?
thanks
cheeserTOM
How far do you want to go? The aqueduct starts in the Owens Valley. I can’t imagine thruhiking the PCT without experiencing the High Sierra. It truly is a special place.
booger
Some hikers follow the aquaduct towards the town of Mojave instead of staying on the PCT through the Tehachapi Mountains. I’ve talked to hikers who did the aquaduct route. It does go very close to the town of Mojave, in fact, it may go right into town, but I’m not sure. I’d suggest looking at the California DeLorme atlas. You could probably find a route with that.
yogi
yogi
yogi has it right booger. the idea is to leave the pct at lake hughes and follow the LA aqueduct just until you reach highway 58. this gives you a chance to hike directly thru the western portion of the mojave desert. and at the LA aqueduct/highway 58 intersection you are closer by ~6miles to a resupply at the city of mojave. walk 3 miles rather than try and hitch ~9miles. i was just wondering if anyone has done this route and if so their experience/comments.
thanks
cheeserTOM
I just got an email from Munch who did this route only a week or so ago. I can put you in touch with him if you want.
Ganj
I took the aquaduct route from Lake Hughes to Mojave in April of 2003. The dirt road out of Lake Hughes and over Lakeview Ridge is heavily posted with no tresspassing signs but the Geezers at Harleys Rock Inn said the issue is motorbikers, not hikers. They also clued us in about getting some water from Sherry Healys horse farm at the corner of Hwy 138?(1st pavement since Lake Hughes)and 170th St, @ 6miles beyond Lake Hughes. She asks that you use the pipe gate before Hwy 138 rather than the main entrance on the paved road. The view of the poppy fields from the top of Lakeview Ridge was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. We managed to catch one of the best days of the best blooms in 30 years!
You can probably take 170th all the way to the aquaduct. But if you turn left onto Broken Arrow Rd (no sign, but it slants away instead of being a 90 degree turn), you will connect with the aquaduct a few hundred feet north of the hiker water supply.
In 2003, one of the old water access’s was still there, just before the first paved road. I don’t know that I’d count on it, but if you’re a tad dry at that point, you might give it a try.
To go into Mojave, turn right on the first paved road past the railroad tracks. (2nd paved road since you reached the aquaduct)
I got the route from Berger & Smith’s book, the name escapes at the moment, not the one with Bart Smith photos. The Southern California DeLorme is the map I used while hiking.
Have fun with it!
Splat
Back in 97 there was a lawyer feller who was at K Ms who was in a hurry to get to Yosemite to meet his girl friend. What he did and a few others have also he got a ride down the hill to 395 and walked the A, all the way to Mono Lake. He arrived the same afternoon as his girlfriend!!!Sure seemed like a strange way to get up the trail but he avoided all the snow and passes…His name was Tom Best, does anyone know him!!!
meadow ed