Mile 314 to 329

Silverwood Lake looking north.  You can see the PCT
as it wraps around the lake.

Section C
Hwy 173 to Silverwood Lake – Nobo
Miles: 15
Hiking with: Solo (Gary D -- in spirit)


Lodging:  Holiday Inn Express, Hesperia, CA  - There are a lot of hotels in Hesperia. There are a lot of hotels in the area and at the next intersection to the north & a lot of restaurants.  I booked through www.hotwire.com and paid about $80.


Shuttle: I used my Dual Sport Bike (Kawasaki 250) and transported it on my Ford Excursion.


Dining: Friday night we at in Barstow, Ca.  So, so food.  We had a Diners, DriveIns & Dives location but we got there after they were closed.

Start: Hwy 173 -- Deep Creek parking lot.

End: just west of Hwy 138 at Silverwood Lake turn off.

People along the trail: I saw a group of 3 ladies just doing a day hike, 1 female trail runner, and another male just out hiking.  All these people parked their cars at the base of the Silverwood Lake Dam and were doing out and back hikes.


Description: This trip actually started on Friday as Gary D & I headed up to Kanab, UT to visit a hotel we manage up there (a 6 hour drive).  After a couple of hours in Kanab, UT we drove onto Barstow to spend the night.  Gary got a call from his wife and found out they had RSVP'd to a wedding the next day.  So the hike was off for Gary.  Saturday morning we got up a 4.30 am, drove down to the Ontario, CA airport, dropped off Gary to fly back to Phoenix, and I drove back north to hike.  I dropped my motorbike off at the Silverwood Lake park headquarters and then drove over to the trail head parking lot for Deep Creek at the end of Hwy 173 (which is closed between the parking lot and Lake Arrowhead).  When I hiked deep creek there were probably 8 cars in this parking area -- now it was only me.  If finally started hiking about 7:30 am.

As usual I underestimated the beauty of the PCT.  This looked like an average boring hike on the map.  The  trail actually was very scenic as it slowly ascended the mountain side and then darted in and out of side canyons.  Several of these were fairly lush for the desert and had small streams flowing (it had rained the previous weekend).  The skies were blue but the wind was blowing 15 mph.  The trail then drops down below the dam and follows Hwy 137 for about 1/2 mile and then climbed back up next to the dam and then  dropped into Silverwood Lake area.  This is the first section of the PCT where you are hiking along a lake -- although about 50-100' above lake level the whole way.  As I was finishing my hike fog started rolling into the area and the temperature dropped 10 degrees (at least it seemed).  I also saw 3 small snakes along the trail.  I was rather surprised with the first two as I hadn't seen any on the trail for almost 5 months.  I jumped on my motorbike and rode back to the trail head where my car was.

I then drove over to Palmdale to hike the dreaded 17 miles across the Mohave desert.  I got up the next morning to the end of the trail to drop off my car and the wind was blowing about 45 mph and it was raining.  This is the beauty of section hiking -- I decided to come back and do it another day.  Rather than just drive straight back to Phoenix I decided to drive the roads that crossed the PCT.  I started with the roads in section E -- this was pretty quick.  Then I drove along the roads in section D (the San Bernardino Mts) -- wow -- what a windy and indirect route.  Hmmm....at least it will help me for planning future hikes.

PCT sign at the Hwy 173 Trail Head.

The trail crossing a boulder field in a side canyon.

The flowers were in bloom late March in the desert.
This is looking down at the Mohave flats.

A small stream in one of the side canyons.

A small stream in a side canyon.

Another crossing of a streamlet in a side canyon.

Desert flowers in bloom.

Looking towards the snow capped San Bernardino Mtns in the next section.

Silverwood Lake Dam.

Large pipe along the trail.

The PCT is actually the road where the trail crossed the river flowing
out of Silverwood Lake.  Note the PCT sign on the bridge guard rail.

Silverwood Lake spillway and river from the lake.

Silverwood Lake.  Note the fog rolling in over the mountains.

California poppies along the trail with Silverwood Lake in the background.

Fog rolling over the mountains and onto the lake.

Here the trail leaves Silverwood Lake and goes under Hwy 138 .  The
ranger station where I parked is just up this road.

A wind mill construction side at sunrise.

These are pictures from the next morning -- I thought they were fairly scenic so I included them.

While storm clouds and strong winds are coming in from the West
the sun rose in the east in clear skies creating a spectacular rainbow.

While storm clouds and strong winds are coming in from the West
the sun rose in the east in clear skies creating a spectacular double rainbow.