[pct-l] Itinerary help-So Cal Desert sections

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

Karen,
According to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve web site
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=627
"Peak Poppy Bloom:
Wildflower blooms occur generally from March through May. The peak  
viewing period is usually mid-April." I'd call their Wildflower  
Hotline for details.

You might want to time your arrival for the flowers. I could tell  
when I came through June 2, 2008, that there had been carpets of  
goldfields at one time. They were all brown and long gone by June.  
Last year in late March (I think) I drove through the area and saw  
the beginning of the poppies. Gorgeous!

If you can't make the logistics work, I would not worry too much  
about the Antelope Valley crossing (Aqueduct Day). It's only 16 miles  
to the Cottonwood bridge. By the time you get there, hiking in warm  
weather will not be a big deal. You can either hike out from  
Hikertown in the early morning, take a long break under the  
Cottonwood bridge and hike on to Tylerhorse Canyon or else you can  
leave from Hikertown at something like 3pm and arrive at the  
Cottonwood bridge around 9pm, then hike on toward Tehachapi the  
following morning, rising out of the heat into the elevation before  
the middle of the day.

There are likely to be great wildflowers in Section A at the same  
time as the Antelope Valley, with the Antelope Valley flowers  
possibly fading more quickly than the Section A flowers.

Enjoy! I'm so jealous of all of you!
Diane


On Mar 8, 2010, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> I need to get an early start, plus I would like to hike some of the  
> hotter
> desert sections (avoiding the mtn sections that will still be under  
> snow, ie
> Fuller Rdige and Baden Powell and maybe Laguna Mtn) from March 28- 
> April 22.
> I figure I will not only benefit from milder weather and more  
> water, but I
> may get to see the wildflowers in Mojave or Anza B. that I'd otherwise
> miss.I live here and have transportation support, so anything is  
> possible in
> any order. What would be ideal? I am  only guessing. This is my  
> first time.
> I was thinking about doing the mojave first (but I don't know where I
> should begin or end). After that, I can get a ride home to  
> Idyllwild and
> then start at hwy 74 and hike southbound. By the time I get to Mt  
> Laguna any
> snow should be gone. Once I get to Campo I'll get a ride to kick  
> off. Or,
> after the mojave, I can get a ride to campo and hike northbound to  
> 74, then
> drive back to kick off. I was thinking after the kick off I'd start  
> at hwy
> 74 and go north as soon as it is possible. Bottom line is I need to  
> be done
> with a month on the trail before the kick off but avoid snow.  
> Suggestions
> Please?