TRAIL JOURNAL
/ June 10, 2022
Section F starts with a 2-mile traipse alongside Hwy 58 in Cameron Canyon. It is a deep, hot, bone-dry canyon. Exiting the canyon is a 3000-foot climb up a tree-less, steep south-facing slope. Compared to the air-conditioned comfort of my Mum’s car, it felt like we had been dropped off on Mars.
It was about 20 miles until the first water source at Golden Oaks Spring. Our packs were heavier than usual with all the water we were carrying. Dad had planned for the difficulty. He had got us both air buds and played a book-on-tape for us to listen to as we climbed in the sun. It was hard going, but the story really helped a lot. It would have been a *lot* easier if we had hiked out of Cameron Canyon in the morning, but we had chosen to spend that time with Mum and Lachlan.
We passed eight people on the trail returning to Tehachapi. They had not trusted Golden Oaks Spring to be safe for drinking, even after filtration. A few hikers had reported getting sick in Section F, and the people we met turning back had decided to skip 125 miles ahead to Kennedy Meadows. We had just got brand new filters, so Dad and I decided to push on.
We got to Golden Oaks Spring early the next morning. I bumped the pipe accidently, and the water came out a gross brown flocculation for a while. But the filters did their job. I didn’t get sick. We did other things too, like taking a nap around midday. Finally, we made it to Robin Bird Spring in the evening.
Although there were still long water carries ahead of us in Section F, it felt like we had made it through the hardest part. We weren’t sick or dehydrated, and we had made it to Jawbone Canyon Rd. I felt pretty confident, and I think Dad was starting to feel less stressed too.
- Magnus!