It’s 90.8 miles between Wrightwood and the next stop off in Agua Dulce, or ‘sweet water’.
The most notable climb of the stretch is up Baden Powell. It’s one of the largest climbs of the trail yet and the views were amazing. It’s also one of those peaks that shows you desert on one side, and then alpine forest on the other.
So crazy how quickly the landscape can change in the desert.
Something I enjoy on the trail is little pieces of hiker ingenuity. Water was dwindling even more than usual on the way towards the Mojave desert. At one trickling spring where it was hard to get water, someone had situated a straw in an ingenious way. Way to make it work!
Coming into Agua Dulce is a really cool section called the Vasquez Rocks. These crazy rock formations were a shock in what to me had become boring desert upon desert walking.
It was super cool. And as you walk through the rocks, the little nature trail is labeled. All the desert plants are given names. I couldn’t help picturing school kids on field trips doing scavenger hunts in the desert.
By the time I was walking into town though (the trial goes right through Agua Dulce), I was getting parched and feeling starved. Agua Dulce is a tiny little town, maybe shitty at first glance, but when you look back you realize people out there have money. It’s horse ranches galore in the land surrounding about five buildings.
I stopped in at the Mexican restaurant. Trail rumors of it’s deliciousness had been spread far.
It was everything I ever wanted it to be. So. Damn. Good. It haunts me still.
Next stop, Hiker Heaven.
Happy Trails,
Artemis
Meg and Zach: Out The Door 