California's Pacific Crest Trail
The Central Section
505 Miles
This section of the PCT in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is one of the most beautiful and one of the most remote.
Although it does not lend itself well to short overnight or even weekend hikes it is a beautiful place and a must for any backpacker that has a week to spend in the wilderness.
It is approximately 800 miles long and includes a 200 mile section that never crosses a road.
You are now within the Sequoia National Forest. It is named after the giant sequoia, the world’s largest tree.
There are 38 groves within the park. Many of the largest trees are over 3,000 years old and have trunks 30 feet in diameter and can be 270 feet tall.
Because of the higher altitudes this section is best passable after June. This is due to snow blocking some of the passes and later the snowmelt filling the streams. It is usually good through September, depending on how early the weather begins to change.
Wildlife along this section will include the Black Bear. You will need to protect your food supplies every night and never, never snack inside your tent! You could wake up with a brand new fury best friend with very sharp claws.
Other wildlife within the area includes mule deer, golden eagle, prairie falcon, quail and dove.
The trail in this section begins at Walker pass (elevation 5,250 feet). This is the lowest elevation of the Central Section and before you enter the Northern Section, you will also pass over the highest elevation on the entire PCT.
From Walker pass you will immediately enter a roadless but very scenic country. You will be on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and headed up into very rugged territory.
You will travel through the Chimney Peak Wilderness area. This is rocky mountainous terrain dominated by pinion pine with areas of sagebrush. There are also some springs and streams along the way that support the wildlife.
The Pacific Crest Trail crosses about eight miles of the area just west and south of Chimney Peak's summit. You'll see little evidence of human visitation except for a few traces of the Sacatar Trail, an old wagon road. It is one of the few reminders that humans ever traveled with some regularity through this area. The trail is a designated Wilderness Area and managed by the Bureau of land Management.
You will soon be crossing the South Fork of the Kern River near Kennedy Meadows. The route varies between scenic meadows and lush forests, then begins a 3,300’ rise in elevation and over to Cottonwood Pass.
You will next enter the Sequoia National Park. Here the PCT joins with the John Muir Trail as it comes down from Mt. Whitney. These two trails converge for most of the way to Highway 120 in Yosemite National Park's Tuolumne Meadows (elev. 8,690').
Along this stretch of mostly wilderness you will find some great rock climbing. The PCT crosses eight named passes above 11,000' in this section traversing canyons and rises to high passes.
The very first is Forester Pass (elev. 13,180'), the highest point on the PCT and the second highest of the John Muir Trail. It was originally discovered by a group of United States Forest Service workers. They named it in honor of the agency.
After you cross Highway 108 at Sonora pass (elev. 9,620'), the trail tends to level out a bit and stays close to the Sierra crest until you reach Interstate 80 (elev. 7200'). Along the way you will cross state highways 4, 89 and 50.
Highway 50 takes you into Lake Tahoe where you can take a break and go kayaking in the summer or skiiing in the winter. The trail between highway 50 and Interstate 80 is immediately west of the lake. Interstate 80 takes you into Reno, Nevada.
You will find some volcanic rock south of Yosemite, but larger amounts are encountered from Sonora Pass to Echo Summit at Highway 50. The northern section of the PCT takes you through the Cascades which are mostly volcanic.
The Central section basically ends here near Donner Summit (elev. 7, 259') at Interstate 80. You are in the Tahoe National Forest, just West of Truckee. You will now transition to the Northern part of the PCT as another change in scenery lies before you.
| Califonia PCT | ||
| Pacific Crest Trail Pt. 1 |