Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2011: Route 66 bicycle-camping—Cady Mountains, Sleeping Beauty and Kelso Dunes Wilderness / Day 4: Hyten Spring hike, Kelso Dunes Wilderness 39
I'm back! I wanted to do this hike to Hyten Spring last year. I see no other humans today. 19 hiking miles and about 2200 feet of easy elevation gain. Kelso Dunes Wilderness does not contain the Kelso Dunes, but it's a nice, remote area to explore on foot.
- I'm up early this morning for the hike to Hyten Spring that I didn't get around to doing last year
Another nice morning. Even though it was chilly last night, I was too hot sometimes in my winter sleeping bag, and didn't sleep all that well (was up at 1h eating turkey jerky to help me fall back asleep). A quick breakfast and coffee, and I'm on my way. Three cups of coffee today instead of the usual two. With close to 20 hiking miles ahead of me, I figure I'll need it. - Before reaching the wash that leads up to the Hyten Spring area, I hike cross-country around the left end of the mountains ahead
It's rocky terrain, a bit up-and-down, and it slows me down, but it's more interesting than hiking the nearby powerline road. I could have set up camp last night a bit further down the powerline road to make today's hike a little shorter. - I turn for a look across Crucero Valley as I stumble across the rocky landscape
There are many reddish buckwheat skeletons left from last year's flowering season. - And here's one of those Goldfields-like flowers of which I saw several while hiking Sleeping Beauty a couple of days ago
They're tiny and easy to miss. - I think this is a little Claret-cup cactus sprouting an early blossom
Because of the rocky terrain, I'm looking down at the ground a lot (always a good idea when desert hiking anyway); otherwise I wouldn't be noticing little details like this. - I start hiking up Hyten Spring Wash and encounter several coyote melons left from earlier this year
It's not steep, but I'm gaining elevation at a slow and constant rate nonetheless. The cool morning is warming up, so I take off my sweater and start hiking in short sleeves. - I pass a number of cholla cacti on the way up the wash into the Bristol Mountains
I've hiked about 4.5 miles so far, on my way up into the mountains ahead. I seem to be hiking at a steady 3 miles per hour on this extended, slightly uphill, stretch. - I pass through a forest of Smoke trees on the way up Hyten Spring Wash
Here in the Kelso Dunes Wilderness, automobile (and bicycle) travel is supposed to be prohibited, but there are some tire tracks here. Maybe I should have brought my bicycle up here and camped in this area, despite the law. - It's easy to miss little piles of cactus droppings like these as you walk over them in the Mojave Desert
These cholla cactus "children" stick to your shoes and pants; have fun getting them off if you've picked them up! - I hear some noise, look up, and notice an owl, noticing me
We watch each other peacefully for a few minutes. - This hike is progressing slowly; I'm finally entering the mountain zone as I walk through this gateway
Looking forward to getting up in those hills ahead! - A number of small barrel cacti adorn this rock wall in Hyten Spring Wash in the Bristol Mountains
I wonder how high the water gets here during wet weather... - The Lewis (Lew) Carpenter Guzzler, Kelso Dunes Wilderness
Constructed 1992, according to the plaque. - I follow the tire tracks a short distance off my Hyten Spring hiking route and find that they end at a guzzler
This unexpected discovery explains most (but not all) of the tire tracks I've seen today. Guzzler-maintenance folks have permission to violate the mostly-good law that prohibits ordinary people from driving a bicycle or car into a Wilderness area like this. A full pond of water here, though not the freshest. I consider filtering some, and hiking an extra day in the area, but I do have plenty to get me back to Ludlow tomorrow. - The rocky terrain gets more interesting as I slowly get higher up this Bristol Mountains wash
The wash has narrowed; the hike becomes more intimate. - Another cool rock wall in Hyten Spring wash
There's an interesting side wash here that would be fun to explore, but I decide to stick to my planned route. - I pass a deflated barrel cactus in Hyten Spring Wash that lost its footing on the steep adjacent hillside
I come across these occasionally in the Mojave Desert. - I notice several hawks and ravens flying around as I continue hiking up the wash toward Hyten Spring
They don't see many people out here! - I'm enjoying the hike up this part of Hyten Spring Wash with its occasional little dry waterfalls to climb over
I've run into no steep and difficult climbs so far today, so I'm making good time, mileage-wise. - I climb up a small dry waterfall in Hyten Spring Wash and look back down
It looks like water pools down there after a good rain. - I've just passed an open area where I had to choose which route I'll take to Hyten Spring
I'm now on my way to that saddle just ahead above Hyten Spring. - This is the high-elevation point of my day, at roughly 3000 feet in the Bristol Mountains, a bit above nearby Hyten Spring
My cell phone works here; I use it. I take an extended water-and-energy-bar break, enjoying the views before heading down to Hyten Spring, below on my left. Last year, I enjoyed hikes in the area beyond the almost flat-topped hill in the distance. - After climbing over a couple of hills, I drop down into a little canyon ahead where I should find Hyten Spring
I usually carry maps with me, but a GPS makes navigation across contorted terrain like this so much easier. - On the way down the hill to Hyten Spring, I stop to look at some of the Desert holly plants that grow here
There are a lot of these growing in this area. They don't mind the rocky soil around here as much as many other desert plants. - And here it is: Hyten Spring, Bristol Mountains, Kelso Dunes Wilderness
There's hardly any water here, but since it's the only spring in the Bristol Mountains, it's quite significant in its own little world. I walk a little further down the hill before turning around, wishing I had time to continue even further. - As for a pool of water at Hyten Spring, this litle tank in the rock is all I find today
It's a bit scummy, but could be filtered if I really needed it. There's so little water here that I'd hate to steal it from the wildlife (I can get more at Ludlow tomorrow). - A few pink buckwheat flowers near Hyten Spring, Kelso Dunes Wilderness
With so few flowers in the Mojave Desert at this time of year, these little flowers do stand out. - For the return hike back to my tent, I follow a different wash down to the powerline road from Hyten Spring
My tent is behind that part of the Bristol Mountains ahead (which I wish I had time to explore), so I'll walk around them to the right. I've seen no people today, but a few cairns and faded footprints say that the area is visited occasionally. - A bird's nest in a catclaw bush in Kelso Dunes Wilderness
I wonder who lives up there... - A series of cavelets is clustered in a hill along this wash in the Kelso Dunes Wilderness
There's probably a packrat nest in each of those cavelets! - Interesting rock spikes along the wall of the wash, Kelso Dunes Wilderness
I tempted to climb up one of these little hills, but I'm on a mission to see if I can get back to my tent by dark. - On my way down out of the Bristol Mountains, I pass a few Rush milkweeds in flowers
I saw a few of these Asclepias subulata a few miles away last year, but wouldn't have known what they are except for Lee's identification (thanks Lee). - Further down in a Bristol Mountains wash are a number of low, reddish buckwheat tufts
I sometimes see these along paved roads in the Mojave Desert, but didn't always realize that they are in the buckwheat family. - Further down Hyten Spring Wash, I get expansive views across Crucero Valley
Some of the land a bit further to the right is in the far-western portion of Mojave National Preserve, which I don't enter during this trip. I'll turn left when I reach the transmission tower in the middle of the photo (can you see it?). - Back on the powerline road, less than two miles of hiking to go
The lighting is great at this time of day as the sun prepares to set. - I spend a lot of time snapping photos as the sun goes down on the powerline road
The colors change by the minute at this time of day. - To my surprise, I'm back at my tent at 16h40, before total darkness; I was expecting to need my flashlight on the way home
The grade was gradual during most of today's 19-mile hike, so I often walked quickly. I haven't seen any other people today, and it's time to write a few notes and think about my evening meal! - Time to boil water for tonight's instant meal: Mountain House Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
A satisfying meal after a satisfying hike! A relaxing, and quiet evening, except for the occasional distant train sounds, which are almost soothing at this distance. It's good sleeping weather tonight: low 40s. - Hyten Spring hike elevation, Kelso Dunes Wilderness
19 hiking miles and about 2200 feet of elevation gain.