One thing that makes a Pacific Crest Trail thru hike so difficult is that every hiker must traverse 700 miles of desert at the very beginning of the trail. Extreme heat, loads of sun exposure, and long distances between water sources makes this environment hard to travel through. In this video I am making my way through the last sections of the desert! Hiking through the Mojave Desert, across the LA Aquaduct, through massive wind farms around Tehachapi, and through some very inhospitable landscapes. This video covers roughly day 15 of my trip through day 23. Mile 400 to mile 700 of my 2022 PCT thru hike.
Every hiker that starts this trail looks forward to finishing this section of their hike. Not just to get out of the harsh weather, but also because the following section is through the high country of the Sierra Nevada Mountains! Beautiful granite walls, flowing waterfalls, gorgeous lakes, old growth forests, and snow! After hiking through the desert it is a very stark change, one that is dreamed of when walking across blazing hot valley floors in the southern sections.
For the desert I carried 4 liters water capacity and was usually happy with that, though I would recommend others to start with 6 liters! You can always ditch some gear later should you find that isn't needed. Most of the long water carries were about 20 miles in total, through very exposed areas, in temperatures as high as 110 degrees. Water is essential, and you must find how much you need to be safe and comfortable.
Though it is very hot during the days it actually got quite cold at night! Some nights were in the 30s, and one of my coldest nights of this trip was even in the desert. I personally used a 30 degree Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt, but I think most would be happier with a 20 degree instead as it offers more flexibility, while I was always looking for that perfect campsite to supplement my quilts warmth.
Another fun piece of gear I saw a lot in the desert were sun umbrellas! I didn't use one but was very often jealous of those who had shade everywhere they went, provided by their silver reflective umbrella. They would use them as they walked, or during breaks it provided a great deal of comfort in the heat and sun when trees or bushes weren't always available.
A great tip for the desert is to wake up early to hike until 10am, take a very long break until 3pm, and then hike until just after sunset. This way you can happily have cooler temperatures and not over exert yourself, get dehydrated, or get heat stroke. Those hours right in the middle of the day can be brutal, so if you can avoid them that is preferable.
Having a super ultralight backpack helps as well, as again you aren't exerting yourself so much, and can walk more comfortably! My baseweight for this trip was 6.6lbs and felt like a dream on my back.
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