After a last breakfast at Denny’s I packed up and started walking west out of town. I had thought about trying to yogi a ride over the flat and featureless 10 miles to the Castle Mountains. But there was no traffic on the road (I have seen exactly one vehicle on a jeep road so far) and I was into the Castles and into more-interesting country by the late morning.
Into the J Trees again
The wind is back again, continuing cold and from the north. My route was a steady climb today, from about 2500 ft in Searchlight to about 5000 feet in my camp in the Castle Mountains.
Joshua Trees appeared first, and then were joined by junipers, and then finally by pinyons. These fine trees provided the first real shade I have had the whole trip, and I was glad to sit under them at break time.
The marked springs have been dry. Stagecoach Spring was definitely dry. Malpais spring was down in a canyon a bit. There was some greenery, but no flowing water. It is a seep at best.
Good thing I decided not to rely on these spring and packed 6L of water. Plus a can of beer.
A small arch in a Castle
I left the jeep roads in the late afternoon and continued cross-country over some low ridges and into a valley that is somewhat protected from the wind. A fine sandy campsite tucked behind a large pinyon presented itself and I called it a day. Nothing too notable or spectacular today, but I made good miles without drinking up too much water, so I call that a good day.