DCHS 12-19

Well I couldn't resist trying a hike to DCHS to see what it looked like in the recent snow. The valley floor ( Apple Valley ) was still covered in snow and the mountains around the Bowen Ranch Rd were also very white with lots of snow. I had a choice to make, either to take a try at making it up to my usual parking area at the edge of the Deep Creek Canyon, south of the Bowen Ranch, or to drive down to the end of Deep Creek Rd where the gate is and hike from there to the Mojave Forks dam and up the PCT to DCHS. After considering the trouble I had ( getting briefly stuck three times ) the last time I tried the Bowen Ranch Rd after heavy snows, I opted for the latter option of going by way of the PCT, since I figured I would most likely be able to make it by that route on foot ( two leg drive ) to DCHS.
My plan worked, and I made it too the springs by 2PM, taking many pictures as I hiked up the Deep Creek Canyon. I think its was about six miles from where I hiked to DCHS. I hiked in snow the whole way, at times encountering depths over a foot deep in places. I wore my rain boots ( just below the knee high ) to keep my feet dry. My toes got a bit cold but not too bad while hiking through the snow. I took a group of photos at the springs, and then when I was done I did a soak in the Womb and Serenity pool for about an hour. I put my thermometer about 12 inches off the edge of the Womb and it was reading 35 degrees while I was there. The Womb was around 97 degrees. Great just standing neck deep in the Womb on the big rocks at the bottom, while enjoying all the stunning snow scenery. When I was taking photos I had walked around and could see by the absence of tracks in the snow that know one had been there since before the big snowfall last Wednsday. Had the whole place to myself. Real peaceful and soooo quiet :-)
The sun goes down fast these day so I dressed and started my return hike by 3:15PM. Hit my last encounter with direct sunshine about 20 minutes down the trail where the Bradford Ridge Trail meets the PCT. A bit further down I spotted some big animals on the north side of the creek, about 50 yards up from the creek on a big alluvial fan that comes off a hillside canyon in that area. Like I figured, the cattle that are supposed to be contained in their grazing allotment in the Juniper Flats area have escaped their " containment ". I took a number of photo of them and will be passing along this info to the USFS. I counted 13 head. The cattle had come down very steep hillside to get to that spot, an area I know well. A few of the cattle were trying to start back up hill but I don't think they really realize what a pickle they have gotten themselves into. Any way out of there will be quite difficult for those big animals.
While hiking in to DCHS I also came across all sorts of animal trails, like Fox, Bobcatt, Deer and I even saw an Eagle at one point above me while hiking the PCT. There were also the trails of all sorts of other small critters. Saw Ravens at times in various spots and at DCHS there were a couple of ducks. When you get the fresh snow, your really see just how many things move around in those hills.
It was getting pretty dark by the time I neared the Mojave Forks dam. I noticed a bright light down in the canyon, then realized it was just the reflection of bright Venus shining off a pool in the creek. There were lots of rocks big and small that had come down off the steep mountains onto the PCT. One huge boulder ( about 7 foot in diameter ) came loose from the hillside and rolled down a bit onto, and in the way of, the PCT. Finally got back to my truck at 6:35PM, Glad to be done with my 12 mile hike in the snow and cold temps. When I started driving home the temperature gauge ( exterior temp ) in my truck was reading 28 degrees. No problemo, since now I was getting toasty warm and listening to some mezmerizing music, Vangelis - Reprise. Had a great day communing with Mother Nature and her hot waters from deep below :-)
I took many photos and will post some of them at my Flickr site when I get the chance. I'll try to get a few up this evening for starters, on second thought its late and I'm pretty tired, so first photos some time tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll try and do them in the sequence as they occured during my hike, so it will end up being like a photo " story " of the day. It will take me some time to do the full sequence and I'll post to this thread when I get groups up.