This is a notorious section of the PCT, we covered some big miles over the day and through the night. Today’s mileage comes in at 30.4 miles, 49 km. The day was split into two, with a rest in the middle. The aquaduct section itself is practically always hiked through the night because it’s so barren and exposed out in the Mojave Desert.

After a really good rest, I wake up feeling strong and refreshed. I was up before the sun, and got to see the sunrise from the water source on the hill behind camp.

I’d collected just enough water to make breakfast at camp. After eating and packing up, I started my descent from bear camp, collecting more water on the way out.

The trail down the hill is absolutely beautiful. I find myself meandering through long grass and under large oak trees offering plenty of shade. With fresh, well rested legs, I fly through this segment.

The trail descends towards the desert floor, and I’m excited to reach the infamous Hikertown. I make very good time down the hill with a light pack. By the time I reach the stream at the bottom, I’ve caught up with people who left camp half an hour before I did.

After the stream, the trail undulates over barren foothills. For the next few hours I’m fully exposed to the desert. The heat is relentless, but I still maintain a good pace, drawn by an iconic PCT stop, and the prospect of cold drinks.

Eventually I get over the last hill. A long, flat, and perfectly straight road stretches before me. This road will take me over the desert, to the mountains beyond. These are the very beginnings of the Sierra Nevada foothills, and Hikertown is visible about 1 km ahead on the right.

I make it to Hikertown at 1 pm, a full 2 hours earlier than expected. The location is an old movie set owned by Richard Skaggs, a retired Disney executive. The area is fitted out to resemble an old wild west town, and provides a place for hikers to hang out, camp, and stay in cabins if needed. While there, I take a ride to Neenach Markets, a cafe and store owned by the same people as Hikertown.

As the day goes on, about 30 hikers pass through town. I nap on the ground waiting for the heat to pass. Once the sun starts to get low, we get ready to head out on the aquaduct. Everyone does this section through the night to avoid being exposed to the intense heat. We’re making a party out of this, we have glow sticks, a bluetooth speaker, and a playlist stacked with electronic music.

We walked through the night, it was beautiful and clear with a nearly full moon and perfect temperatures for hiking. The desert is an awesome place on a night like this. We watched the moon and stars track across the sky, just as we would watch the sun during the day.

Eventually the moon set, and the sky in the east began to lighten. We’d been walking all night and still had a couple of hours till water, and shade. As the sun rose, the details of the desert revealed themselves and we found ourselves surrounded by sand and scrub.

Before long the sun had fully risen, and we were getting roasted. We had no choice but to continue walking until water, thankful to have tackled this section at night. We reached the water and shade at 9 am and immediately took refuge without setting up camp. Sleep followed very shortly after.