Cedar Springs Trail/PCT along the Divide

[KathyW]

Instead of going up the West Fork Trail, I decided to head over to the other side of the Divide and go up the Cedar Springs Trail yesterday. Once I got up to the PCT, I headed south along the PCT and wander over to Pyramid and Lion Peak. I also tried to get to Pine Mountain, but I gave up due to the heavy bushwacking - even crawling under the bushes wasn't working. I'll try Pine again sometime but I'll try to vary my route to avoid some of the bushwacking. Before I headed back down to the trailhead I dropped down on the east side of the Divide to Cedar Springs.

It was just beautiful weather yesterday - the Desert Divide is one of my favorite places. A map of my route and some pics I took:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/7241649_Eg2j4#465313481_8uXbB

PS: I found two ticks on my body when I got home from the hike. One on the back of my neck and the other on the back of my thigh. I'm not sure if I got the heads out completely and it's awfully red and sore around the bites - not something that I've had happen before around tick bites. I know not many ticks in this area carry Lyme Disease, but it sure is kind of scary. Crawling around on the ground in the bushes around Pine Mountain was a really bad idea.

edit on February 1, 2009 - the red rash around the tick bites has now spread out and is beginning to look a lot like the rash one gets in the early stages of Lyme Disease. I'm headed to the doctor or urgent care today to have them take a look at it and start me on the antibiotics.

[bluerail]

Kathy, I was wondering which direction you were going into cedar springs from. I came over from morris ranch road into cedar springs, and then it took me probably 30-45 mins to find the right way out of cedar springs campground down the Jo Pond. The snow on the west- north west side of the campground was completely untouched and a good 6-10 inches. I had a hard time finding the trail.
The Jo Pond sure is a steep rocky little trail. I'll have some photos up in awhile.

[KathyW]

Steve:

Did you do the hike Saturday or Sunday?

Kathy

[bluerail]

I did the walk Sunday. I was dropped off on morris ranch road at 8am and walked into the trading post post area shortly before 2 to be met by a ranger who explained to me the Indians do not want the canyon to be used as a throughfare without pay. Even though I came in from the back. So next time, I have to pay (or maybe just not walk by the trading post).
Like I said, I spent a good half hour trying to find the trail out (north) of cedar springs. There was absolutely no sign at cedar springs marking the Jo Pond trail to palm canyon. Not that I found anyway, and I ended up doing a pretty good search at cedar springs. I almost had to turn around at that point because I couldn't find the trail.
Never having been there before, the abscence of signs and the unwalked on snow on areas of the trail kept me from finding it easily.
I never saw another sign until the west fork sign down at the bottom, so the whole way down I was hoping I was on the right trail. It wasn't until after I got over the bald northwest of cedar springs and started heading down toward the huge canyon of the west fork that I felt better about where I was.
The trail had areas of snow completely covering it in many areas and obviously had not been walked on. most were in areas where walking around the snow would have been more difficult, especially on the north slope as you start heading down.
Only when I got to the bottom and ran into the Jo Pond sign was I assured I had been on the right trail.
I would like to see a profile of the Jo Pond and compare it to Skyline. There is about a 5-6 mile stretch where I would say I'd rather be on skyline.
I'll get photos up later on today. You really get some good views of the palm canyon Dunn road area from up there at the top.

[bluerail]

Kathy, I posted photos under the Jo Pond thread if you are interested, we do have a couple of doubles.

[SoCalJim]

Kathy, the rash you developed after the tick bites seems to have appeared awfully quickly to be Lyme disease. If you check the CDC website, it says usually 3-30 days for rash development. However, your description does sound very much like the Lyme disease rash. Hope you went to the doctor promptly as you said you were going to; Lyme disease can be very debilitating and I believe early treatment is key. I wouldn't take any chances. Hoping for the best.[/code]

[KathyW]

Yes, the rash came pretty quick. The doctor said it is probably just cellulitis and not Lyme Disease, but the antibiotics he prescribed will work for either. They took blood to check for Lyme Disease, but the results aren't in yet.