An Unbroken Dome of Sky
The Mojave is perhaps the least appreciated of North American deserts. It lacks the lush gardens of stately cacti that define the Sonoran Desert. Nor can it boast of red rock canyons and soaring temples of the Colorado Plateau deserts.
What the Mojave has instead is an abundance of light and space. With few deep canyons and no forests, an unbroken dome of sky arches over a land that is totally exposed to sun and stars. After the year of darkness that was 2020, I needed to walk in its light.
But ongoing pandemics and long-distance hikes are a poor mix. I had section-hiked the Desert Trail as far as I-40 last year and thought to continue on to Death Valley this year. But the only plausible resupply option is the town of Baker. Getting there would require a 30-mile (48 km) hitch. That wasn’t going to happen. Nor was it obvious how I could get from Death Valley back to my starting point.
I abandoned my ambition to continue north on the Desert Trail and sketched out a self-supported loop. The route would cover the heart of the Mojave National Preserve, hopping from one mountain range to another across stretches of desert floor. A detour into Nevada would let me resupply at the fittingly-named town of Searchlight.
There would be no trails of course. But the Mojave is full of abandoned jeep roads that serve as de facto two-track trails. I could use them for over half my route. The openness of the country would facilitate cross-country travel. I sketched out a route on GaiaGPS and had a plan.
I spent a day setting out water caches at road crossings. Those caches would supply about half the water I needed. For the rest, I would rely on springs tucked into the mountain ranges. Given the ongoing drought, this strategy was a bit of a risk. I hoped the springs still flowed. Although hope is not a plan, sometimes it is the best we can do.
Days 1-2: Kelso to Hole-in-the-Wall
I parked my car at the pandemic-closed information center at Kelso, saddled up, and began walking towards Searchlight, heading northeast along the highway, climbing out of the Kelso Valley.
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Companion forum thread to: Searching for the Light
After the year of darkness that was 2020, I needed to walk in the light of the Mojave desert.
Thank you for the awesome trip report, and inspiring photos. New York Mountain is a tough climb, and it was the death of one very experienced climber I knew. You were wise to bail.Â
An amazing journey that I would never have pieced together. Beautiful, expressive writing. And I loved your burrito trails lessons.
I grew up in various parts of the Mojave, running wild through the desert, coming home in time for dinner – mostly. My heart will always be there, even if I live far away in a much different setting. And yes, the light is very special.
Thank you.
— Rex
Dang automagic spelling manglers. Substitute “burro” for “burrito” above.
— Rex
Rad trip! Thanks for sharing your words and photos.
Thanks Rex – I think all of us have learned lessons from burritos also
When stationed in 29 Palms with the Marine Corps, I did a lot of Mojave hiking, but usually with at least 100 lbs of gear. I’ve always wondered if it would be worth a return to that desert with my current setup and priorities to rewrite my own story in that desert. Thanks for this piece!
Great Trip Report Drew !  What a rugged, unforgiving, beautiful landscape where only the most adept survive. I loved the look the fox gave you as he slank into desert. Thank you for sharing your challenging route and great experiences.
I was drawn to this report by the photos, which are awesome. Being from the East Coast, I have never done any desert hiking/backpacking, and this report gave me a taste of what a desert trip is all about. Thanks!
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