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008 I left my car in Agua Dulce and prepared to ride my ebike in the pre-dawn darkness to the Indian Canyon PCT Trailhead
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012 I arrived about dawn at the Indian Canyon PCT Trailhead and locked my eBike to a grating in a nearby arroyo
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016 I grabbed my backpack and crossed Soledad Mountain Road to begin my 10 mile hike on the PCT to Agua Dulce
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017 The PCT crosses a flood plain on the Santa Clara River just north of Soledad Mountain Road
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024 The Santa Clara River was barely a trickle, with stagnant pools, where the PCT crossed during a dry March 2022
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031 That's a railroad-riding truck on the tracks where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses, and the Golden Spike is right there
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036 Morning light where the PCT crosses the SCRRA Valley Subdivision railroad tracks in Soledad Canyon
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038 This is the Golden Spike Pacific Crest Trail Completion Monument where the trail was dedicated in 1993
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042 Brass marker on top of the Golden Spike Pacific Crest Trail Completion Monument in Soledad Canyon
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044 Looking back down at the railroad crossing in Soledad Canyon, from the PCT as I begin climbing
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054 These sandstone Buttes are just east of Three Sisters Rock, so I called them the Three Sisters Buttes - ha ha!
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075 Climbing on the Pacific Crest Trail north out of Soledad Canyon in early March, and the grasses are still green
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092 Panorama view south overlooking Soledad Canyon from the PCT, with Mount Gleason and Messenger Peak, far left
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105 Beautiful California Poppies were blooming everywhere on the south-facing slopes above Soledad Canyon on the PCT
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109 It was getting to be a hot day down below 3000 feet elevation, so I opted for shorts - this is a rare sight for me
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120 Panorama view of California Poppies blooming spectacularly, with most on the southwest slopes
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123 View east from the PCT above Soledad Canyon with fields of happily blooming California Poppies
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126 I reached the day's first high point as I crossed the ridge north of Peak 3166, and under several large powerlines
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139 Panorama view over Bobcat Canyon, with Three Sisters Rock on the far left, and a small cave on the right
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153 Panorama video over Bobcat Canyon, with Three Sisters Rock, from the Pacific Crest Trail south of Agua Dulce
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160 View of the loose sandstone cliff and the mystery cave as I climb upward on the PCT in Bobcat Canyon
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164 Looking back the way I came, with Peak 3166 right of center, and Bobcat Canyon down below the poppies
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168 By this time of morning, the California Poppies had opened their petals fully, and were a sight to behold
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170 Hillside covered in California Poppies - Vicki and I like to call this effect a FlowerFall
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174 The poppies tended to bloom on the southern sides of the hills, where there was more sun, but also more rain
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175 It was hard not to enjoy hiking along through such a beautiful bloom of poppies on a warm March day on the PCT
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181 I finally made it to the day's highest point at the top of Bobcat Canyon, and could look north toward Hwy 14
