Lots of hikers walked up to Kernville and up the Kern river to gain entry into the Sierras ,but the route at the time in the 1973 guide book showed using a seires of trails and old roads ( like this ) to head north out of the desert. Leaving Weldon ( which was the end of desert hiking ( 540 miles up from Mexcio ) and hikers of the day called " Well Done " , quickly climbed into the land of snow and ice!!