High Sierra Trail - Day 3

Day 3 - Pinto Lake to Big Arroyo

July 23, 2017

No more late mornings for us; from here on out we set alarms for 5 am to make sure we were making good progress on the trail before nightfall. We knew this to be especially important if we were going to make up for a lost day. This would be my bad day. I was feeling discouraged that we had not made it further than Pinto Lake, and that we had this enormous climb (3200 feet in 2.6 miles). The packs were not very much lighter, and we knew we had to have a full three liters of water for black rock pass.

Leopard Lily

K on the switchbacks in flowers

The trail immediately began with a meadow; we thought maybe this was Pinto Lake dried up? We finally saw the lake, which looked like a little pinto bean,  to the north, away from the campsites and the meadow. As we ascended, we struggled to discern exactly where we would "pass" through. There was very little shade, but a multitude of flora. Identifying the corn lilies, the paintbrush, shooting stars, leopard lilies, and other delicate flowers, helped us pass the time on the lower switchbacks. I was very sick to my stomach, struggling to eat small bits of Clif bars without vomiting, and definitely overheated. I cursed myself for not losing weight before the trip. The two lakes opposite us, Spring Lake and Cyclamen Lake, were mostly ice covered, and the views were amazing, had I cared to look. I dubbed any tree that provided cool wind and shade a "Jesus tree", as only God could have provided these on this awful mountain. It became clear which direction we were headed, and I would have never pegged it as a "pass". We joked that if Cajon Pass were like this, people would drive above Wrightwood and Big Bear. The snowfields on this southwest side of the pass were mostly melted away, which was a blessing given how steep the switchbacks had become. M & I were betting on number of switchbacks to a particular rock; she couldn't fathom that we'd reach it in 3 so she bet 5. It was three. Soooo steep!

Spring  and Cyclamen Lakes

M on the switchbacks

I pushed myself and began taking one breath (in and out) with one step. I was slow, but steady. I knew my body needed fuel, but I struggled to keep even small bites of food down. Finally, after I think 5 hours, we made it. M was first, I was second, with K right behind. The views were spectacular and we took in some lunch (which I again struggled to keep down the rest of the afternoon). Lunch consisted of tuna in sunflower oil, mayo, and left over cheese in a spinach wrap. Let me pause for a moment here and say, I will never eat Clif bars OR spinach tortilla wraps again. M also struggled with acid reflex on the way down, a difficulty we'd share for the remainder of the trip.

M & I on top of Black Rock "pass"

Moving on, we flipped off the southwest side of the pass and looked towards the snowfields on the northeast side. The first one was easy to get around, but the rest would involve a lot of trail spotting. We never needed the microspikes but a detailed map would have been oh so useful. (I purchased a 7.5 minute map for Kaweah Gap... not really helpful for our detour. Should I burn this map? Maybe not, since I share a deep, passionate love for maps.)
K took the lead here, and I staggered behind just wanting the day to be over. M & K diligently trail spotted; sometimes I would just wait until they found it before I made an effort. Like I said, this was not my day. Thank God K was on point and we found the trail after some time and made it into Little Five Lakes. Here we met some guys that wanted to head up black rock pass; after our conversation, they elected to stay the night and tackle it first thing in the morning.

Little Five Lakes

Enter mosquitos (emphasis on the first O, courtesy of Tom from the UK). M wears contacts and as we covered ourselves in Deet, she accidentally sprayed it in her eyes. Stuff went flying and she cried as she threw her contacts on the ground and begged for reprieve. K moved out of the mosquito area and I tried to help M (Did you try water to flush them out?) Eventually we moved out of Little Five Lakes and towards Big Arroyo. I knew we hadn't made up any time, but I didn't want to press on beyond Big Arroyo (this was the only time I'd concede to a shorter trip). The trip to Big Arroyo was mosquito ridden and fairly uneventful, except several creek crossings that required boots off. Actually, entering Big Arroyo required us to cross one last creek (One more? WHY???). Several women were bathing on the other side of the bank, and I could not fathom how they did it without being eaten alive. It was here, in Mosquitogeddan, that we all were chewed up. We surmised we would have been better to cover ourselves in mosquito blood, like the Walking Dead. Should we farm mosquitos and sell their guts to backpackers? K & I were covered in bites while M wore a Gore-tex to fend them off. Her butt, however, did not fair so well (see #lumpybutt).

While at Big Arroyo, we met the groups of people we'd see to the end of the HST, including the bathing woman. They had all managed to get through the #icetunnel, a day later than we would have encountered it. They all agreed it was scary and crazy and I knew my husband would be proud that I had not tried it. My adventurous spirit can sometimes overwhelm the sensible side of me. I can't remember dinner, but it was probably beef stroganoff and corn that I had difficulty eating. We made it to bed by dark and set our alarms for 5 am.

Overall
Miles:  6.9

Elevation start: 8400

Elevation end: 9520
Elevation gain/loss: +3200/-2080
Campsites: many, dirt/rock, fairly level
Water: Creek very near by
Toilet: N
Bear storage lockers: Y
Privacy: Some

Hashtags for the day:

#blackrockpeak #jesustree #inhumanepass #inadvertantwhitneytraining #wrongturnatAlbuquerque #snowfields #trailspotting #mosquitogeddon #pmsd #katiesgotthepox #lumpybutt #highsierrasexy #mosquitozombieblood #mosquitowarpaint

High Sierra Trail - Day 2

Day 2 - Bearpaw to Pinto Lake

July 22, 2017

We woke up slowly, giving a us a late start. We ate the heaviest of the breakfasts (granola + bananas) and had some Starbucks vias for coffee. The first day takes a while to load the packs, and mine was probably slowest because I carried the tent and rain fly. I really couldn't even start packing until both tent pieces were ready. K had the issue of the tent poles causing things to be off center, and M had mostly things that would not decrease at all in weight as we went on.

Hiking through Redwood Meadow

This was the first day of the southern detour, so technically not one iota of this trail is part of the high sierra trail. We descended (mostly) toward Redwood Meadow, a misnomer since it is a grove of giant sequoias. I had hiked to Redwood Meadow before via the Middle Fork trail; however, it was in the Spring and by a  slightly different route. The Middle Fork is a hot trail, which makes it ideal for Spring use, but terrible for summer. We met a few guys coming into Bearpaw who took the Middle Fork trail (and complained of the intense heat) but were able to give us a little information on trail conditions and such. Down we went, with some ups along the way. I was always thinking of how I did not want to descend anymore - the heat was getting to me, and the thought of going back up (in said heat) was disheartening. Still, we pressed on until we came to a rather large creek.

Cliff Creek feeder

This was probably the only creek we would cross that would require a significant amount of scouting to find a way across. There were no rock cairns to be found, but we did find evidence of previous crossings once we made it to the other side. Finally, K (my BFF) and I found a way, and  proceeded to mark our "trail" with sticks. As if something from the movie Elf, it went something like this: "Through the asparagus forest, past the lichen stick, over the fallen logs, past the water boulders..." We hiked as far as we could through pretty dense brush before putting on sandals. M(my daughter) & I were to share a pair of Keens - something that turned out not to be as easy at we had thought. I crossed first. While taking them off on a rather steep bank and finding a place to drop the pack, K would go to the "island" in the creek and wait for me to throw her the sandals. Then she'd toss them to M. The whole thing went well. The creek was wide and not terribly swift where we crossed. Once we all got our boots and packs on, we were then challenged to walk along a steep bank and head back to the trail. The brush was thick, the terrain rocky/slippery, and I managed to scrape and bruise my knee pretty good when a rock gave out.

switchbacks headed up to Pinto

We took inventory once we found the trail, noting the significant time we had lost trying to cross a creek that wasn't even on our radar. Coming into Redwood Meadow, we found the ranger station unoccupied, but had lunch near it in case he/she returned while we were there. We were looking for (but would never find) any intel on black rock pass. We ate the same thing for lunch (wheat things, summer sausage, cheese), but it was harder to eat this day due to the heat. Much of our trail was now uphill. We were counting "creek" crossings, but never quite sure if they were marked or not marked on the map with the record-setting snow season. We met a solo hiker who came out of Mineral King and was originally bound for Black Rock pass. The rangers had advised him it was better than Kaweah Gap due to the ice collapse and the 2.5 mile snowfield. He had injured himself crossing the creek, so he was on the way we had just come from in order to exit. He also indicated the junction was "just around the corner"; this was a milestone we would rest at and decide how much further to press on.

It was NOT just around the corner; in fact, it was probably 1.5 miles before we'd hit that junction. There we met another group of hikers who were familiar with the area. They said we'd be able to make Pinto Lake, but it was gruelling uphill.

Headed up to Pinto Lake (looking back) - sunset looming

Now, for some really dumb reason, we decided NOT to pump water at this junction. We decided we could do the next few miles without water, and resupply at Pinto. We'd already had 4-5 liters each; this seems like more than enough to sustain for the day. The uphill switchbacks to Pinto were intense, but M seemed pretty good and I felt okay. I snacked on almonds; in my mind they have a high water content (for a nut) and I had hoped it would help with the thirst. It did. This would be K's bad day. Trust me, each of us would have one of those days. K struggled up the switchbacks. She was pale, needing water and food. She scoffed at my suggestion of almonds. Darkness threatened us, and eventually overtook us before we made it up. M kept scouting ahead, hoping to find an end to the switchbacks or a water source. M eventually found a small stream and pumped some water for all of us. It was decided we'd leave K's pack and M & I would come back for it if she was unable to make it. She pushed on, and we made it into camp after 9 pm, all packs included.

I apologize now for pitching a tent so close to another set of hikers. I needed K to rest and get food/water ASAP. We pitched camp, pumped water, and ate dinner in the dark. None of us wanted that damned dinner; exhaustion breeds a distaste for food, despite the body needing the calories.
By the way, we never did see Pinto Lake itself until we ascended the next day.

Overall
Miles: 10.1

Elevation start: 7680

Elevation end: 8400
Elevation gain/loss: +2580/-1860
Campsites: many, dirt/rock, fairly level
Water: Cliff (?) Creek very near by
Toilet: N
Bear storage lockers: Y
Privacy: Some

Hashtags for the day:

#asparagusforest

#lichenstick

#nonameriver

#justaroundthecorner

#fuckpintolake

High Sierra Trail Day 1

Day One- Trailhead Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw Meadow:

July 21, 2017

My parents took us to the trailhead 7:15, through the familiar General's Highway and tiny road that leads to Crescent Meadow and Moro Rock. As we made final preparations, like pit toilet stops, sunscreen, & deet, my father handed us the "rope". For some reason, family and friends felt we needed a rope. Their explanations were not fact or experienced based, so we had declined multiple times. However, as we began putting our packs on, my father insisted we take the rope he bought for us - there was no denying it.

We knew this part to some degree; although, the year we hiked it was 2011 and our entry date was late June. This meant our previous experience had been with very high water and snowfields near Bearpaw meadow. Still, we knew the terrain and the elevation losses and gains, along with familiarity with the campground logistics.

Merhten Creek

The fire from Mariposa County, presumably, inhibited many of the great views experienced on this

Smoke towards the valley/Moro Rock

part of the hike. Once we were at Mehrten, things began to improve. While Mehrten was a questionable crossing with a pack last trip, it was quite an easy creek to cross this time around. We lunched on the other side and soaked our hot, swollen feet in the cold snowmelt. One guy was hiking barefoot in the water and nearly slipped to his death as he hit slick rock and slid about 10 feet. Fortunately, we'd not see this guy and his friends again after Bearpaw. Our lunch of Wheat Thins, summer sausage, and cheese was easily eaten, as our bodies were not really challenged other than the 40+ pounds. I remembered a lot of ascent and descent, and that we would descend considerably into the Buck creek/canyon crossing (a very welcome bridge, BTW), and that the roughest section would be the climb to Bearpaw. All in all, this would be an easy 10+ miles to transition our bodies to more difficulties that might lie ahead. One lady warned us (albeit unnecessarily) that it would be longer than expected to climb to Bearpaw once leaving Buck. I appreciated the honesty which helped us mentally prepare for a longer hike rather than a shorter one. We arrived fairly early, making the evening relaxing and simple. Dinner was the "thanksgiving meal" along with apple crisp for dessert.

Daughter and I with Great Western Divide in background

Buck Creek/Canyon

Bearpaw is a common destination, which makes it a
highly used and honestly, undesirable campground. There are two outhouses, not exactly preferable to a make-shift woods toilet, but very necessary for the amount of visitors that frequent the area. (They are nothing like the ones in Little Yosemite Valley, which seem more luxurious than any other in the backcountry I have experienced.)  Water is available from a faucet, but must still be treated. The high sierra camp lay on the other side of the "meadow", and I surmised we might have bear visitors in the night. With so many people, and multiple bear storage lockers, and a neighboring meadow, it seemed ripe for bear visititation.  We noticed deer in the evening, and even in the middle of the night during a trip to the outhouse. Sure enough, the next morning, there was a bear that walked by our tent (no rainfly due to the warmth of the evening) and huffed loudly as he sniffed the bear locker, as if to inform us of his disgust that we had prevented him an easy meal. He made his way to the meadow, and began eating "good" bear food; I was thankful that the other members of campground were also diligent about their food storage.

I digress now, to a moment on the trail, just before Mehrten creek, where we encountered a couple. The father carried a baby in front and a large pack in back, along with an umbrella to shade the youngster. The mother carried a considerable pack as well; they looked to be in shape and experienced. He asked our destination, and stated he had just come from Hamilton Lakes (which we would pass through our second day). He informed us of an ice "river" that was, in his opinion, impassable without significant experience with crampons and an ice axe. While I have had one mountaineering class that included crampons and self arrest techniques, I am by no means proficient at it nor was my BF and my daughter. In fact, we decided not to carry these tools as we felt something this technical was probably not something we should attempt. Apparently, there *was* an ice tunnel, but it had partially collapsed; meaning, one would have to go over the ice river/field/flow, which lay at a 45 degree angle. He noted a southern route that would bypass the ice, but that there would most likely still be snow fields (we're okay with that), and the route would add 1/2 or more of a day to our trek. Also, it would be a significant difference in elevation drop/gain. We decided to check with the ranger at Bearpaw and gather information from other hikers along the route.

Post creek crossing (Nine Mile Creek)

The problem with seeking advice  from the many hikers at Bearpaw is that their destination is the High Sierra Camp. This means they are most likely staying locally with shelter and food provided, and are not through hikers. We spoke to the park aide, who also spoke to the ranger, and we were advised that most people were unable to get through Kaweah Gap due to the ice collapse. They suggested we go to Hamilton and see for ourselves, and then if it were impassible, to just hike locally and stay on the western side. No one had gone the Southern route, and we also met a few hikers who had turned away from the "mini glacier" because they felt it was impassible. We made the decision, then, to take the southern detour, through Redwood Meadow, Pinto Lake, over Black Rock Pass, and eventually end up at Big Arroyo. If we chanced going to Hamilton, we may end back up at Bearpaw anyway, and we would have lost a day for nothing, making the entire HST impossible to complete on time.

Overall
Miles: 10.1

Elevation start: 6680

Elevation end: 7680
Elevation gain/loss: +1680/-680
Campsites: many, all dirt, fairly level
Water: faucet - must be treated
Toilet: 2 outhouses (no TP)
Bear storage lockers: Y
Privacy: N

Day One Hashtags:

#stupidfuckinrope

#nodenyingtherope

#cougardeer

#bearhuff

#outhousedooropen

#iceflow

#iceriver

#icewall

#icefield

#microglacier

#miniglacier

#nanoglacier

#icetunnelcollapse

Devil's Chair - Winter Version

A friend of mine said he missed my blogs, (huge ego boost), so I am making an effort to blog again about my adventures.

I ventured out to Devil’s Punchbowl for a hike to Devil’s Chair. I’ve done this one before, but in late Spring. Once again, I find the seasons subtly alter the beauty of my surroundings. The manzanita is one of my favorite winter flora; its deep claret bark, twisting and writhing with greying, aged wood, contrasts marvelously against its bright green leaves and the winter sky. Yet, in the summer months, I hardly take notice of this evergreen shrub.

The first mile of the Devil’s Chair hike is uphill via dirt road and is generally warm, with little shade and typical high desert vegetation. As the trail rounds to the north facing ridgeline, evergreens emerge. It had snowed three days prior to my arrival, and the subsequent days had been unseasonably warm, leaving trail conditions less than desirable, with slushy snow to icy mud to deep, slippery mud. If I had not had two dogs in tow, I would have definitely used trekking poles for stability.

I find sixty degrees to be rather warm, especially when hiking, so I was already rolling up my sleeves and hydrating frequently. The patchy snow-covered areas brought lower local temperatures, which both the dogs and I enjoyed. The trail continues up and down, only moderately, along the ridgeline for about two miles. Squirrels were busy taunting my dogs, but not much else in the way of fauna. (Note, I did see a deer on my drive up to the punchbowl, so I am sure they were around.) There are several opportunities to capture glorious views of the punchbowl, the desert beyond, and the snowcapped San Gabriel’s to the south.

Once the three mile marker is reached, the trail continues on a significant descent, which was difficult to manage in slick mud. Thankfully, my trusty companions know the command of “easy”, slowing to allow their owner to negotiate the slimy decline. At the 3.7 mile point, there is a resting log, a magnificent view, and a split in the trail. From here it is about .3 miles to the actual “Devil’s Chair” – back along the ridgeline and across the rock, complete with stairs and railings. Once I returned to the resting point, the dogs and I had our snacks and water.

The trail ends up being *about eight miles round trip, if one decides to trek out to the chair. The first and last miles are moderately difficult, with the center 2 miles being fairly easy. In researching the trail, some described it as “treacherous”… And while there are thinner parts of the trail, with no railing, and potential for sliding due to mud and/or snow/ice, this trail is by no means “treacherous”. I’d describe it as “sketchy” at times, with trekking poles recommended if that type of thing worries you. Definitely bring lots of water (as always) and be prepared for the conditions that the season and weather dictate.

Manzanita Shrub

Penelope & Teyla on the Chair

View of the Devil's Chair

Muddy

Devil's Postpile/Rainbow Falls

Second day in Mammoth Lakes: Time to head to Devil's Postpile and Red's Meadow.

I caught the mandatory shuttle bus down to Devil's Postpile (Stop 6, I believe) from Mammoth Mountain. I headed out to Minaret Falls via the PCT/JMT, just a short hike from the postpile. The trail was moderate with numerous down trees. They were all cut from the trail, which was great, but at one point I think there were 8 different trees that I passed through. I ran into a local hiker who explained to me that the trees were downed due to a massive wind storm in January. I never found a moment to confirm that, but clearly the number of downed trees (roots and all) was amazing.

Minaret Falls is a cascading waterfall, divided in three separate falls. From the PCT, the views are not spectacular but decent for the middle section. They seem as if they'd be amazing in the Spring time, and I secretly hoped to return after a "good" year of snow or earlier in the season.

I turned around and continued on the JMT until I reached the trail to Rainbow falls. The downside to this decision is that I would not pass directly by the postpile. The upside is that I'd be on a new trail (for me) and see the postpile from an explorer's perspective. Muir's musings floated through my wandering mind as I followed his footsteps, viewing the postpile from across the meadow. The trail was very pleasant until I reached the Rainbow falls, where trees are scarce and the trail is hot and sandy.

Rainbow Falls came quickly (despite the heat), but it lacked the usual rainbow. I do not know if the time of day made a difference, but certainly the water levels had a great impact on the ferociousness (or lack of) of the great waterfall. Still, I opted to hike down the "stairs", where I witnessed an entire track team frolicking in the pool at the base of the falls. Just one year ago, not a single soul would have approached the fierceness of the thundering falls, and the mist could be felt at the base of the steps. Disappointed, I hurried back up to a lookout point to enjoy lunch, slightly envious of those who had the foresight to bring bathing wear.

There are several trails options back to a number of shuttle stops. Having not seen Red's Meadow, I chose that trail option. I passed a family of four, in which the mother was morbidly obese. While this trail is relatively easy, the heat is nothing to scoff at, and I was once again amazed at the human spirit. Oh how nature beckons the soul and motivates the body beyond our perceived limits.

Red's Meadow was once described to me as a typical Gold Rush era entrepreneurship... still in operation. I'd totally agree. There was a restaurant, a small general store, and modest accommodations, all of which were grossly overpriced. I decided against the mentally-noted-reward I had promised myself (a Coca Cola) and caught the first shuttle bus I could back to Mammoth Mountain.

I can't wait to explore these trails again, hopefully in early June, when perhaps snow will dot the trails in shady areas and the Minaret falls will show their grandeur.

Note: I revisited this area the following with my daughter, in which we took the standard Rainbow Falls trail from the Devil's Postpile. I have included some of those pictures for reference.

View of the meadow from the JMT


Devil's Postpile from the JMT


View of the Rainbow fire area, from the JMT


Downed trees along the JMT


Rainbow fire area, Ansel Adams forest, as taken from the standard Rainbow Falls trail


Rainbow falls, dotted with visitors


Devil's Postpile, up close and personal


Me at the base of Rainbow Falls, the following week

Cathedral Lakes

I suddenly found myself with some extra time and a trip to Mammoth Lakes with the fiance. Which, you know, is only an hour from Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. I picked a hike that could be done in a small amount of time but still challenge me just a bit - Cathedral lakes.

The trail, once it flattens, offers views of the edges of Cathedral Peak and is dotted with lodgepole pines and mountain hemlock (western).

Often the trail is lined with small grasses and delicate flowers that resemble a miniature meadow. My thoughts would wander to the ride on the Storybook Land canal boats at Disneyland and the amazing tiny forests they create. Lupine was also abundant, towering over the carpeted ground. The sky couldn't be any bluer collapsing into the giant slabs of granite that lined the horizon.

Crossing the meadow just before the lake(s), the landscape turns into a rainbow. The polished granite outcrops, ribboned with deep reds, contrast against the green grasses. Their burgundy tops sway in the wind while a small stream reflects the cobalt sky. Pale greens, yellowed grasses and grey soil add to the palette, as one color blends into the next.

The lake was breathtaking (so named Cathedral Lake(s) for the nearby Cathedral Peak). The air blew cool through the saddle across the lake - respite for the hot hiker. I walked along the lake for a short bit with the pure excitement of the experience, finally settling down near the middle for lunch. I try to give people their privacy so I positioned myself away from the other hikers. I can't say that others give the same courtesy and I was a bit peeved at the two idiots that made their way right in front of me (where every other word was "f*ck", which is not the word I would choose when surrounded by glorious beauty).

Now for the trail details:
The trailhead is just a short distance (west) of the Visitor Center. There isn't a
"parking lot" but plenty of parking on the side of the road and a visible sign for the trailhead. The hike is moderate and quick at 7 miles R/T. I managed it in 3 hours excluding my lunch time. The first 3/4 mile is uphill and rocky, not much to look at. The trail is heavily used, as the first 3 miles is on the JMT (John Muir Trail).
After the initial ascent, the trail begins to even out and is downright flat at times. There is a decent ascent near the halfway mark (where I saw lots of people strugglin on my way down); at the top it again evens out and is mostly downhill or flat the remaining mile. All in all it is suitable for most ages and can be taken slow to accommodate various fitness levels. I saw ages 7-70 on the trail today.

Gear - I wore my Brooks Cascades (trail runners) but I would have preferred a boot. I happen to be nursing a huge blister and chose the runners for that reason. There is a lot of silt and sand and some rocky areas which is why I'd recommend the boots. Still, you can get away with athletic shoes easily. I do not have any soreness from excessive rocks, etc. I also carried three liters of water, blister kit, ultralight first aid kit, survival kit, camera, lunch (with extra snacks, just in case), a .357 magnum pistol with extra rounds, a cooling tie, and some basic toiletries/medications (inhaler, aspirin, etc). I felt the need to bring all of this because I hiked alone. I definitely would have left some of that in the car or bear box if I had a hiking partner.

The back side of Cathedral Peak



Flat ground



Cathedral Peak



Cathedral Meadow



Cathedral Peak from the lake



Cathedral Lake

Baden Powell

Sunday we finally made it to the top of Mt. Baden Powell.
I consider it a preparatory hike. While it's impressive at 8 miles r/t with a 2700 ft elevation gain, it is only HALF of the elevation gain of our planned hike to Idaho's Borah(slotted for late August)in the same mileage.

The hike was amazingly not difficult. Two things that began to affect my ascent at about mile 3. I felt some rubbing in my heel, which made no sense to me. I have been hiking in my Asolos for several years now and these were new hot spots. The others (more predictable ones) always develop on the descent. I had Teyla with me, so I decided to press on to the Waldron tree (limbar pine) and apply some moleskin there. Somehow in Sequoia my blister kit transferred to the fiance's pack, and he somehow left it on the kitchen table that morning. So... I was SOL. I was favoring my heels so then I began to feel some knee/hip pain, but I knew it was due to changes in my gait.

I waited about 30 minutes at the Waldron and enjoyed apples with Teyla. It was refreshingly cold, but at times I was chilled so much I sought out the sun and protection from the wind. Fiance arrived and rested a few more and we headed to the top.

Views at the top were amazing and I did note that there were no bees (unlike the last time we did this trail). There was a place to camp that I had not noticed before - occupied by some backpackers. The wind was not nearly as chilling as along the spine (near the Limbar pine tree), so it was an enjoyable place to have lunch and take in the sights. Mount San Antonio (AKA Baldy) was beckoning, Rancho looked cloudy/hazy, and the views of the HD were fantastic. The limbar pines are pretty cool, too.

I limped most of the way down (so did the fiance after rolling his ankle) which warranted a trip to the Chiropractor today. I very much dislike the descents and today was no exception.

The blister kit has been added to the list of things to bring for Borah. The largest one is pretty bad, but all in all I feel really great about this hike. I didn't experience any soreness the next day and I feel refreshed.

Some information on the hike:
Trailhead is out of Vincent Gap in Angeles National Forest, about 10 miles west of Wrightwood. The sign says 3.7 miles at trailhead, but later you see you've gone 3.8 miles at the junction to Dawson Saddle. Here you have about .2 miles to the summit. The limbar pines are very old; the Wally Waldron tree is estimated at 1500 years old. They are burly pines with thick trunks and thin branches. There are about 40 switchbacks on the trail which makes the trail wonderfully steady. Watch the change in trees; you'll go from oaks to firs to sugar pines and finally on to the limbars.

About the Wally Waldron Tree

The fiance & Teyla



View of the HD



Tey & I by the Lord Baden Powell monument.