Southern California - Baldy Summit: Sunday Nov.1
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Sunny, clear & warm day. Big fun start to finish. Gave some blood on this one but it's well worth it. The Lodge @ 8200'
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A couple of DH chargers ready to make the drop at 8200'. If you've seen this course you know what intense looks like: Dean & Rick from Arcadia.
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Leaving the Ski Lodge parking lot. The fun's just begun: 10%+ climb and 4 more miles of climbing to the summit.
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About a mile up the trail and it's now about 15% thru this section and I'm out of tall gears.
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Near the start of Devil's Backbone: 20% sections, rocky, the trail is now down to 3' wide with some sections about 24" wide and sheer drops of about 1500' off the side. If your name is not Tinker Juarez you are now on the 'hike' part of this climb.
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The Devil's Backbone: welcome to the Hurt Box.
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Wild, wind-blown trees and brush up here. The views are spectacular.
About 9000'.
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Wicked climb thru here. Rocky, narrow, very steep (20%+). I can really feel the altitude now. Couple of hikers coming down tell me I have to leave the bike here - I wont be able to go any further....yeah, maybe.:rolleyes:
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The summit is in in sight. The climb is slow now. The trail is just steep, rocky and meanders all over the place. Pass some hikers who are breathing hard, including a family with some cute little 10 y.o. triplets making a big effort to summit....cool stuff.
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The summit: 10,064'. There's a big bunch of climbers up there and they kinda wander over to chat with me - most didn't expect to see a MTB up here. It's good fun...we're all beat and feeling daffy at the altitude.
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Fun group of Japanese climbers. They really hammered this climb. Neat stuff.
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Pristine conditions: clear, no wind, warm (80 up here) and I could see Catalina and the Seal Beach Pier. Great climb.
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A Bud & a bar on the patio of the Lodge. Fun, funky place up here. Nothing fancy...just one big mountain to play on.:thumb:
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Took the ski lift down to Manker Flats. Nice ride down thru 'Big Butch Wash'...ten bucks and it's a mellow way to end the day.
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spinerguy
11-02-09, 02:39 AM
Ha ha Congrats, I know it's fun.
Wanted to do the bike thing but don't own a mtb and I'm in the process of building a cross bike. Knowing that it may or may not be ready before the cold weather sets in, I invited my brother to hike up there a couple of weeks ago.
It was a bit windy, gorgeous views at the top. Few ppl that day. I did see a mountain goat herd near summit. Definitely worthwhile. :thumb:
ooga-booga
11-02-09, 03:02 AM
beautiful pictures! yeah, once you leave all traces of the skiing area (near post/picture
#7), it really gets nice! all southern californians who enjoy the outdoors should try to
get up to the 10,064 foot summit at least once-whatever mode of transportation they choose.
may go again (hiking) via the other devil's backbone approach on the northern side of baldy
before thanksgiving. thanks for the inspiration!
SoCalWheels
11-02-09, 07:30 AM
Great pics....
What was your mileage and average grade to the top (if known)?
I have an old (old, old) Giant ATX 970, chromoly full suspension, that has been collecting dust for some time. Thinking I need to break out the pledge and donate some blood and sweat to a former love.
I especially enjoyed the pics of the Japanese tourists.
Great pics....
What was your mileage and average grade to the top (if known)?
I have an old (old, old) Giant ATX 970, chromoly full suspension, that has been collecting dust for some time. Thinking I need to break out the pledge and donate some blood and sweat to a former love.
I especially enjoyed the pics of the Japanese tourists.
I dont have any numbers on this climb. I started at Manker and, according to the info sheet from the Visitor Center, I got about 2050' of climbing to the Ski Hut. Then on the final 1854' of climbing to the summit I probably only got about 800' on the MTB - the rest was on foot.
The average grade is probably 9-10%+ ?? but, as you probably know, the road from the Falls to Hut is loose and rocky in places and some real work. The trip from the Hut to the top is sketchy - at best. It's not so much about grade here - it's all hard given the terrain. I guess I should say I don't advise hauling a bike up to the summit unless you're pretty sure-footed. It's a gnarly hike as it is and dragging your bike along the edge of a mountaine is not for everyone.
I did wash out a couple of times on the descent and if I were crazy enough to do the MTB thing again I would very definitly wear elbow and knee pads. I shredded my knees on this one.
Forgot to refill my btl. at the Hut and paid for that. I thought I could do the summit on one bottle and was dehydrated big-time on the descent. The descent is as hard as the climb in a different way - it's sheer work going up and slow at most points but, on the descent it's all you can do to slow down and not misstep and take a fall - the rocks shred you if you miss. You're trying to be carefull not to start a rock slide which really pisses-off the other climbers around you - for good reason.
It was a bit windy, gorgeous views at the top. Few ppl that day. I did see a mountain goat herd near summit. Definitely worthwhile. :thumb:
Yeah, the wind is an issue. I tried this two weeks ago and thought better about going past the Hut late in the afternoon with 20+ wind gusts.
I think you mean sheep not "goats"? Very cool. I was keeping an eye out for some, I've never seen them but, this would certainly be a hike to see some on. I'm going to be doing this hike again, on foot, and will bring the binocs, it's certainly the best 'top-down' view in the San Gabriels.
LawnChair
11-02-09, 08:50 AM
I hiked up Baldy on Sunday and could not believe it when I saw a mountain bike at the summit.
I understand what you mean when you say that the terrain was at times more difficult than the grade.
I overheard you tell another hiker that you are no kid either. Great job.
.
I overheard you tell another hiker that you are no kid either. Great job.
Thanks. Yeah, I'm 61 and my older brother can blow me away on hikes like this.
Congrats on that one Kev. Got me breathing hard just looking at your pics.
alicestrong
11-02-09, 09:30 AM
Well so you did it, did you? Looks like you had fun!
But yeah, my lungs hurt just looking at the pictures...
chefxian
11-02-09, 10:27 AM
Great Pics!