Baldy peaks comparison...

[homeslice]

I'm conditioning for the C2C by hiking my local hills, the baldy peaks of the eastern San Gabriel mountains by Rancho Cucamonga. If you've hiked these trails could you compare any of them to the strenuous elevation gain of the C2C? Any info. would be great.

[AlanK]

Baldy is great. Two of the most popular trails gain roughly 1000' per mile, which is quite steep. The Ski Hut Trail gains about 4000' in a bot over 4 miles. The Baldy Village/Bear Flat Trail gains 6000' in about 6 miles.

Another great Baldy route is "The Real Backbone" on the north side. You can do it from Wrightwood via the Acorn Trail. You go over Pine and Dawson peaks, so there is a lot of up and down. It is much longer and harder than the above two routes.

By comparison, C2C gains about 8000' in 11+ miles. It has 1000' per mile sections at the bottom and near the top and some gentler stuff in the middle. I am referring to the trail up to Long Valley (i.e., the Tram). To get to the peak is another 5+ miles and 2500' or so. But it is what our friend Frank calls the "robe and bedroom slippers portion" of the hike. After hoofing it up from the desert floor, the rest is a breeze. Except that you're probably dead tired, of course.

[Cy Kaicener]

The first three miles of Skyline gain about 3000 feet, the next six gain only about 2500 feet, the second last mile gains about 1600 feet, and the last mile about 900 feet. The middle portion is almost the same as the part above the tram.

[KathyW]

So, it's 11 miles to Long Valley not 10?

[zippetydude]

Looks like you're faster than you thought, Kathy!

z

[KathyW]

then it's not as steep as I thought either.

On the topic of speed:

Hiking speed has been of real interest to me this past year. I have tried really hard to increase my speed and have improved it a little, but not as much as I would have liked to. I know that I can go faster when I carry a lighter pack and have lightweight shoes on, so I think one of the things that holds me back is also related to weight - body weight. I've let an extra 20 pounds creep on over the last 6 years (since I turned 40), and I know it's slowing me down. I just love to eat, but I'm really going to try to get some of the weight off and see how that affects my speed.

Has anyone out there lost weight and noticed that they their speed increased with the loss of weight?

[KathyW]

Back on topic:

Baldy from the Village is almost as hard as from Palm Springs to Long Valley and I think Iron Mountain from Heaton Flats is just as hard as the hike from Palm Springs to Long Valley.

If the weather is warm, you will want to make sure that you can at least make it to Long Valley so that you can ride the tram down. Having to hike back down into the heat of Palm Springs from over half way to Long Valley would be very difficult. Once you get to Long Valley you will have the choice of going on the the summit of San Jacinto or going down the tram.

[AlanK]

I would also rate Iron Mountain from Heaton Flat as being about as hard as Palm Springs to Long Valley. Iron Mountain has a total gain of over 7000' (lots of ups and downs with one brutal up) in less than 7.5 miles. And the downhill really beats you up.

I rate the Baldy Village/Bear Flat trail as easier, but it's plenty hard. Maybe I've downgraded it in my mind because we have done much longer loops that used it early on. Slogging up Cucamonga as the 9th peak of the day really made those few miles up Baldy pale.

[homeslice]

Thanks folks, the info really helps. Hope to meet up with you soon.

[nfreund]

Hello, I just got off the C2C yesterday. That was one of the most intense hikes I have ever done. I live near Mt. Baldy and made it to the top a few months ago via Bear Flats and the C2C is significantly more difficult. I would contribute this to the net elevation gain, heat conditions, and length. Mt. Baldy summit conditions were more cold and windy but this could have been contributed to time of year, early march vs late may. If you are in good shape and made it to the top of MT. Baldy not using its tram, you can do C2C. Be mentally prepared for the difference though and take more water and food.