Iron Mtn Through a Foggy Lens 1-24-09

[Dave G]

Beastie: The trail is currently dry. It would be quite a bit more difficult that your Baldy hike. It's about 14 miles round trip and the elevation gain, including the ups and downs, is around 7200 ft. You'll need to carry all your water, as there are no sources along the trail, although there were a few snow patches near the top as of last weekend. Here is a link with the trailhead location: http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/guides/15d.htm

Dave

Edit: What Alan said He beat my post.

[lilbitmo]

Dave,

How long did it take you to descend from the summit of Iron back down to the East Fork of the San G river?

Thanks

[beastie]

Dave- Thanks for the tips and the helpful location link you provided.

I realized that my hike on Monday is a bit more difficult than initially reported. I know about Manker Flats to Baldy and one of these days I may decide to hike it since it’s a very popular hike and a shorter ascent to Baldy. I always choose to hike the Mt. Baldy Trail to Baldy because it’s extra miles and more elevation gain. And the snow makes it a challenging day hike (details below).

Mt. Baldy Trail to Mt. Baldy
Total miles 12.8, roughly (there & back)
Elevation: start 4200’, peak 10064’

Finding the trailhead:
Take Mt. Baldy Road make left at Bear Canyon Road (before Baldy Visitor Center). Drive past several homes to a white gate and park at designated lot on right. Walk a bit further on road passing a few more homes then cross stream to Mt. Baldy Trail and shortly thereafter stay right on trail at the fork.

[FIGHT ON]

Dave- Thanks for the tips and the helpful location link you provided.

I realized that my hike on Monday is a bit more difficult than initially reported. I know about Manker Flats to Baldy and one of these days I may decide to hike it since it’s a very popular hike and a shorter ascent to Baldy. I always choose to hike the Mt. Baldy Trail to Baldy because it’s extra miles and more elevation gain. And the snow makes it a challenging day hike (details below).

Mt. Baldy Trail to Mt. Baldy
Total miles 12.8, roughly (there & back)
Elevation: start 4200’, peak 10064’

Finding the trailhead:
Take Mt. Baldy Road make left at Bear Canyon Road (before Baldy Visitor Center). Drive past several homes to a white gate and park at designated lot on right. Walk a bit further on road passing a few more homes then cross stream to Mt. Baldy Trail and shortly thereafter stay right on trail at the fork.

That's my favorite way up too! I park in front of the visitor center and start at that white gate. I thought it was six miles from there and 6000 feet gain. Any way you go up it's still great to get to the top but I prefer the Bear Flat Trail for the same reasons except the snow part. Is the snow/ice off the Backbone section?

[beastie]

Fight On-

It’s roughly around six miles; just going with the map details. Getting to the top is amazing! Last Monday there was plenty of snow beyond 7000ft, including the Backbone I’m sure. The snow was compact.

If you are every up for a daring challenge try the following: Icehouse Canyon Trail to the Icehouse Saddle, then, via Gold Ridge Trail, head toward Badly Notch. You’ll pass Telegraph Peak & Thunder Mt. before the Notch. From the Notch head up Devils Backbone to the top of Mt. Baldy and then down to the Village on the Baldy Trail. It’s about 18.5-miles.

Note: difficult 3-miles from Devils Backbone to the top after completing 12-miles and ascending from 7800’ to 10064’. Helpful to have two cars so a car is at the Visitor Center or the White Gate. Without two cars the walk to Icehouse Canyon on the road is not fun. Too make it about a 16-mile P2P leave the second car at Manker Flats. Either way both are tough day hikes.

[FIGHT ON]

Fight On-

It’s roughly around six miles; just going with the map details.

Close enough for me! According to the Tom Harrison Map the trail starts where you park. I've noticed that parking area but never parked there. How many spaces are there anyway? Like three?
I just got into the habit of parking in front of the visitor center before I bought an adventure pass. They told me if I parked directly in front that I wouldn't need one. This hike was the first for me outside of the Angeles Crest and was truly an adventure.

Getting to the top is amazing! Last Monday there was plenty of snow beyond 7000ft, including the Backbone I’m sure. The snow was compact.

I bet!
I'm not very confident in snow as I don't have crampons or an axe or the knowledge/experience. Frankly just thinking about being up there with ice and snow alone scares me enough to keep me away! Hiking alone on snow free conditions is enough for me now. I've been lucky enough so far and like being alive. (I understand walking around in snow is very pretty but when I die I'll be dead for a long time so it can be pretty all it wants until I first take classes.)
A good friend of mine went up and turned back on the Bear Flat trail a few weeks ago. Almost got blown clean off the side of the mountain! Doesn't that sound lovely? Fear is one thing that is keeping me alive for sure. I've seen how lucky I've been so far when I've trusted what I knew already and I've been really lucky. So for now I am REALLY paying attention to my fear.

If you are every up for a daring challenge try the following: Icehouse Canyon Trail to the Icehouse Saddle, then, via Gold Ridge Trail, head toward Badly Notch. You’ll pass Telegraph Peak & Thunder Mt. before the Notch. From the Notch head up Devils Backbone to the top of Mt. Baldy and then down to the Village on the Baldy Trail. It’s about 18.5-miles.

Note: difficult 3-miles from Devils Backbone to the top after completing 12-miles and ascending from 7800’ to 10064’. Helpful to have two cars so a car is at the Visitor Center or the White Gate. Without two cars the walk to Icehouse Canyon on the road is not fun. Too make it about a 16-mile P2P leave the second car at Manker Flats. Either way both are tough day hikes.

I like stuff like that. Sounds Beastly! I've gone up Icehouse to Baldy down Manker with a friend then hitched a ride back to Icehouse.
Would be cool to walk back down the Bear flat trail and make the loop. I hear ya that walking up to icehouse from there would not be fun on pavement. I've seen groups start at Icehouse and walk down the pavement first, when it's dark. good way to warm up before the fun starts! Then you go all the way around and are on trails the rest of the way back to your car. That sounds like fun to me. But again after enough of the snow is gone.

[AlanK]

If you are every up for a daring challenge try the following: Icehouse Canyon Trail to the Icehouse Saddle, then, via Gold Ridge Trail, head toward Badly Notch. You’ll pass Telegraph Peak & Thunder Mt. before the Notch. From the Notch head up Devils Backbone to the top of Mt. Baldy and then down to the Village on the Baldy Trail. It’s about 18.5-miles.

Note: difficult 3-miles from Devils Backbone to the top after completing 12-miles and ascending from 7800’ to 10064’. Helpful to have two cars so a car is at the Visitor Center or the White Gate. Without two cars the walk to Icehouse Canyon on the road is not fun. Too make it about a 16-mile P2P leave the second car at Manker Flats. Either way both are tough day hikes.

The Baldy Big Loop is pretty popular. The standard route is to take the road from Icehouse Canyon to the Village, the Bear Flat Trail to Baldy, the Backbone Trail to the Notch, the 3T Trail to Icehouse Saddle, and then down Icehouse Canyon. The Baldy 6 Peaks hike takes in the peaks of West Baldy, Baldy, Harwood, Thunder, Telegraph, and Timber along that route. There are variations that take in other peaks, including Etiwanda, Cucamonga, Ontario, Bighorn, and Sugarloaf. The most extreme version I know of adds Dawson and Pine.

[beastie]

Fight On wrote:How many spaces are there anyway? Like three?
There are five spaces but it depends on how others park. Every time that I’ve parked theres seems to be a space or two.

I absolutely recommend crampons for the snow; helps getting blown off the mountain. That would be a bad day. If you know the trails/area it’s typically more physically challenging than dangerous. The danger level does rise during the winter but some trails are risky anytime of the year. Perhaps you’ll enjoy walking in the snow some day because it is very “pretty”.

Maybe a Baldy Big Loop early spring. Thanks for the tips, AlanK & Fight On.