Rabbit #1 and Iron #3: 01-04-2009

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:02 pm

Hiked up to Rabbit Peak #1 and Iron Mountain #3 from Monte Cristo Campground today. Cold temps and clear skies made for a very enjoyable morning hike to two neighboring peaks with outstanding views of the western San Gabriels (I counted 20 HPS peaks off the top of my head). I was the first to sign the registers since middle of November.

A majority of the hike is on fire road with fun scrambles along the ridges leading up to the peaks. I parked at the campground but if you have the appropriate vehicle you could drive to just below each of the peaks (i.e. high clearance for the drive up to Rabbit and high clearance and probably 4wd for the drive up to Iron). Gates are open or destroyed. The gate into Monte Cristo mine was locked. Small patches of ice/snow in shaded areas pose no navigation probs.

Total distance hiked was just shy of 10 miles, with about 2900' total gain. If you have the time, which I didn't, you can throw in Granite Mountain #1 and Round Top to make a long loop with bunches of vertical gain on steep ridges.

San Gabriel, Lawlor, Strawberry, and Josephine from Rabbit Peak...

Lukens, Fox #2, Condor, and Iron #2 from Rabbit...

Granite Mountain #1 from Rabbit...

Iron #3 from Rabbit...

Twin Peaks from Iron...

Gatorade and Iron - yummy...

JMunaretto · Post by **JMunaretto** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:40 pm

oooh nice!

I want to do this loop (of those 4) and maybe even include pacifico.

how much snow is out there? dangerous?

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:52 pm

JMunaretto wrote:oooh nice!

I want to do this loop (of those 4) and maybe even include pacifico.

how much snow is out there? dangerous?

Looking up at Granite and Round Top, I didn't see significant snow. Pacifico wasn't visible. If you include Pacifico with the other 4 make sure to bring a bivy and lots of water

.

More pics of the views from Rabbit and Iron.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:17 pm

Oh, who or what the heck is Dora May?

This post was in the middle of the north ridge of Iron #3. It says

"Dora May South".

Any ideas?...

Terry Morse · Post by **Terry Morse** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:28 pm

Dora May is probably a claim marker. There are many mines in that area, so that's my guess.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:36 pm

Terry Morse wrote:Dora May is probably a claim marker. There are many mines in that area, so that's my guess.

Holy cow, that's it!!! I searched for Dora May mining claim and it brought up some info...in particular a pdf. The claim dates from 1934 but the area has been mined for quite some time (Black Cargo mine included).

Thanks Terry.

Edit to add more info...
http://www.lagoldmines.com/index.php?page=557265.txt
http://www.millsite.com/

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:06 am

Wow did it really take 10 miles just for those 2 peaks? Looking at Travis's loop seems to be 12 miles total. What do you think?

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:43 am

Zé wrote:Wow did it really take 10 miles just for those 2 peaks? Looking at Travis's loop seems to be 12 miles total. What do you think?

I estimated from Google earth for it to be about 9.6 miles, my gps said 9.8. It's about 1.6 miles from the Monte Cristo Campground to the split in the road near Black Cargo mine. From there up the fire road to Rabbit is about 1.7 miles (3.3 total). Return to the split in road (5.0 m). Up to Iron is another 1.5 miles on road and ridge (6.5 m). Return to split (8.0 m). Return to car (9.6 m). Not very efficient distance wise but it's all I had time for (walking the roads is a lot lot faster for me than climbing or descending use trails on ridges).

For the loop I'd estimate 1.6+1.7+1.8?+1.7?+1.9?+1.5+1.6=11.8?. So instead of all the backtracking I did, you'd be doing the loop.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 3:30 pm

Thanks. I'm gonna check this out this weekend. I'm either gonna do the loop, or get creative and car shuttle one car up near pacifico, out and back to rabbit, then do a one-way hike up the rest of the peaks to pacifico.

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:03 pm

Zé wrote:Thanks. I'm gonna check this out this weekend. I'm either gonna do the loop, or get creative and car shuttle one car up near pacifico, out and back to rabbit, then do a one-way hike up the rest of the peaks to pacifico.

You gonna go with Joe?

Just kidding - I'm used to multiple personalities!

That sounds like an awesome plan. As you probably know, the road up to Pacifico is probably closed at this time of year. Hope the snow on Pacifico and the PCT (which is on the north side of things) isn't too bad. Look forward to the TR and pics!

Oh, I noticed on Travis' gps track that he left the road to gain the south ridge of Rabbit a bit earlier than I did. If you continue on maybe a hundred feet or so more to a point marked by ribbon tied to a small wooden stake and some ribbons in the bushes I think you'll have an easier time. Follow the ribbons south towards the power line tower then head up to the ridge. I slipped and got a few scrapes - shitty footing. This guy (Lonnie) did what I did in this regard.

BTW, Lonnie is a member on this board but hasn't posted.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:33 am

multiple personalities is the only way to go! this is my hiking persona

thomascanty · Post by **thomascanty** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:05 am

HikeUp wrote:BTW, Lonnie is a member on this board but hasn't posted.

I haven't? I'd better do something about that...

I haven't been on here in a while, but I thought I'd posted before.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:52 pm

thomascanty wrote:I'd better do something about that...

Cool. Just so ya know, your site has been a great source of information for myself and I'm sure many, many others. Hope you get out there again soon and maybe we'll run into each other.