Big Iron Mountain 4/18/09

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:21 am

Finally got to the top of Iron Mountain after a few years of hiking the East Fork and wondering what it was like.

Lilbitmo and I started our hike at around 0630 on Saturday from the Heaton Flats Trailhead. We charged up to the Sheep Mountain Wilderness sign in a little over 30 minutes, and started what would soon feel like an endless ridge-run to the top. Conditions were nice during the early morning but soon turned into a blazing inferno.
Ever wonder where all the bees went? Check Iron Mountain. There were TONS of bees gathering food in the blossoming manzanita. At the Coldwater Saddle we found what appeared to be road reflectors glued to a bunch of boulders... thought it was quite strange. Near the top we ran into a couple small patches of snow on the northern-facing slopes. Reached the summit around noon. Ran into a guy named John. There's 3 cigarettes left in the box now. We lingered on the summit for a bit and then headed back down. Took us about 3.5 hours to get down. Can't say I ever want to go back up that way, especially with 90 degree temps. I'll definitely bring more water next time

Lilbitmo will probably be adding pics when he gets a chance.

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:52 am

Congrats! Since Iron, I've done tow "tough" hikes that haven't felt tough after conquering that big boy! Do something new and challenging, or something you once thought of as difficult for your next hike, and I bet you will feel amazing!

By the way, I recommend caching water the next time you tackle this hike.

Cheers!

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:09 am

Zach wrote:At the Coldwater Saddle we found what appeared to be road reflectors glued to a bunch of boulders... thought it was quite strange.

Would they be useful for trail navigation at night?

Someone has place reflectors in the foliage along the trail down from Rabbit Peak in the Anza Borrego wilderness. You can't see them during the day (or you don't notice them), but they seem to be very useful for navigating down the trail after dark.

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:19 am

I was under the impression that the reflectors were there to aid in landing helicopters.

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:15 pm

Let’s call it like it is – Torture, Insanity and Masochistic hike in the 90+ degree temperatues.

Zach is being kind

– we made the summit in 5.5 hours but it was a grueling approach, I could not seem to get my legs under me, let alone get my breathing relaxed. On a scale of 1-10 where Grand Canyon Rim to Rim was the 10 this was at least an 8 for me. I held him up and made this a longer day hike than it should have been.

I was struggling from Heaton Saddle onward as my body knew it was hotter than what the forecast (I checked on two sites the night before) had indicated. I had to take 3 minute breaks on numerous occasions, just to get my breathing under control every 100 feet or so on the way up.

Once we were on the summit, it was a crack-up to open the registry box to find a pack of Marlboro Cigarettes half empty with a lighter next to it

– that’s the last thing I thought I would ever find on the summit of Iron Mountain #1.

Thank God for north facing slopes

as there was some residual snow in the shaded areas and we both took advantage of the left over’s to collect some in our water bottles, plastic bags and water bladder. I used most of mine for watering down my bandana to keep my head cool on the way down – I’m a mid-western guy that struggles in temperatures above 85 degrees and when it reached 95 it became the slowest, hottest, drudgery of a hike I’ve ever done. If going up was the “Oven” than coming down was the “Frying Pan”. By the time I reached the shaded area at the very end of the trial just above the “Pit Toilets” at the beginning/end of the trail, I was down to a steady crawl and wishing for a one hour soaking in the nearest pool.

I will never do that hike again in those conditions;

I would rather fight the ice and snow in the dead of winter than attempt that “inferno” again.

I will never underestimate that mountain either

, those 8 or 9 saddles take a toll on you in that kind of heat – I can say that I completely avoided all the “Yucca” plants and did not get “Poked” one time – took a lot of extra concentration, but I was able to do that – no easy task on that mountain.

Funny as it may sound but it was "Zach" who was saying to Lilbitmo, that "it's only a little bit more"

and not the other way around this time.

Pictures here http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww28 ... mview=grid

Post by **Taco** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:02 pm

Good stuff.

EnFuego · Post by **EnFuego** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:37 pm

Soudns like some fun. Ryan and I were across the way on baldy. I guess we could have used our mirrors to signal you. Actually would have been cool for you to come to West Baldy, and we wouldn've headed your way, switched car keys and we would continue to Heaton Flat while you picke dup my car at Manker Flat.

Anyway, nice job guys and nice pics. It looks so different than a month ago. Too bad the heineken wasn't still there.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:57 pm

simonov wrote: Someone has place reflectors in the foliage along the trail down from Rabbit Peak in the Anza Borrego wilderness. You can't see them during the day (or you don't notice them), but they seem to be very useful for navigating down the trail after dark.

They were very useful for us. A good challenge to find them.

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:03 pm

Nice!
8)

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:06 pm

nice job! I think Rule #1 of hiking the san gabriels should be: never hike Iron Mountain in the heat!

Dave G · Post by **Dave G** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:59 pm

Nice work guys! I wouldn't have wanted to be on Iron during this heat wave. It was bad enough "swimming" through the snow up the Lone Pine Peak drainage in the Sierra

. I was thinking that I shoulda stayed home and went to the beach. 8)

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:01 pm

We were at the beach, except we didn't have any waves, girls to look at, or one of those fancy umbrellas

but we had plenty of heat and sand

LD · Post by LD » Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:11 pm

Nice job guys! Doing Big Iron in this kinda heat will definitely clean your system out and get you ready for the summer.

If you would of listened closely you may have heard a lota bitchen and cursin on your left side going up. My buddy and I did the S/W ridge from Allison Mine. I don't recommend it! That dude who said this was faster then the normal route is smokin something good

We probably just missed you by only 5 or 6 hours

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:01 pm

LD: HA! That's a crack up! We were wondering about a trail that appeared to lead down into Allison. Yeah... I doubt there is an "easy" way to ascend Iron.

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:06 pm

Why didn't you look for my name on the register? Patrick- time to go up Iron again so you can take a pic of my name! Remember, I took a pic of yours on Rattlesnake. Ha ha!

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:06 am

Couldn't find it! We searched that log book front to back and couldn't find your name... maybe you signed one of the other ones in there but they looked really old.

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:00 am

Hmmm...I signed it, something like "Liz- Iron Virgin no more." My friends Jeff & G also signed it that day. Oh well.

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:36 am

Maybe the same guy that left the "Cigarettes" used the page with your name to light his cigarette?

We did look all through the book, I even opened the other ones but they were from 2006, 2007 and 2008. Zach spent 20 minutes reading through all the entries - we found that hallarious one by Taco about never coming back.

Maybe you can get one of those "Silly" stamps like (Fu&% Off) I'm mean Fight On with big "Pink Letters" and there will be no way we ever miss it again

I'm thinking your color is more "Bright Blue" - for the sky above, no sissy Pink for you?

LD - I missed your cursing because I was doing some of my own, I even said to the mountain at one time - Fu$# You Iron you are not keeping me from the summit. I must have been yelling it to Loud to hear your cussing below us?

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:52 am

Funny! Blue is my favorite color for stuff, but green is my fave to wear.

Now, why would you curse while climbing Iron? It's tough, but not worth dropping an F bomb! Now I did curse the initial downhill. In fact, I hated the first 3 miles down so much that I call that first saddle you finally reach "Thank God Saddle." In fact, I think I'll just shorten it to a secular "Thankful Saddle." Ha ha!

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:09 am

It was more an F-Bomb at me for feeling cramped, fatigued and such but it was a mental lift just to "Curse" the big guy for being the object of my distaste for the overall heat - my digestive tract was almost in "Shut Down Mode" on the way up from the heat - it did not want anymore water or food, it was giving me a strain on my "Left Obligue Muscle" which has never happend before - that got me cussing.

Funny thing is, once we summited I was as happy as a "Pig in Pie"

LD · Post by LD » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:43 pm

Zach wrote:LD: HA! That's a crack up! We were wondering about a trail that appeared to lead down into Allison. Yeah... I doubt there is an "easy" way to ascend Iron.

You got that right but at least our way we had company

These guys actually followed us up to the ridgeline for a good half hour. I didn't know bighorns were carnivorous

The way I was looking they probably figured I was easy pickens.

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:45 pm

It was that, or they knew a "Cougar" was in the area and they figured you guys were easier pickens for the "Kitty Kat" all they had to do was hang out near you and wait for one of you to drop

Rick Kent · Post by **Rick Kent** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:15 pm

Did you guys happen to notice any sub 3 hr ascent times in the register in the past year or so? Just curious if any fast trail runners have been up since I was there last in Nov 2007. I managed to summit in 2 hrs 37 mins last time (4 hrs 42 mins car-to-car) but probably won't be able to beat that. The heat on that trail can be brutal. I went up one time in February thinking it would be cool but the temp hit almost 90. Not fun under those conditions.

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:23 pm

Rick, Nothing that we notice in the register was under 4 hours, couple real close to that time, but we weren't exactly looking for times that were that fast.

By the way, that's an extremely fast time, nice work.

dgrimreaper · Post by **dgrimreaper** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:43 pm

2:37? Rick Kent can't be human...

Very nice work.

LD · Post by LD » Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:40 pm

Rick Kent wrote:Did you guys happen to notice any sub 3 hr ascent times in the register in the past year or so? Just curious if any fast trail runners have been up since I was there last in Nov 2007. I managed to summit in 2 hrs 37 mins last time (4 hrs 42 mins car-to-car) but probably won't be able to beat that. The heat on that trail can be brutal. I went up one time in February thinking it would be cool but the temp hit almost 90. Not fun under those conditions.

Rick, were you trail running or fast hiking? My buddy did it a couple of weekends ago in 3:40 and down in 2:25 at a fast hike. I guess that wasn’t enough for him so he went over and did the Rattlesnake loop (shithead ridge and back down regular way) Curious what he could do it in if he just did Iron.

On the way back down Iron he met a couple hikers who stopped him and asked what was his hurry and when he told them what he was doing they asked(“Are you Rick Kent!) Too funny

Liz · Post by **Liz** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:17 pm

Hey LD,

My friends and I are the ones who saw your friend barreling down Iron. He told us he planned on hitting Rattlesnake. We did Rattle the following Saturday, and we saw his name on the register, and also his documentation of both peaks in one day. And I thought I was a crazy hiker!

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:51 pm

argh the times! every now and then i get the urge to try to get up there under 3 hours, but that requires actually going and doing Iron again

.

why don't we have 'iron mt day'. some people try for PR's and some others carry some extra water??

Rick Kent · Post by **Rick Kent** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:21 pm

At 3.0 mph one can make the summit of Iron in 2.5 hours. That's essentially walking speed. I ran a few short flat sections but not much since the route is very sustained. So a good trail runner should be able to do better. At 3.5 mph you could do it in 2 hours. I did run quite a bit more on the way down which got me an average of 3.75 mph (1 hr 52 mins) on the way back.

Are you guys still planning on the Baldy / Iron / Baden-Powell Deathmarch?

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:40 pm

I recall Scott McKenzie referring to a fast Iron Mountain time about 5 years ago, but I forgot long ago what it was.

Personally, I would like to break 3 hours (I've missed by a few minutes a couple of times but never really went for time). However, have not been up there for a while and am not ready for that kind of time at present. I may talk Eric into having at it sometime. I will not attempt to keep up when that happens.