Mt. Baldy via Big Horn Ridge?

AW~ · Post by **AW~** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:58 pm

better picture...

I would place my bets that this is a lot easier than it looks...well lets put it this way, if the shortcut is deemed too hard, then the hiker should just turn back....that steep approach to the Big Horn ridge will require a tighter fit to its true path.

I think the best time would be later this month, sort of the snow to start after the terrain change zone starts. I gots car trouble so havent been able to hike anywhere. To be honest, I wouldnt attempt this hike right now in its entirety anyways. I had planned to dibble&dabble near Triplet Peaks to see how I handled a nice size steepish hike with a lot of navigation decisions....brush up on some brush...hehehe...but this hike looks very reasonable and not brushy as I first thought it would be.

Post by **HikeUp** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:13 pm

Noticed a new topic over on SummitPost that might eventually yield some information on Widman Ranch, etc.

Post by **Taco** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:24 pm

Thanks HikeUp.

"Wildman Ranch" would be a pretty badass name for a ranch, ya gotta admit. Not many folks would approach that! 8)

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:21 pm

3 day weekend coming up, so 1 day I'm planning on walking down the road from cow canyon saddle to the top of the shortcut. God willing I'll post some pictures. Shortcut looks like an 800' drop in about 1/2 mile on google erf. Might go further if I'm so inclined...maybe I should bring the ODWAG some cookies or something.

Post by **Taco** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:05 pm

Or booze. 8)

Have fun!

Travis · Post by **Travis** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:11 pm

HikeUp wrote:3 day weekend coming up, so 1 day I'm planning on walking down the road from cow canyon saddle to the top of the shortcut. God willing I'll post some pictures. Shortcut looks like an 800' drop in about 1/2 mile on google erf. Might go further if I'm so inclined...maybe I should bring the ODWAG some cookies or something.

thanks for checking it out, remember to bring the permission slip, I don't know if it will help, but you can play ignorant.

http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/guide ... ssion.jpeg

After tacking Iron's southwest ridge I am thinking that this would be better to do once the snow is gone, the snow slowed us down a lot

Post by **HikeUp** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:15 pm

2008-02-16: Shortcut recon mission

I took some pictures of the shortcut from Sunset Peak and from the Coldwater Canyon Truck Trail (road that starts at Cow Canyon Saddle and heads down into cow canyon, etc.).

On the walk down the road I met a jogger (John) who asked where I was going. I described the spot (top of the shortcut) and he called it "The Window". I asked him about hiking in the area and he said the owner of the tungsten mine down in Cattle Canyon is a nice guy as far as hikers and joggers are concerned. Not so nice when it comes to the Forest Service though due to all the lawsuits he's had with them regarding his mine. I asked if it would be a problem hiking up into Cattle Canyon and he figured it would not be. So, one vote for ODWAG being a real pussycat.

On the way out, I met a hiker who said he was heading all the way down to Cow Canyon. Dunno exactly where that meant but he was not concerned with the mine owner. Apparently people at the store at the RV park at Cow Canyon Saddle said he was a very nice guy as far as hikers was concerned. The hiker also said that the Forest Service tends to tell the story differently - indicating that he might shoot trespassers. So, one more vote for ODWAG being a pussycat and one reference to the gun.

I also was passed by a guy in a pickup truck heading down to the mine. He just waved and smiled. I had hoped he would stop so I could get more info, but his wave was friendly enough. I don't think it was ODWAG because it wasn't his truck (according to John's description). Probably an employee of the mine. Apparently it is one of a very few tungsten mines in the world and is purported to be worth billions.

"The Window" from Sunset Peak

"The Window" from road

Looking down the shortcut

The drop in

The last picture doesn't really show how steep and loose it is. I could only see down a little ways before brush obscured the route down the chute. The chute seemed to me to be a class 3 type of descent that I won't attempt, but maybe you rock monkeys would feel comfortable doing (maybe bring a rope?). Hard to tell if there were any drop offs to deal with. Once down the chute it appeared that there would be several options on continuing further down - either stay at the bottom of the drainage or staying on the north side and picking your way down. Not my cup of tea but I'm sure some would enjoy it.

More and higher resolution pics on Flickr.

Post by **Taco** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:55 pm

Thanks a ton, HikeUp!!!!!

Headed up there ASAP for some stuff near Cow Canyon.

Travis · Post by **Travis** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:59 pm

well, that is good to know that there is no need to fear the ODWAG. I am also interested in checking out the mine. Worth billions?? The shortcut looks like it may be more trouble than it is worth, the brush itself looked bad enough to reconsider.

After my epic Iron via southwest ridge I have decided to put this trip off untill the snow is gone. But I will be giving it a try!

thanks for checking it out!!

AW~ · Post by **AW~** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:54 pm

thanks for the window look. It may just depend on what the approach up Big Horn is like before anyone ever goes down the chute. Not worried about the brush, just a dropoff...luckily ODWAG is not out for hikers.

Post by **Taco** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:31 pm

After hiking up Iron, I'm going to pass on this hike until I get a jetpack.

If BHR is gonna be like Iron's South Ridge, I think I'll just stab myself in the face with a pencil repeatedly for 12 hours instead.

Travis · Post by **Travis** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:37 pm

TacoDelRio wrote:After hiking up Iron, I'm going to pass on this hike until I get a jetpack.

If BHR is gonna be like Iron's South Ridge, I think I'll just stab myself in the face with a pencil repeatedly for 12 hours instead.

lol. that is sorta how I feel after Iron as well (SW Ridge).

Post by **Taco** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:24 pm

Guess it just requires a bit more rest time!

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:54 pm

man this thread was great, and then just fluttered out

I am highly intrigued by this challenge. would seem the cattle canyon way would be more practical. i wonder if anyone has been in the area recently.

as long as we don't get shot, I would like to try to make it to cattle canyon for a recon to find a route to get to Bighorn Ridge and see the brush.

Post by **HikeUp** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:23 pm

Zé wrote:as long as we don't get shot, I would like to try to make it to cattle canyon for a recon to find a route to get to Bighorn Ridge and see the brush.

I'm interested in the recon mission. Sooner the better as far as temps go. I figure since I started this thread I'd stay involved once someone crazy enough to try it chimed in!!!

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:36 am

so unless we take any shortcuts, will be about 4 miles one way to get into the canyon. hike up about 1/2 mile and start exploring potential routes.

find a reasonable route to gain the ridge would be the primary goal. would also want to assess the brush, so if the ridge is gained, would like to hike up a portion (up to possibly where it merges with ridged north of Fossil canyon).

so do we think it will be a problem to hike this coldwater truck trail? actually HikeUp, did you hike on this trail already? where did you turn around?

I'm actually still thinking what I want to do this Saturday and next. might be up for this on one of those

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:59 pm

Zé wrote:so do we think it will be a problem to hike this coldwater truck trail? actually HikeUp, did you hike on this trail already? where did you turn around?

ACME-FU! I hiked from point A to point B (about 2.8 miles one way) to look at the "possible" route from B to C - pretty much everyone agreed that it looked questionable to go from B to C. Page up in this thread to see my report on my hike down Coldwater Truck Trail.

Not an ounce of shade to be had on the truck trail and it is all uphill out of Cattle Cyn back up to Cow Cyn Saddle.

I'm undecided about where I want to hike this weekend so let me know if you decide to hike down into Cattle Cyn and I might join you. Not even sure I can get away this weekend or next.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:42 am

yeah I don't mind hiking the entire coldwater truck trail and then up cattle canyon as long as the old dude doesn't mind. that's my concern.

i am probably gonna do it either this sat or next, doesn't really matter to me. which do you think you have the best shot at making? i'm leaning on next Saturday.

then this Saturday I will be coincidentally heading down to check out the Baldora mine, although I'm not sure I'll be making any recon on how to get up the west side of Bighorn ridge

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:47 am

also check this out http://www.meetup.com/ochbc-org/calendar/8877696/

in that description looks like can get to cattle canyon without going on the mine property...

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:31 am

Welcome to the thread that just won't die.

She (Suki Reed, the organizer) says that the road is open to hikers but not cyclists. Interesting. My Tom Harrison map says "no public access." I hope she's right. It does sound like they (the OCHBC hikers) had no problems while they were down there.

Post by **HikeUp** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:35 am

I'm not a member so I can't see what she wrote.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:32 am

Coldwater Canyon Truck Trail 11/15 miles R/T 5/6 hours 1600' gain/loss Advanced

This trail takes you on one of the few maintained roads in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness. Several private holdings & pre-existing mining claims were included within the boundary of Sheep Mountain Wilderness when it was created in 1984. So this road is open to hikers & equestrians, but not bicycles. It starts near Mt. Baldy Village & goes west looking down on Cow Canyon.

After about 2.8 miles we'll reach a saddle on the ridge of Cow & Cattle Canyon. Cattle Canyon is a major canyon that runs east-west just south of Mt. Baldy Village, to Heaton Flats in the west. It acts as a drainage to Mt.San Antonio, Iron Mountain, Lookout Mountain, & the entire bordering Glendora Ridge to the south.

We'll start heading down the falling ridgeline between the two canyons & we'll continue on to the wide floor of Cattle Canyon. We should reach that at about 5 miles or so. A few miles down the canyon is a private ranch - no trespassing...We could then turn north & go two miles up Cattle Canyon & there's a Tungsten Mine near the road's end. Then return back the same way.

This area has a lot of Bighorn Sheep, so we may get to see some of those elusive creatures.
Due to the fact that the area sits on ancient faults, the rock formations are...( I am quoting here) "Fantastically jumbled & contorted exposures of granitic (quartz diorite) & metamorphic (gneiss) rock" exposed in the road cuts. Whew!! I don't make this stuff up folks....

Bring a snack, lunch at least a liter of water.

Post by **HikeUp** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:51 pm

Thanks Zé.

The blue route in this post by Travis is what I think is worth exploring. Although the exact route up to the ridge from the bottom of the canyon will obviously depend on what we find. Trying to gain the ridge earlier looks like too much brush. Hear are a few pics showing the ascent area...

I'd like to tag along when ever you go, but if it's hot I'll bail. 7th or 14th looks available.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:11 pm

sounds good. i'm looking at the 14th.

yeah Travis's route looks like the best chance. hopefully can work off of that

i got an email from the guy who led the hike i posted above

Hey Ze, You can't parking at the top, where it says no parking, although
people do, but you can park along the road. Also there is a R.V. park
right down that road. They'll let you park in their lot for $2.00 per car.
It's called Mt. Baldy Ranch, R.V. park 1 909-982-1252 I believe that's
the no. Real nice people.. Park your car there & hike down the fireroad &
eventually you turn right down the wash to the mines. If you went straight
instead of turning down the wash you'll hit the private property & need to
turn back. Same as doing the Heaton Flats trail. You'll run into the
property that way also, but then you just start hiking north.
Good luck Rod

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:32 pm

this route might work well too, based on studying the topo. just different from travis's route in that it stays a little on the outside

Post by **HikeUp** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:22 pm

Zé wrote:this route might work well too, based on studying the topo. just different from travis's route in that it stays a little on the outside

Yup.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:14 pm

I'll be up at Cow Canyon Saddle (wherever we are able to park) at 8 am with a few other folks.

Post by **HikeUp** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:44 pm

Zé wrote:I'll be up at Cow Canyon Saddle (wherever we are able to park) at 8 am with a few other folks.

If I make it, I'll probably be starting out about 7:15 - you guys will catch up to me down in Cattle Cyn somewhere. Been sick all week so don't know if I'll bother to wake up tomorrow.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:11 pm

well either way, feel better!

Post by **HikeUp** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 6:51 pm

Hiked into Cattle Canyon as far as about the 4000' elevation mark. Zé and his fellow hikers showed up a little after that and they headed up into the brush in an attempt to gain BHR. They generally were trying to follow the ridge shown in the posts above. I bravely didn't stick around to find out how far they got, but it looked promising - not too steep but brush may or may not have been too much (stay tuned for Zé's report!).

It was about a 6.5 to 7 mile hike to get to the 4000' elevation mark from Cow Canyon Saddle, making for a rather easy but long approach to this potential BHR access point. Would be nice to bribe one of the many pickup truck drivers I saw or heard of that were on the road down into the canyon.

Saw several other hikers besides us so it appears there are no real (just imagined) issues with accessing Cattle Canyon via this route.

More pictures.

Cattle canyon...

edit: added link to Zé's report