3 Peaks But Not 3T's Sunday 8-15-10

[vbmatloff]

We started at Ice House Cyn TH about 6:30 on the way to Ontario Pk with the plan to head down via Falling Rock Cyn. along the HPS route. We got up to Ice House Saddle then headed up towards Ontario Pk. There was a guy named Sal at the saddle between Bighorn Pk and Ontario Pk, who said he saw 2 females and a baby sheep about an hour ago. We decided to catch Bighorn Pk as long as we were there and it was still early, so off we went. We signed the register, had a little snack and headed over to Ontario Pk. Someone coming down from Ontario said he saw a herd of 6 sheep on his way up to the summit. It was a little busy up there already and we could not find the register box anywhere. Does anyone know where it is, or is it missing? Just as we were leaving a guy was coming up and said he saw 2 deer on the way up. Why did everybody see wildlife but me today? After that we started toward Falling Rock Cyn ridge. I really liked this section of the hike the best, and kept my eyes open for wildlife. When we got to the saddle below Sugarloaf Pk we decided to go up to this summit as well, after all, it was still early, right? Be careful getting up there, it's very steep and loose. Someone did a good job on the register box up there made out of ABS and drilled holes with metal spikes through it, then secured under a pile of rocks. Kudos on that one! So this was the 3rd peak of the day when the original plan was only for Ontario. We got back to the saddle below and started our descent down the scree - oh boy! I quickly thought to find a better way down this stuff, and noticed the use trail to the west and moved toward it. Once I was on the use trail life became fun again. It was a lot of fun standing up glissading down the dirt. No rocks fell on us while we carefully worked our way down Falling Rock Cyn. and made it back to the parking lot. We didn't see any wildlife other than some squirrels and lizards, but my friend got to look at an old goat all day (me).

Thanks David G for the heads up on the nettles, and we saw your signature on the Sugarloaf register, too.

Here's the link to my photos for a most excellent day in the mountains again. http://share.shutterfly.com/share/recei ... m7FuzZs2Fs

[blueshammer]

The pictures look great. I gotta try Ontario and Bighorn peak soon... and the three Ts as well.

[HikeUp]

Great pictures, especially of the route from Ontario to Sugarloaf. Thanks for posting.

+1 for using "protractor" in a hiking TR!!!

[lilbitmo]

Someone coming down from Ontario said he saw a herd of 6 sheep on his way up to the summit.

Victor that was my friend Bryan that saw the six big horn on the south side of the third false summit comming away from Bighorn on the way to Ontario, that other guy Sal was at the saddle just above Kelly's Camp and he pointed out two or three of them making their way down the south ridge of Bighorn and he also showed us some great pictures he took of 8-12 that he saw that morning. I sent his wife the internet address for this webpage so that he could post all his pictures, hopefully he got signed up and that will happen.

Nice work on the three summits - it was myself that you stopped to talk to when my friend Bryan came up behind me to tell you about the six that he saw. It was nice meeting you out there, hope to see you again.

Patrick/Lilbitmo

[mattmaxon]

+1 for using "protractor" in a hiking TR!!!

Here! Here!

Gotta do Sugarloaf & Falling Rock sometime soon...

Better yet stop reading all these TR's about all the trips I gotta do My list is already too long

my faves are the falling rock photos

[vbmatloff]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments, I really liked the trip.

Patrick, I think we may be talking about two different people. The two camping at Kelly's camp are not who Sal is, they were a man and wife couple I think. I heard from the ranger at the parking lot station that they were showing him photos of sheep they saw, and I saw them up on Ontario summit just as we were leaving. The guy Sal, was at the saddle on our way up before we went to Bighorn, where the sign is pointing to Ontario one way and Bighorn the other way. He said he didn't do computer stuff, and not on the forum, but he sounded like he hiked all over there pretty regularly and alone. Either way, many people saw lots of sheep last Sunday, but the sheep eluded me for the time being. I guess I'll have to keep going and keep a sharp look out!

I'm thinking of doing the 3T's Friday. Would I have to walk down the service road from the Notch to get back to the parking lot if I didn't want to go back the way I came, and then walk from Manker Flats? Is there any other cross country route people do? The ski lift is only open weekends, right?

[lilbitmo]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments, I really liked the trip.

Patrick, I think we may be talking about two different people. The two camping at Kelly's camp are not who Sal is, they were a man and wife couple I think. I heard from the ranger at the parking lot station that they were showing him photos of sheep they saw, and I saw them up on Ontario summit just as we were leaving. The guy Sal, was at the saddle on our way up before we went to Bighorn, where the sign is pointing to Ontario one way and Bighorn the other way. He said he didn't do computer stuff, and not on the forum, but he sounded like he hiked all over there pretty regularly and alone. Either way, many people saw lots of sheep last Sunday, but the sheep eluded me for the time being. I guess I'll have to keep going and keep a sharp look out!

I'm thinking of doing the 3T's Friday. Would I have to walk down the service road from the Notch to get back to the parking lot if I didn't want to go back the way I came, and then walk from Manker Flats? Is there any other cross country route people do? The ski lift is only open weekends, right?

You came up to the saddle between Bighorn and Ontario just as we were finishing our talk with Sal, then you went up Bighorn as we continued on to Ontario, then as we were descending from Ontario we ran into you again, I mentioned that there was at least 8-10 people already on the summit of Ontario at that point Bryan came up behind me and threw in the part about seeing 6 bighorn sheep just around then next false summit. Sal was at the saddle for awhile and then he made his way down to Kelly's camp where we found him on our way out of the wilderness. The couple that was staying at Kelly's camp (the husband and wife team) were just having breakfast when we went by Kelly's on the way up and then we saw them again just below the summit of Ontario and no I did not mistake them for you or for Sal. Sal's wife contacted me by email Saturday night, she did it on his behalf because I spent 10 minutes conversing with him that he could get pictures of everyone's shots of the Bighorn Sheep and other reports from other Blog sites, I wrote my email on a piece of paper for him to contact me that night and his wife did that for him.

There were at least 4 or 5 groups or individuals that reported seeing Bighorn sheep that day from the ridge or just below it. Sal pointed out three to me just as he approached us at the saddle on his way back from Bighorn Peak as that's the first thing I asked him being that early in the morning they tend to be very active.

Hopefully this will clear everything up, I saw your pictures and I was certain that I had in fact talk to you and the nice lady you were with.

Lilbitmo

[vbmatloff]

Patrick you indeed have the stories straight, my apology, and I remembered you and your friends very well also. I didn't think you mistook me for any of them, and now that you mention it, I do recall Sal talking to you guys when we approached the saddle. I didn't put 2 and 2 together (until now) when we saw you and your friends coming down, as we were going up to Ontario.

I saw the nice couple making breakfast at Kelly's Camp too, evidently they had seen sheep as well, according to the ranger in the parking lot. It was a big day for sheep I guess, I don't know how I could have missed them. That's cool you have contact with Sal's wife, and hopefully we'll see some of those photos soon. Sal says he sees them pretty often.

Bighorn Sheep rock!