20101211 Pigeon Ridge to South Mount Hawkins

Post by **Taco** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:41 am

10 miles and 5,000ft+ of gain and loss tends to go by fast. Such is not the case with Pigeon Ridge. Pigeon Ridge hates you and your damn quadraceps.

I hadn't eaten a real meal since Thursday at 8pm. I was feeling like crap, and couldn't eat anything without becoming nauseous. Probably had something to do with a 40 of Miller High Life and other assorted beverages. I was busily yelling about hot wings, which I have yet to acquire. Tomorrow, perhaps. So, spent Friday with a surprisingly mild hangover but not so mild diarrhea. Sick of not doing anything, I went out today to do a bit of physical training. Going to re-up soon.

Route started at the turnoff to the dirt road that goes up to Chamisal Mesa. This turnout is just a little after you drive over the 2nd bridge on West Fork. There's one more bridge to cross and you're at the trailhead for Bear Creek Trail and Smith Mountain, and the road's closed beyond that.

Some pics:

WE MEET AGAIN

Pigeon Ridge is basically a firebreak on a ridge that alternates between short flat spots and some very steep loose ground.

Triplet, and Zebra Wall on the left.

Saw this dude truckin' along, and I thought he was the biggest Velvet Ant I've ever seen. Even walked like one. Then, he stopped and moved erratically, and I thought, "WTF, that's a bigass jumping spider". Yep, turns out he was. Nice little dude. Amazing creatures.

Getting closer to the ridge between SMH and Rattlesnake

This is about where the firebreak runs out, and you have to make your way up a ridge covered in Manzanita and Buckthorn. Turns out there's a lotta leeway, and you can easily make it up without any bushwhacking. Slightly more challenging on the way down in the moonlight, still no bushwhacking.

So close

Shots from the summit. They came out arright. Really beautiful up there. Temps in the 40's with light winds gusting to maaaybe 25mph.

Signed the (new) log, stuck another evil bad guy sticker on something up there, and reversed course. Got down to my car around 7 something. Started 11 something. Tough day. 2.5 hours down or so.

Full kit. This woulda been an easy hike without it, I think.

I haven't pushed myself this hard in awhile. I was able to leave the city problems lower on the ridge, and I climbed above the bullshit and into the freedom of the hills, where none of that garbage matters. No facebook, no emails, no work, no school, just the truth.

Adios

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:48 am

yes! seems like a nice route.

you need another training hike?

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:49 am

This is a great picture. Did you get a new camera?

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 4:22 pm

Gorgeous pictures Mr. Del Rio! I always wanted to take that route. The wide firebreak looks relatively new.

Post by **Taco** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:22 am

Ze, perhaps. What do you have in mind?

Tim, nope, old camera, but I changed the settings. I normally have it in anti-shake mode, whatever you call that, so pics come out grainy and not so great, but it's a necessary evil for quick climbing shots where you can't stay still for more than a few seconds, and canyoneering and other things where you gotta be quick to be safe.

Elwood, thanks! The firebreak has been there for a long time, but it appears to have been improved lately, with some runoff things on it, little buttresses of dirt or whatnot to help water flow off, I assume. I don't recall it being this wide, nor this well maintained last time I was on the ridge, which was 2yrs ago or so.

TracieB · Post by **TracieB** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 9:42 am

beautiful pix Taco! That bus is really scary, though

mve · Post by **mve** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:31 am

Great route Ryan and ditto on the picture Tim picked out -- it also stood out for me - kind of eerie and fascinating at the same time. You also always manage to find a creepy crawly out there that I've never seen before

Post by **Taco** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:10 pm

Thanks guys!

I keep running into that bus.

obie · Post by **obie** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:22 pm

Cool stuff.

What's that in your hand? I thought it your axe but, it looks like a Winchester 70?

Post by **Taco** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:30 pm

CETME .308 battle rifle, though this is just a trainer (no boom boom, just weight + discipline).

Johnny Bronson · Post by **Johnny Bronson** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:43 pm

hahaha nice stuff man! Take it easy on the alcohol and take it heavy on food! =D

Dude the evergreen korean buses are everywhere!lol

Post by **Taco** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:47 pm

LOL yeah dude. They're watching us!

Haven't been drinking much lately, so it didn't take much to make things suck.