CMC-OC wrote:I'm going to be heading out to California come August, as I am now attending college just 15 minutes from Mt. Baldy.
15 minutes is a bit over-optimistic, but you are certainly in a good location.
Most of the interesting peaks in the area are accessible by a variety of routes. I recommend doing some walk-ups and learning about the routes requiring different skills. You can certainly meet plenty of good people on this board to help get you acquainted with things.
Like Matt said, most routes to the summit of SG peaks are non-technical.
I personally take great enjoyment in NOT following said routes, and putting up new routes that are technically challenging, or at least a snow climb. Something to keep your mind on the climbing, and not on something happening at home, or work, or school, etc.
I'm pretty active in winter along with a handful of other folks on here in this regard. If you want to brush up on some skills, you're more than welcome to come along during a group outing.
@mattmaxon: Yeah, I'll try to get out and about before then, but I don't want to compromise athletics by risking getting hurt/tired before a game or important practice etc.
@AlanK: I am coming out to Claremont McKenna to play varsity soccer! I am super excited lol.
@Taco: A group outing would be awesome lol. I'd probably like to summit "normally" before going for the technical stuff.
Are the summits that are non-technical up trails, or is alot of it off-trail? There is something about hiking off-trail that is so much funner.
Are there sources for water out there, or is it mainly pretty arid. I'm wondering if I need to bring all the water up with me, or just a couple of nalgeens and a small bottle of iodine, I mean for trips that require at least one night.
I'm going to be heading out to California come August, as I am now attending college just 15 minutes from Mt. Baldy. I love hiking, mountaineering, and other fun stuff, especially overnights. I am a pretty good backpacker (you just need to know how to walk really! ), but my mountaineering technical skills leave something wanting, for sure.
I've been cruising the site for awhile, and everyone here seems pretty knowledgeable about the San Gabriel/Bernadino area. What is the level of technical skill needed to summit some of these mountains, I've glanced at some topos and it doesn't seem too bad, but I might be mistaken of course.
And if they are technical slopes, would anyone on here be willing to take time out of their busy schedule to show me the ropes? I wouldn't be able to hike until January more-or-less, because I play a fall sport for my college.
Thanks in advance,
CMC-OC
Welcome, bro, good to have you on board.
The guys have covered a lot, but a couple of things to add:
One of the biggest hurdles (if you're tackling an off trail peak or route) is often brush. John Muir called the San Gabriel range "the most inaccessible." It's really dense stuff. Dunno where you're from; maybe you have really dense impenetrable stuff there, but if not, the chapparal of California may come as a bit of a shock.
The other hurdle is poison oak. It infests the creek beds of many a stream below 5000' (the elevation cut off is climbing higher these days due, I assume, to climate change). Get to know what it looks like, and try to get some 411 here before you try lower altitude canyon routes. There are some hikes where you just plain don't want to wear shorts, and there are others where you just plain don't want to go at all.
I did a 22-day mountaineering trip (2 resuplies) in the Sierra Nevadas (Thunder Mountain, nearish the High Sierra Trail) and yeah the brush was pretty bad. It's not godawful as long as you've got everything in your pack nice and streamlined, and weren't afraid to get dirty! At least in my memory, which is probably wrong.
mattmaxon wrote:Thankfully higher elevations have less brush ...
Absolutely.
Peaks above 7,000 feet often have no brush problems at all. I did Lake Pk and Grinnell Mtn last September, both over 10k. No brush. Nice spots, particularly Lake which has some great views. Not particularly challenging peaks, but just giving examples of fun stuff w/o brush.
I am getting back into hiking, haven't hiked since Boy Scouts. I'm 40 now and trying to get back in shape. Trying not to think of myself so much and live for my wife and 2 girls I have been going on Fridays after work with a friend from work but now it seems to be getting a lot hotter. We have done Monrovia falls 5 times, not from the parking lot but down from the street, and we have done Orchard camp. What says the board for hikes close to Irwindale area that have more shade, or cooler hike to hit after work, and noob friendly? TIA
Dean
My knowledge of that area is limited at best, so I'll leave the hike suggestions to others
I'd say in general it's gonna be tough to find places that are "cool" down low in the hot weather season. (june-ish thru mid-october)
I generally hope for some wind so your natural cooling system can do it's thing
Shade is always welcome, but "afternoon" is a wide range too. In general it starts to "cool" around 4:30 pm or so but that's relative for sure
The general equation for heat for me is whatever the temp is... direct sun adds 10-15°, that 5° is for wind. (80° forecast + 10-15° = 90-95°)
It also seems if you are in thick chaparral, it holds lots of heat, it's like being in an oven.
Clothing makes a difference "Cotton Kills" isn't just for cold weather, if you are wearing a cotton T and jeans you're gonna roast , cotton white tightees will cause chafing in your nether regions
If you don't have any shade BRING some! Yeah it looks weird but who the heck cares, an umbrella helps!
Golite makes a nice metalized one and I have made a couple with space blanket glued on it, I've also used those umbrella hats, but they are uncomfortable (for me)
Golf umbrellas are cheap and plentiful
Don't forget shoes, breathable ones are essential for hot weather, those leather ovens are gonna cause problems IMO
A bladder drinking system will help keep you properly hydrated
yobtaf wrote:Thanks so far I got a new John Robinson book, the one I had from '76 fell apart when I thumbed through it.
Keep them coming
From '76? Save that puppy! It's got a lot of cool old hikes in it that are now gone.
Near Irwindale? Hmm. If you've got the whole P.M. off, you could go east to Claremont and swing up towards Baldy Village. Icehouse Canyon is a great place to hike and generally cooler because of it's altitude. Generally, Icehouse isn't a hike that you could go and do after work.
I concur with HikeUp that Chantry Flats is nice. There is an exposed blacktop road that you have to go down (and then up on your way back) to get into Santa Anita Canyon, but hopefully things will have cooled off a bit by the time you climb back up.
Millard Canyon is shady once you drop in above the falls, but probably pretty hot on a hot day, even in the evening.
The Arroyo Seco (near JPL) is a nice one. Fairly flat. Good family hike. Shady once you get past JPL, but hot until you get there.
Check out Robinson's book, he's the man. The book is getting a bit dated now, but it's still the best out there.
Hello all!
I'm new to this forum and a new return to backpacking. Did the Ice House canyon to Cucamonga Peak out Middle Fork last weekend and ran into someone called "alittlemo" (i think) who told me about this site. Also ran into a heard of sheep, I'll post some pictures later. Hello.
Migolito wrote:Hello all!
I'm new to this forum and a new return to backpacking. Did the Ice House canyon to Cucamonga Peak out Middle Fork last weekend and ran into someone called "alittlemo" (i think) who told me about this site. Also ran into a heard of sheep, I'll post some pictures later. Hello.
Mike
Mike welcome to the board, that was me "Lilbitmo" that you ran into just above the saddle between Bighorn and the start up Cucamonga, great talking to you, we search the slopes all day for the "big horns" but did not see any. I'm assuming you are the father as I thought that you introduced yourself as such but if I'm wrong then let me know son/fathers name and set me straight.
After we speant an hour on top - views were great we past over 300 people on the way out, 15 or so coming back to Icy House Saddle, then the crowds were thick on the way out through Ice House Canyon.
Leaving tomorrow for Langley for an out and back hike early Saturday morning.
Yup, I'm dad (the old guy). Too bad about the sheep. I'll get my son to post his pics as I'm computer stupid. I'm off to Italy for a couple of weeks I'll get on it when I return. BTW, good heads up on the forums.
hi, im Torrey, im new. I trail-run and hike, i dint see a new member intro thread, so ima say hello here, and the moderator can move it i figure if it belongs someplace else.
Since we lacked an intro thread, well, here's one now. How do you like them apples? "SGMDF: Making things happen"
General layout, or make your own:
*Picture of you*
Name: (What does your screen name mean?)
Age: (new, used, restored)
What kinda stuff you do: Hiking, climbing, canyoneering, extreme alpine volcano speed diving, etc.
Intro/bio: Write a little thing about yourself.
My screen name is because people always ask me how often i am out there trail-running. Well, its EVERYDAY and at least 8 miles a day. i almost picked 8miles for my screen name...
Age-- used, but always garaged, n well maintained 8)
I trail-run/hike everyday. I love going out alone. I run miles out into the desert to find a lil peace n quiet. Im happiest when im out there and cant see or hear any signs of other people. ...well, thats not 100% true, i always am happy to see the random mountainbiker n say a quick Hello in passing ( i hav a thing for mtnbikers )
Oh! and I love my car! when im not hiking, im working on her or out driving to fast
Username is because I hang paper, and I drive a Titan. On the bad side of 40, showing a LOT of wear lately. My broken wrist, suffered 12-28-10, kept me out of any winter fun I had looked forward to this year up in the mountains.
I'm married and we have 4 sons, and other than hiking and an occasional round of golf I don't do much besides hang out with them and work. I don't have a picture, but that's me in the avatar entering the Golden Trout Wilderness.
I'm a lot like George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life", in that I am envious of all the adventures I see many going on, and I wish I could do more traveling and hiking. I thought I was going to do "bigger" things in my life when I was younger. But I am happy with my lot, I love my family, and they're the thing that gives me the most pleasure in the end anyway. And I'm glad it didn't take an angel to teach me to realize that.
), but my mountaineering technical skills leave something wanting, for sure. 
)