After a series of after work hikes and Mtn Bike rides in the area, I had to get to the summit.
I arrived at the trailhead about 7am and got the requisite once over by the guard . Oddly there where 2 other vehicles ! WOW might actually see someone else out here.
The rains of last week made the normally rock hard dirt road soft. Increasing rolling resistance and 20mph head wind really put a crimp in my cycling.
About 0.90 miles out the road make the last dry creek crossing and start up to Warm Springs Divide. The climb starts in earnest here, with the nice head wind and soft road I walked the steep parts but seem to be making decent time.
I got to the junction a bit after 8am (0:54, 2.74 miles), 6 min later I headed up.
The head wind was unrelenting and force me to walk until I got to the last 1½ miles and again near the summit. But I got there in 2 hrs 35min with 7 miles on the GPS odometer, there are 2 summit registers one of which hadn't been signed for 1-1½ years.
The other at the VABM 4020 had been signed by a fellow mtn biker on 11/22/11. The wood on the old lookout looked rotten so I stayed off .
After crashing on Whitaker Peak road, and wanted to take it slow on the way back. I figured it'd take about 2 hours to get back but it only took about 1 hour.
I stopped to talk with the hunters who where parked at the trailhead, below the spring. They where as surprised as I was to see someone else out here. So if you're looking for solitude this area is seldom visited.
I inquired if they'd seen any Mtn Lion signs but they'd not, lots of Bobcat, some deer tracks, fox etc...
I figure the deer are on the leeward side of the ridges and on the old unmaintained Edison roads to the transmission lines. except to come down for water and to go to where ever they are going, looking for food.
I'll have to try this again when the wind isn't so strong
Warm Springs Mtn -Black Friday-
