Old Mount Wilson Trail: the wintery wind windup

666-The Beast · Post by **666-The Beast** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:25 pm

The prefect trail to enjoy a great hike and to keep you in shape during the winter months. The drive up to Baldwin Av on sunday revealed lots scattered tree parts on the edge of the road and the sidewalks as you made your way to the trail head. Right from the start the trail looked like it was cleared of any loose soil or sand that develops as the people step on it day after day. The brush along the trail looked liked something came by and gave it an appearance of a bad hair day. A clean, crispy clear, sunny day, I was wondering when the winds will greet you and force ya to bundle up. Above the first water, I encountered some fallen tree obstacles on the trail with a huge oak fallen near the hellispot area blocking the trail and forcing you to go underneath the tree or the more fun way that I went is I walked up on the trunks and the branches on to the other side. More trees had fallen on top of some previous fallen trees near the orchid camp. A quick break at the camp, I joined a couple nice ladies, and we took off for the top. Fortunately the winds never materialized and we enjoyed a beautiful warm day hike under the enchanting canopy and a few grand views of the valley as we made our way up to the bench with hardly any people on the trail. Decided to take the ridge up to the toll road for bit of huffy-puffy time. Once on the toll road, it got a bit cold and it was bundle up time as we all looked at Baldy and saw no snow! A deserted chalet , the cafe closed,getting colder by the minute,a quick snack and then it was time to go down to the toll road and a mile or so down more until we got on the fire break heading towards Heastins Peak ,enjoying the grand view of the valley all the way to the ocean, as the the day was coming to an end. We got back on the main trail via the hiker Bob expressway near the helispot, a quiet downhill walk to the first water and then on to the comfy -no more walking car. Another wonderful, late sunday hike to Mt Wilson.... 666

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:09 pm

The devil is in the details.

Nice TR. I like your writing style!

rokclimbr · Post by **rokclimbr** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:28 pm

A little huffy puffy with some nice ladies on the ridge eh? Sounds like a fun hike

666-The Beast · Post by **666-The Beast** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:38 am

rokclimbr wrote: ↑A little huffy puffy with some nice ladies on the ridge eh? Sounds like a fun hike

Well, once you reach the Korean banquet bench"manzanita ridge", and you don't feel you have lead feet or hardly struggled to breathe, or you don't need to lie on the bench for a recuperating nap, then its time to trek the "Gorman" ridge to the toll road. This section makes you feel like a classic VW bug going up the Gorman Pass!, its steep, slippery, hot and every step you take you want it to be the last one. The body out of physical and mental desperation turns on the turbo mode- "huffy-puffyness" as a last resort to keep you going so you won't turtle out or decide to turn back on the regular trail.
Its a required winter training and without the help of the sticks, for the spring hell treks to high country of the San Gabes. The ladies trekked the ridge without stoping, all the way to the toll road, a major accomplishment!, everyone else goes by the turtlely trail. Hey duck man, I want to see you puff a cig and then try to go up the ridge to toll road without quacking out!!!!!!
666-the Gorman Beast