Fun times on the old Mt Wilson trl

[666-The Beast]

With the way up high places forecasted as kind of frigidly cold and windy, I had no desire to enter that kind of terrain for now, so I tried to entertain a desire for an Iron trek due to the cool weather conditions and the soil being compacted after the rain on sat, thus giving me a chance for a faster ascent and descent and the super clear vistas at the top. Being a rainy day on sat, I decided, to partake on some dark beer drinking sludge I had in the collection from the last visit to the store. I figured the Lagunitas cappuccino 9% bomber sludge will be enough for an early fade to the dreamland, thus a next day early start for Iron. The 9% would not tame the cappuccino caffeine insomnia , even after the consumption of couple spaties , the desire to wake up early and go did not happen until past 7 am. Then I entered the starting late, local hiking roulette game; its where you make a choise on the go. I figured it might be nice to get a chance to step on some white on top of Wilson, after a nice walk into the clouds that where in my view as I strolled down the valley from the 210. Way too many cars parked around Miramonte rd for a sunday, but I managed to park at close spot that an early riser had reserved for me! Its after 10 now and its time walk the fun trek to the first water with lots of clouds hovering on the ridges in front of me and up high and a desire to make it in time to be in the clouds as I got near the first water and noticed no roping people today in the canyon.
A bit past the first water the weather got colder and I was thinking we are looking good for white at the top after a bit of time in the white fog. The vibrant green brushes and trees along with the radiant orange leaves from the fall show, now wet and glowing this intense color was a reminder of the fall show is still round in selected areas on the trail. Walking on a mixture of fallen wet leaves on the trail, I finally reached decker spring for a cold one and to fill up couple bottles to last me the trip to the top. Then the walk to OC was something special to gaze all over the terrain, to walk on the wet soil and to look up, and desiring to be in the fog before it went away.
The arrival at the orchard camp was to be as always a brief break for a snack to fuel the body so I can reach the bench and move on to the toll rd, that I was dreaming to be covered with a bit of white. The Korean banquet bash wasted more time as I was checking out the stove set up and I wished all the nice people a happy new year, it was time to put the camera way and only march non stop to the bench. To my surprise as I got near the bench and looked up towards the devils antennas on top of Harvard, there was hardly any fog covering the area. A group of South Bay wilderness training victims had taken over the banquet bench; being all happy to be sitting down cause as I perceived for some, this trek to the bench was already too much. Moving on to the huffy-puffy ridge I reached the top of the toll rd, with no fog or any snow to step around. Then I saw the clouds moving in from the valley and started slowly to cover the views of the high country where I had hoped to take a pic of the white on Baldy. Then some "children" showed up from the top of Wilson going back down and I inquired if there was any snow to top of Wilson. Their reply was that it was sunny and warm up there than it was here at the junction. The revenge of the ''children'' has taken place here as I was not happy to be told this. Then the immediate turn-around came when I saw couple puddles of water instead of snow on the fire rd and for me, it was time to go down to the bench for a disappointing snack break.
As I was snacking, the children came by, I offered them most of my food as a reward for the good news they told me about the conditions on top of Wilson. Then we all talked about not eating animals, Fast Food Nation, Animal Liberation, and the green way to eat in order to help the environment. All I wanted was some die-hard carnivores to be there and to offer some advise to them! They moved on, I was in peace finally, as a couple ladies showed up from the huffy-puffy ridge that I had not seen for a while and I walked down with them, as we agreed that there is so much to see in the forest even if you go to the same place most of the time; you just have to learn to focus on the magic that is around and by not rushing your trek in the forest; How true !!!
Landed back to the car seat bit after 5, thus ending another fun day to be at this section of the forest... 666


"CLOUDS OVER THE VALLEY"

"COVERED IN WHITE

GREEN BLISS"

WHERE HAVE ALL THE CLOUDS GONE!

GOING UP THE HUFFY-PUFFY RDG"

"THE GRAND FINALLE!

the visual tour

[Dave G]

I figured it might be nice to get a chance to step on some white on top of Wilson

You didn't miss much

[mcphersonm80]

Great shot of the late day sun!

There's something about that trail past First Water... the colors seem more vibrant than other similar trails and it goes through a nice variety of terrain, definitely one of my favorite front range hikes. It also helps that the trailhead is a short 2 minute walk from my doorstep.

Your trip reports are fun, keep them coming!

[AW~]

low waterflow too....yuck.

[666-The Beast]

You didn't miss much

Dave, snow is at a premium this year around the front country of the ANF. That pic looks like is from the north-side, if you were lucky to go up by the Sturd Camp way, you might have encountered a few more patches of white, since that area faces north, it is the most wintery area to go for a trek that is close to the city. I like to go there after a snow day for the isolated feeling you experience as you start the uphill fun, pass some really dangerous areas, you are under a wonderful canopy and you get to visit the pano vista on the top; when there is lots of snow on the high peaks the views are breathtaking. Get an early start for parking on Chantry or you you be doing a bit of road walking to get to the dirt trail on the weekends!..... 666

[666-The Beast]

low waterflow too....yuck.

AW, all of you canyon people got spoiled from last years storms and the plentiful runoff that has lasted beyond the normal run time. If we dont get much winter this year you are gona be saying YUUUUCKKKKK to a lot more places! This rope cyn allows lots of newbies to try the sport out, also is close to SAR help if something goes wrong. Perhaps you might try the prestigious Fish Fork.... whatever you go, enjoy!!! 666