Death March

Trip planning, history, announcements, books, movies, opinions, etc.
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VermillionPearlGirl
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Post by VermillionPearlGirl »

Nevermind your hiking ability, I'm totally impressed by your spreadsheet skills!

And someone is going to pick you up and drive you home right?

Anyway, this is awesome. Obviously. :)
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Sean
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Post by Sean »

VermillionPearlGirl wrote: And someone is going to pick you up and drive you home right?
Only if something goes wrong. It's a loop hike, so I'll drive myself.

I'm starting and ending at the PCT/Hawkins Ridge junction, moving clockwise around the East Fork watershed. I plan to arrive Friday morning and pitch a tent near the junction, then get some sleep before heading out in the evening.

I'll hit Baden-Powell and the Blue Ridge, then the North Backbone to Baldy, before traversing San Antonio Ridge to Iron. From there it's down to Heaton Flat, where I anticipate having a serious discussion with myself about continuing up to Rattlesnake. After Rattlesnake there's the ridge to South Hawkins and finally the Hawkins Ridge Trail to the finish line, which won't actually be the finish line because I will still need to hoof it down to the highway.

In any case, I need to be back in time for a Mother's Day party on Sunday at noon.
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tekewin
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Post by tekewin »

Good luck, Sean!
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VermillionPearlGirl
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Post by VermillionPearlGirl »

I just meant because you will have been awake for 24 hours, it's not so good to drive.... I'm not worried about you on the trail, but cars are dangerous!
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Uncle Rico
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Post by Uncle Rico »

Any news on how Sean's doing on the death march?
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Sean
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Post by Sean »

For various reasons, mostly physical ailments, I had to stop at Heaton Flat.

I finished Hawkins, Throop, Burnham, BP, Vincent Gap, Hwy 2 to Inspiration Point, Blue Ridge PCT, Pine, Dawson, Baldy, West Baldy, San Antonio Ridge, Iron, and down to Heaton/East Fork TH. But I didn't complete the loop via Rattlesnake to S. Hawkins and the Hawkins Ridge.

So now I need to retrieve the car and tent before thinking about the trip report. Plus I need some sleep!
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tekewin
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Post by tekewin »

What an incredible trip, even if you had to bail near the end. Nice work! I hope none of your physical ailments were serious.

Can't wait to read the TR.
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Uncle Rico
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Post by Uncle Rico »

That's still one helluva trip Sean. Congrats. Looking forward to living it vicariously through your TR.
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NOMAN668
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Post by NOMAN668 »

I've been lurking and watching this unfold....Cool trip, looking forward to seeing the report.
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Sean
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Post by Sean »

NOMAN668 wrote: I've been lurking and watching this unfold....Cool trip, looking forward to seeing the report.
I posted the trip report and pictures here.
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Got the idea in my head that I wanna hike over the SG's from the high desert side around Wrightwood down to Claremont via Baldy. Have any of you guys 'traversed' the range?
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tekewin
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Post by tekewin »

I've kicked around the idea of doing the Silver Moccasin Trail connecting Baden-Powell with Chantry Flat. You could do it either direction, about 53 miles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Moccasin_Trail
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Sean
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Post by Sean »

Taco wrote: Got the idea in my head that I wanna hike over the SG's from the high desert side around Wrightwood down to Claremont via Baldy. Have any of you guys 'traversed' the range?
No, that would be cool though.

I was planning a C2B (Claremont to Baldy) hike before they closed the Bear Flat Trail. I might still do that. But if you're planning a traverse from Wrightwood I'm interested.

I'm also considering Punchbowl to Baldy Bowl, about 31 miles. But that hike would end at Manker.
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Rad, I'll keep that in mind!
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Wild
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Post by Wild »

What's up guys! Anyone interested in tackling this Death March, or anything just as daunting, sometime in the Fall? Let's plan something!
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

I'm interested. Dunno if I'll be playing or spectating but I'm interested.
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Hikin_Jim
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Post by Hikin_Jim »

Starting of Wrightwood is hardly a full traverse. Starting in the desert and ending on the coastal plain would be a full traverse.

DISCUSSION
There's a road shown on the topo maps going from Fort Tejon Rd in the desert to the Big Pines Hwy. Start there, and then you've got a traverse. Not sure if this is all publically accessible.

Alternatively, you could start at Devil's Punchbowl which I know is publically accessible.

For the Manly men, I route you down the East Fork, up over Iron Mtn, and then traversing to Mt. Baldy via San Antonio Ridge. The most straightforward route. Of course. Ahem. :)

Alternatively, one could take the PCT to Wright Mtn and use the North Devils Backbone to get to Baldy.

From Baldy, go to Cucamonga Peak, then Buck Point. From there you can either exit to near the mouth of Lytle Creek or down to San Antonio Heights/Rancho Cucamonga.

Comments?

HJ
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

I quit at the start of one traverse thing a few weeks ago at midnight at Crystal Lake. Big thing that really got me is it's still 9 miles or so of concrete I gotta walk on after 20-some miles of hiking to get home. I would be starting at Crystal Lake, and ending at my front door since I don't have a vehicle right now.

I have two Baldy area routes. Both start on Lone Pine Canyon Road. See the black line? Follow that up from the road, over Wright to Baldy. Routes split here. A is technical, B is non.

A: Hike to Thunder, three T's, go to Cucamonga Saddle, descend into Cucamonga Canyon and take that to Campus or University Street in Rancho or around there. Would involve canyoneering. Have wanted to descend that canyon for a year now.

B: Descend south ridge trail of Baldy/Bear Village whatever it's called. Still have never done it. Anyway, down then up Sunset, to Colver, down into Claremont.

I've made a track for one starting south of Palmdale in the desert, ending at Eaton Canyon. Would also require rope, but that's important. It's about more than just a long hike for my own purposes, and I'm not ready for those. Would like to bring a light bivy setup, some 'emergency' stuff to test things out in my head.




What kind of pace would you guys be taking? One shot, no bivies? Light bivy gear since it's warm-ish? Backpacking pace?
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Wild
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Post by Wild »

Hey amigos, I figured I would hear something from you both!

HJ, you never fail to disappoint with your mapping creativity. I personally prefer the start from Devil's Punchbowl and then following the rest of your Trans SG trail. Although 65 miles? I was thinking of a single push kind of adventure. That seems like a long f*ing day! I don't know if I would have the patience to walk all that. I would get really antsy to start running to save time ;) No but seriously, if one just commits to a 24 hour+ day, then I think it would be good times. I would be down to do this if other people are interested.

Taco, that sounds like a really cool adventure too. I would be willing to do something like that as well. Although I've never done any canyoneering yet. Maybe I should brush up on my skills a bit before attempting that ;)


Otherwise, I had a few ideas in mind also. I have not looked too extensively yet, but I've been wanting to do some kind of U shape loop that would traverse the islip-baden powell ridge, and then either blue ridge to baldy or iron and san antonio ridge to baldy, and then three t's, ontario bighorn, cucamonga, etiwanda and back down somewhere. Maybe starting in Azusa or Glendora, finishing in the southern foothills or the eastern side by the 15. Just a thought! I will figure something out and provide a sketch soon.

Hope you guys have a good weekend, take it easy!
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Wild wrote: Otherwise, I had a few ideas in mind also. I have not looked too extensively yet, but I've been wanting to do some kind of U shape loop that would traverse the islip-baden powell ridge, and then either blue ridge to baldy or iron and san antonio ridge to baldy, and then three t's, ontario bighorn, cucamonga, etiwanda and back down somewhere. Maybe starting in Azusa or Glendora, finishing in the southern foothills or the eastern side by the 15. Just a thought! I will figure something out and provide a sketch soon
I could map that easily. If you start in Glendora, you could go up the Garcia Trail near the fire station off Sierra Madre Blvd, up to Glendora Ridge Motorway, then up the ridge that GMR runs up. Down Upper Monroe Truck Trail, which might be tricky or not doable cause it ends near Fire Camp 19. From there, you'd either have to wlak on East Fork Rd to go west towards West Fork Parking Lot, where you can pick up the long south ridge of Smith and take that up Smith, over 5495, up Islip, then do the ridge east over Hawkinseseses and Baden Powell etc. Lotta elevation gain this way for sure. Or, go up the small trail southwest of Doe Flat and make it up Doe Peak, east on the ridge to Rattlesnake, then up everyone's favorite ridge to South Mount Hawkins and the loop to Baden Powell and beyond. Also a lot of work.

Azusa allows one to take a shitty steep ridge up Silver Mountain to Pine, then down Rincon or something to R39, up Smith's south ridge and so on. Less walking on the road time, I think.

My knees wanna start in the high desert so there's more loss than gain. ;) Maybe I'm lazy.
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Wild
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Post by Wild »

Hey Jim, how many miles approximately do you think would be cut out of the 65 if one was to take the purple alternate route, starting from Devil's Punchbowl? Looks like it could be quite a bit. Maybe 10?

Taco, that does sound like a lot of work, haha. Maybe not this time. I am down for what you mentioned earlier this year in this thread, just doing Wrightwood to Claremont, maybe in a day? What did you have in mind route-wise after Baldy?
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Once it cools down! (aka lemme put this off some more)
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