EISPIRATEN

Despite a large snowfall earlier in the week, Eric and I decided to give Iron Mountain a try. We got a nice early start and were prepared to slog all day. Temperatures started at around 30 and rose steadily until they reached the high 50s by around noon. Things went well until we hit more or less constant snow along the long east-west ridge before Iron Mountain saddle. The snow was no problem, except that it had caused many bushes and tree branches to hang over the trail under its weight. We spent a lot of time picking our way over, under, or through the obstacles. Heading up the steep ridge after the saddle, things were better until around 5000'. By 5200-5300' we reached a maze of bushes and trees that stretched for at least 100 yards. It would have taken a long time to work through it and it looked like there was more to come. At that point, we decided to hang it up. One can get the message that motion was sometimes tedious from a couple of my pictures of Eric crawling on hands and knees, but his accompanying gallery, with shots of me either doing the same or just looking disgusted, gets the message across even better. Nevertheless, we had an overall good time on a nice day.

My pix
Eric's pix

Nice pics!

Can't get enough of Big Iron?

TacoDelRio wrote:Can't get enough of Big Iron?

We figured (correctly, as it turns out) that we would avoid the huge Baldy crowds.

Very correctly! Bet you had the whole mountain to yourselves.

Iron looks real strong with a coat of snow.

TacoDelRio wrote:Iron looks real strong with a coat of snow.

To attack it may take a machete, not an ice ax.

Great pictures, Alan! Did you shred any clothing?

Iron Mountain is one of my goals next spring.

Mike P wrote:Great pictures, Alan! Did you shred any clothing?

Damage was minor. Pure luck.

Looks like you could have use a chainsaw instead of an ice axe!

Thanks for the share
Matt

mattmaxon wrote:Looks like you could have use a chainsaw instead of an ice axe!

Now we're getting somewhere! The purpose of an ice axe is to snag on bushes as you duck under. A chainsaw, on the other hand...

Plus it makes a lot of noise!

As if Iron wasn't tough enough without the effects of snow!

Good stuff, bro.

Last time I went up Iron, there was snow, but it was perfect, not too crusty and dangerous, but not so soft that you postholed. I think it made the hike actually easier than on dry ground. We just plunge stepped on the way down, no slidey rock and crap underfoot. The branches weren't all weighted down and blocking everything.

It was a very cool winter's day when I did it. I remember not finishing until after dark, but there was a moon out. We didn't need headlamps. We could see the lights of town all spread out before us. About as good as Iron gets I think.

I won't tell you about my "famous" summer attempt. Suffice it to say it wasn't pleasant at all, although I did see a flock of Big Horn Sheep.

AlanK wrote:One can get the message that motion was sometimes tedious from a couple of my pictures of Eric crawling on hands and knees, but his accompanying gallery, with shots of me either doing the same or just looking disgusted, gets the message across even better.

LOL. I can see the pure joy on your face!

lol. "Pure joy" it is. That brush crawling looked really unpleasant. Good to get out, but "brush tunnels" are never fun. Off the wall quesion, but are you guys sure you were on route? I don't remember the brush being that bad over there. Or was it just due to the storm flattening everthing and forcing the bushes to interlock? I guess that it was just the snow.

Hikin_Jim wrote:Off the wall quesion, but are you guys sure you were on route? I don't remember the brush being that bad over there. Or was it just due to the storm flattening everthing and forcing the bushes to interlock? I guess that it was just the snow.

I asked that question a few times, complete with Anglo Saxonisms. However, we know the route well and there isn't much room to go wrong. So, yeah, we were on route, with the exception of a couple of attempts to get around the rush (not generally successful).

Hikin_Jim wrote: although I did see a flock of Big Horn Sheep.

Gotta ask, were they flying?

!!!ENGLISH GEEK WARNING!!!

Rumpled, believe it or not, "flock" is an appropriate collective noun for sheep. You can fleece a flock of sheep!

I cite as my evidence: Collective nouns for animals

Check out the other, more arcane, nouns on that list.

However, HJ, should be taken to task for writing "Big Horn" instead of "bighorn."

Rumpled wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote: although I did see a flock of Big Horn Sheep.

Gotta ask, were they flying?

Dude, don't you know anything? It's pigs that fly not Bighorns. I know it 'cause when I asked the ski lift operator on Baldy last summer when the next time we'd get 4' of fresh powder and he said "When pigs can fly."

Mike P wrote:However, HJ, should be taken to task for writing "Big Horn" instead of "bighorn."

All right, all right, all right already. How about Nelson Bighorn Sheep Ovis canadensis nelsoni? Sheesh.

AlanK wrote:I asked that question a few times, complete with Anglo Saxonisms.

Dang those Anglo-Saxons sure knew how to get the point across, didn't they?

Now we're talkin'!!!

(Referring to Ovis canadensis nelsoni)

Yeah, you got me there.
I saw flock and instantly think of birds.
When I think of big game animals; I always think herd.
That's how F&G typically refers to the various herds in the state.
Though, I didn't see that in the linked list.

Ever since I heard of it, I've always liked the murder of crows.

Pigs must be flying, since there was probably at least 4 feet of snow up there.

nice photos..one of them looks like you were saying 'you have to be kidding me'.. 8) if it wasnt tough they wouldnt call it Iron now would they?