EISPIRATEN

Today TacoDelRio and I hiked from Islip Saddle, to Mount Hawkins, out to Copter Ridge, back to Mount Hawkins to Windy Gap, up to Mount Islip and down the west ridge back to Islip Saddle. Total 13 miles and 5000 ft elevation gain. Here are my GPS tracks (viewable in Google Earth with photos taken along the route), Google Map, and Elevation Profile.

http://www.gpsmountaineering.com/copter ... mountislip

The weather was beautiful! It was cold starting off, and the wind had a chill to it all day. We were just above the cloud level, hiking most of the day in beuatiful sunshine. Copter Ridge was fun, approx. 1500 ft gain to get back up to Mount Hawkins.

Sorry I was so slow (gave you time to rest!).

I got a bit of sleep when I got home, woke up 2 hours later feeling bad. Ended up throwing up everything I'd eaten at the restaurant... good times.

EDIT: Oh yeah, pics to be uploaded soon. Got a bunch, some real nice ones came out!

A few pictures:

Islip Saddle


NW ridge of Islip




Looking towards Twin Peaks




Looking towards Crystal Lake Crag, and another large-ish wall.


Snow!


Schnee auf Altes baldy


Rattlesnake Peak.... barely...


Rock in the canyon between Copter and Hawkins Ridge


Crystal lake Area under clouds


Old tree


Tree


Williamson Rock

Awesome pictures, the clouds were amazing. I had never quite seen clouds like that, the black, whifty ones combined with the lenticular like ones,

thanks for adding,

Travis

Nice pix Taco!

Looks like a nice hike.
Down a Sake or three, you'll be feeling better!

Thanks

Those clouds were really bookin' it, going fast.

HE, we need some of the high-speed Sake... chip in for the $56 and I'll get some.

Hiking on a Friday? What luxury! Thanks for the report and great pics Ryan. I figured you would enjoy the ridge to Copter Ridge summit Travis.

Nice pictures - thanks for posting!

TacoDelRio wrote: HE, we need some of the high-speed Sake... chip in for the $56 and I'll get some.

You bet! Go ahead and get some ..
How's my credit with the taco bank until our next hike?

Augie wrote:Hiking on a Friday? What luxury!

A good way to avoid the swarming LA crowds that infest the mountains like locusts on the weekends ..

Augie wrote:Hiking on a Friday? What luxury! Thanks for the report and great pics Ryan. I figured you would enjoy the ridge to Copter Ridge summit Travis.

Yes, it was very nice hiking on a Friday, there was no one else parked at the trailhead all day. We were a bit confused on the way up because there was A LOT of traffic coming down, but I figured it must be commuters from Palmdale area driving through the mountains to avoid the morning traffic on the 210 freeway. What a commute!

And it was nice going out to the end of the ridge, after having been to the end of the Hawkin Ridge (South Mount Hawkins) and the end of the Baden Powell Ridge (Ross Mnt), it was nice to complete the trio.

Travis

HE, I've got a bunch of sake, just not that high speed stuff.

Augie, thanks. Hiking on weekdays is the best. That's when I go most of the time, and I've had Mt San Antonio all to myself on many occasions, usually at night.