Double Iron
Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:34 pm
Michael T contacted me a week ago to see whether I'd be interested in hiking Iron Mt # 1 from Heaton Flat twice in a day. I am not sure why I accepted. Perhaps I was struggling with guilt, and felt the need to administer the stern and senseless self-punishment that only two ascents of Iron Mt can provide. Perhaps I was just foolish.
Regardless of the reason, we started hiking from Heaton Flat at 4:30 AM on April 10. I had slept only five hours the night before and felt very sleepy, but Michael had slept only one hour! I have no idea how he stayed awake. To conserve energy for the second trip, and because we (or at least I) were not very athletic, we chose a moderate and gentle pace, arriving at the summit 3:38 later at 8:08. The second ascent took 3:48, mainly because my energy flagged during the final 1000'. The descent was slow but uneventful, except for several slips on the loose terrain. The slow descent, combined with a 35 minute break between hikes, brought us back to the cars around 8:45 PM. We both felt reasonably well given the circumstances.
A number of people were out-and-about on the trail, some going to Iron Mt and some going to the Allison Mine. The route to Iron Mt was almost snow-free, with no crampons or axe needed - although of course a new storm is supposed to arrive soon.
Regardless of the reason, we started hiking from Heaton Flat at 4:30 AM on April 10. I had slept only five hours the night before and felt very sleepy, but Michael had slept only one hour! I have no idea how he stayed awake. To conserve energy for the second trip, and because we (or at least I) were not very athletic, we chose a moderate and gentle pace, arriving at the summit 3:38 later at 8:08. The second ascent took 3:48, mainly because my energy flagged during the final 1000'. The descent was slow but uneventful, except for several slips on the loose terrain. The slow descent, combined with a 35 minute break between hikes, brought us back to the cars around 8:45 PM. We both felt reasonably well given the circumstances.
A number of people were out-and-about on the trail, some going to Iron Mt and some going to the Allison Mine. The route to Iron Mt was almost snow-free, with no crampons or axe needed - although of course a new storm is supposed to arrive soon.
