EISPIRATEN

I've never hiked Iron Mountain and with Baldy still covered in patches of snow I am hungry for a dry-land all of a sudden

Is the "Getting There" section on SP accurate?
http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... ain-1.html

Any tips on approach, start-time, permits, and the climb itself are greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

The "getting there" is accurate. If you arrive early (5 AM is my start if I am able) you will have better parking and not need to park alongside the road. I never get a permit and have never been asked for one.
Once you start to hike just start moving upriver on the road and look for the outhouse about 1/2 mile in, the path goes behind the outhouse and up. From there the path is hard to lose. Iron Mountain is (hidden) on you left as you go up and comes into view after you top the ridge and move over to the left side of the ridge. You will also see Allison saddle which is the beginning of the actual climb up Iron. The saddle looks close but takes a while to get to, as the ridge curves and goes up and down. The path is occasionally overgrown but, well beaten and easy to follow. One tip I have is: When you move up the rockey parts on Iron, look back and memorize the return, or you may scree slide off in the wrong direction on your return hike and need to bushwack back to the path. There are a couple of short sections where scree hides the path.

I usually carry lots of water and drop some along the ridge well before Iron Mountain, this ridge is hot and sunny during the return in the afternoon. There may be patches of snow higher up which are a good source of ice water, but I wouldn't count on it, it is a long dry walk back to the car if you run out and there is no snow. (I know this from experience)
Enjoy the views as you get higher up, they are magnificent.

Thank you for the great intel and tip about stashing the water.

Is this the same path that you described?
http://www.summitpost.org/route/264070/ ... ridge.html

Yes that is the trail. Those google map images with the trail drawn in in pink are excellent. If you can memorize those or print them it will come together easy for you.
Like many trails you are traveling on a ridge much of the way and there is only one way to go unless you fall off the ridge.

Perfect! Thank you. I'll print this out:

Water = life.

Do you typically burn full 3 liters just on the way up? 1.5 liters for the down hill?

I'd personally bring 4qts/1gl, and stash 3/4 at the helipad.

mve wrote:Do you typically burn full 3 liters just on the way up? 1.5 liters for the down hill?

That's about right, Vitaly--at minimum. It's amazing how much water you will use on that hike. I usually cache a liter or so near Allison Saddle. On Thursday I traversed the SA Ridge from Baldy to the 7772' saddle and considered going down Iron, but had no ride at that end so I climbed back up and over Baldy. You can see that there are still some patches of snow on Iron, but I wouldn't depend on it melting fast enough in your water bottle to keep you hydrated. Good luck! http://www.flickr.com/photos/21042415@N ... 060639314/

Iron's a beast. But I repeat myself.

First time I tried it was on a hot day in July. Not my brightest idea.

If you ever get in a bind on water, there are a couple of sources, but they're not exactly convenient. From Allison Saddle* there are two old trails leaving the saddle, one to the west, and one to the east. The trail to the west goes to the Allison Mine. There's pretty reliable water there, but like I say, it's out of your way.

The trail to the east gets you to water more quickly than the trail to the west. Also, the trail to the east is slightly less brushy, but the trail is pretty washed out in places. According to Zé's latest TR, one has to go down a slide about 200' before reaching the canyon bottom; the trail is simply gone.

Take a look at this map. "A" marks Allison (aka Heaton) Saddle. "B," "C," and "D" mark the old trail to the east. One has to leave the route of the old trail around "D" and drop down a slide into the canyon. "E" marks the approximate point where water can be found. "F" marks the "NO TRESPASSING" sign on the NE boundary of Widman Ranch (private property). I've dropped down through the ranch, and I know other people have too, but a) you're trespassing, b) they have guns, and c) it's shorter to just go back to Heaton Saddle and down the trail to Heaton Flats. There are also quite a number of stream crossings as one descends down Coldwater Canyon.

So, neither the Allison Mine nor Coldwater Canyon are terribly convenient, but by the same token nothing is worth becoming a heat casualty. In a bind, I'd go down into Coldwater Can. for water in a second.

HJ

*I've also heard Allison Saddle referred to as Heaton Saddle and Coldwater Saddle. FWIW, Heaton Saddle is the name by which John Robinson refers to it and the name by which I've always known it.

Thank you guys!

It looks like there are two ways of getting to the parking:

a) via 39 to East Fork Rd.
b) via Glendora Mountain Road

Which one is better?

Thank you again!

mve wrote:It looks like there are two ways of getting to the parking:

a) via 39 to East Fork Rd.
b) via Glendora Mountain Road

Which one is better?

39 is shorter and easier. I sometimes take the Glendora route home, though -- for variety.

Thanks Alan.

If you take GMR, it is required that you let me drive.



Take R39 up and down, unless you have some business in Glendora. R39 is a higher-speed road unless you're a "driver". Most people will get there faster by taking R39.

sounds good

I was going to do San G's South Fork this Sat, but it looks like it will be a cold weekend up there which means icy snow. I may enjoy the cooler weather and do Big Iron for my second time ever. Does anyone know if there are any closures in that area? Anything I should know? I'm a bit out of the loop.

Nothing is closed in the area of Big Iron.

Thanks, Hikeup! Appreciate your reply! Sooo far from my lovely San Gabriels now that I'm in San Diego!