5 Peaks on Friday 8-20-10

TRs for the San Gabriel Mountains.
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vbmatloff
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:49 pm

Post by vbmatloff »

I set out Friday morning with a plan to do the 3 T's, Harwood, and Baldy, leaving from IHC. The tricky part was to get a ride back from Manker Flats to IHC parking lot and my truck.
It was a quiet morning with no one else on the trail at all until just below IHC saddle, one guy was coming down from Kelly's Camp.

As I approached the turn off to Timber I saw two big ears, two bulging eyes, and a big black nose sticking out from behind some shrubs up on the knoll - it's a deer! I didn't want to scare her so I moved slowly and came up around on top and behind her. She didn't seem spoofed, so I moved in closer, all the time clicking off photos. Then I noticed she wasn't alone, 2 other youngsters were nearby. They didn't seem to be bothered by my presence.
I've never tried using the video feature on my camera, so thought I'd give it a go. I should get better with practice, but here's my first attempt http://share.shutterfly.com/share/recei ... m7FuzZs2GC
Sorry for not knowing how to embed the video in this message.

Onward up to sign the register at peak #1, and over to Telegraph.

All the registers were full of signatures on Telegraph, so I tried to sign the plastic cover of one of them. I've got to remember to start bringing some extra notepads with me. Peak #2 complete and heading for Thunder Mtn.

Being such a novice that I am, I could not find the register at Thunder Mtn, but later on heard it was along the "trail" and not on the top of the actual summit, which is of course a ski lift. So I missed this one, but will say peak #3 completed and now over to Mt. Harwood. Up until now I've had the whole mountain to myself and nature, but just as I was leaving a nice couple were coming up from the Notch.

Again I must not know where to look because I was not able to find a register box at Harwood either. Not really being a major peak, I didn't think much of it, so let's say #4 completed.

At the base of the last climb up to Mt. Baldy I was just finishing up talking to some people who were coming down from there and I saw 2 other guys coming off Harwood also. I asked them if they had ever come down the Bowl after leaving Baldy, because I was thinking of doing it today. One of them said he had only come up that way, but never down. The 3 of us now hiked up to Baldy together, #5 completed.

They were parked at the Ski Lift lot, and offered to give me ride back to IHC parking, and they were planning on going down through Manker Flats as well. Perfect, I got a ride! Even better, they wanted to try going down the Bowl, too. What a perfect time to try out my video skills again, check it out http://share.shutterfly.com/share/recei ... m7FuzZs2F9

Getting a lift back to my truck, going down the Bowl, and seeing the deer in the morning, completed the day most excellently! Wow, 7200' of climbing, and loving every foot of it...

Oops, almost forgot to post the photos http://share.shutterfly.com/share/recei ... m7FuzZs2Gg
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tinaballina
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:28 am

Post by tinaballina »

To my knowledge there isn't a sign in at Harwood.
Nice work.
:)
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lilbitmo
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:44 pm

Post by lilbitmo »

Nice work Victor, that's one hell of a good day, 5 peaks and a little scree slide to cap off the nice day.

Video's look great too and so do all the pictures.

That slug up the first ridgeline coming away from the Baldy Notch headed up the Devils Backbone can be a "ball buster" after tagging those other three peaks, especially if it's a hot day.

Great TR thanks for sharing all that.

:D
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norma r
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Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:22 pm

Post by norma r »

:D i love an excellent day in the mountains! nice video of the deer, vb. they always run away from me! :cry: what's that about? yep, scree skiing down the bowl is a blast. glad you got to do it. re: registers... i have never signed one on Baldy but have on Harwood, though i have not found one there in the last year and i too did not find one on Thunder.
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vbmatloff
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:49 pm

Post by vbmatloff »

I like your gaiters Norma, I wished I would have had those coming down the scree - my boots runneth over with rocks! :D

Thanks,
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