EISPIRATEN

A Buddy and I went hiking last weekend through IceHouse Canyon with the intent to go to Timber Mountain, but instead we wound up on Mt. Chapman. Still plenty of snow up there at the time.

I couldn't find Mt. Chapman on my topo map, so I was wondering where it is located relative to Timber mountain. Anybody have any ideas?

its the same thing. don't ask me why, but it is.

That's good to know. THANKS! 8)

Chapman is an older name for Timber. There's a metal gizmo embedded in a tree there that says "Chapman" on it. Chapman was a person who was pretty well known in that are if I remember correctly. The upper trail in Icehouse Canyon, the one that goes through Cedar Glen camp is called the "Chapman Trail," so I guess he didn't lose out even though they renamed "his" peak to "Timber Mtn."

they named it timber mtn so it would be the catchy 3 t's trail

Thanks HJ and Dudley. Somehow, I knew the people in this group would have access to some history that I did not have access to.

Dudley Heinsbergen wrote:they named it timber mtn so it would be the catchy 3 t's trail

Whammo.

I also believe Thunder was Harwood, but that would meddle with the 3-T's idea, so they set about renaming it Thunder.

Actual Mt Harwood is more interesting, anyway. 8)

Harwood is a peak ---on the fake backbone from Baldy Notch.

No comprende?

dhstein31 wrote:Harwood is a peak ---on the fake backbone from Baldy Notch.

I always understood the Devil's Backbone to be the entire route from San Antonio via Harwood to the Notch.
If anything, Harwood's got the back to the backbone.
Nothing fake about it ..

Some people, or so I've heard, call the Devil's Backbone portion of the Notch to Baldy hike the "fake" DB because of the "other Devil's Backbone" that one goes over when one comes in via Pine and Dawson. Apparently some feel that the backbone on the northern approach is the real DB when compared to the DB on the Notch approach.

One thing for sure -- the Devil's in the details.

The backbone from the notch to the summit -is barely a spur of a spine in comparison to the spine going up Pine Mountain from Wrightwood enroute to Baldy. On the Harwood portion of the BP one would have difficulty falling in summer conditions.

BTW hiking from the Village to Village this weekend - Wrightwood to Baldy Village.

Agreed on that, DHLStein.

Harwood is my lady, though. Can't let anyone insult her regardless of logic! 8)

dhstein31 wrote:The backbone from the notch to the summit -is barely a spur of a spine in comparison to the spine going up Pine Mountain from Wrightwood enroute to Baldy. On the Harwood portion of the BP one would have difficulty falling in summer conditions.

Granted, but I thought that route was called the 'Northern Backbone'.

dhstein31 wrote:BTW hiking from the Village to Village this weekend - Wrightwood to Baldy Village.

Awesome! Have fun and be safe.
Take lots of pix please!

On the USGS topo map, the Devils Backbone is referred to as the section between Harwood and the ski resort. So that's the official line, at least.

The spine to Pine Mtn does have a section that is steeper, more exposed and more like class 2/3 but I think the DBB feels more like a "Backbone" because the views are more expansive on either side and there are less trees. Pine Mtn has more of a hairy back. Harwood shaves her legs. You could get killed on either spine if you really wanted to.

Speaking of pilots and the backbone shown in pilot's pic, I was on that spine about 17 or 18 years ago when a fighter plane (forgive me but I don't know an F15 from a B52) came roaring up the canyon on the west side and flew what seemed a couple hundred feet directly overhead heading east. It was kind of windy so I didn't hear him until he was just about on me, then the sound just hit me like a bomb blast just as I was on the narrowest section of the backbone. Didn't even have time to shit my pants so i just flipped him the bird (in a friendly way) and kept on hiking. It was awesome to say the least!

Oh, that was you? Sorry about that dude--good thing I didn't light the afterburners

I've also been buzzed once--while on top of Baden-Powell. But this plane was much quieter and more graceful. It was a glider and all you could hear was the whistle of air flowing over the wings. He circled the summit a couple of times and was close enough that I could actually see his face. It was way cool.

There's a glider port down in the desert just north of there. They get towed up and fly the ridge lift off the mountains or they go looking for thermals. One pilot signed the Baden-Powell summit register and said he flew over it many times but only now decided to hike it.