EISPIRATEN

I reached the end of Shoemaker Road at 6:02 AM on Saturday. Two fellas in camouflage had already parked and were preparing their packs in front of the closed gate. Their plan, like mine, involved a hike up to Rattlesnake Peak. I, however, also planned to continue beyond Rattlesnake, all the way to South Mt. Hawkins.

A leisurely picture-taking pace put me on Rattlesnake after three hours. By 9:17 AM the ridge was already disturbingly hot. I had consumed only one liter of electrolyte water, and there were nearly three remaining. That should be enough for the climb to South Hawkins, I thought. Also my pack contained an orange and five energy bars. Plenty of food.

The main objective was to scout the route between Rattlesnake and South Hawkins for a possible attempt at the San Gabriel Death March next year. With a folding saw I also hoped to clean up any remaining brush obstacles en route. The saw came in handy only a few times, during the initial descent from Rattlesnake.

It's an 800-foot drop down to a saddle at the head of Graveyard Canyon. I started approximately 150 feet before the Rattlesnake summit and basically executed a controlled slide down the slope, trying to stay upright until it was possible to contour over to the ridge, where a group of pine trees offered some shade. Below this point were rocks and blackened branches. The remaining decline was a bit slow but generally straightforward, sticking close to the ridge spine.

From Graveyard Saddle (5000+) I climbed up to Summit 5346, where the ridge turned right and immediately dropped down to another saddle (4960+), thereby robbing me of the elevation just gained. This happened again as I rollercoastered up and down to the next saddle (4880+), while crossing the head of Bichota Canyon.

Losing elevation gain can be mentally taxing, especially while simultaneously baking in the sun's burning rays. But I was enjoying the new experience and the fantastic views of Iron Mountain next door. Still, there were another three miles and 3000 feet that needed to be gained somehow.

Occasionally a breeze cooled me off slightly. But it wasn't long before the shirt had to come off. I had forgotten sunscreen and hoped the sun would go easy on my flesh.

At 11:30 AM I was hunting for any shade available. I found some under a large blooming yucca and took a break. The ridge was alternating between steep rocky terrain and steep non-rocky terrain, sometimes involving stepping through brush with thorns that attempted to penetrate my skin.

I was getting low on water and started rationing. Some trees around 6400' provided welcoming shade for a ten-minute rest.

It was a slow climb the rest of the way. Dehydration worked on me. The sun refused to go away. By the time I reached the firebreak at 7000' and turned left toward South Hawkins, I had long abandoned any hope of returning to the car the way I had come. I considered dropping down Pigeon Ridge but instead decided to continue to South Hawkins where I could nap in the shade. Secretly I hoped to find someone on Hawkins and maybe bum some water. My fingers were losing mobility, and it took a long while to chew and swallow an energy bar because of dry mouth.

On Hawkins I drank the last of the water and rested for fifteen minutes. I napped again in some shade in the middle of the S. Hawkins fire road, after deciding to go to Crystal Lake for water. Some ways down the road, however, I noticed a use/animal trail dropping into the head of Soldier Creek, which, to my relief, still had a small flow of water trickling across the rocks.

After getting my fill, I felt brand new and climbed out of Soldier. I descended cross-country to the Crystal Lake campground, picking up an old path here and there, including something called the Tototngna Nature Trail.

The cafe was still open, but I had no money. I was down to one energy bar. Some PCT thru hikers were waiting for a ride down to the city. They had been on the trail for two months already and were going to bypass the closure.

Two Asian dudes gave me a ride down to the East Fork Road, which I then walked all the way back to my car over five miles away. To avoid thinking about the pain in my blistered feet, I counted the last 1,343 steps as the final bits of sunlight faded in the west.

Starting up Shoemaker Road


Shoemaker Canyon watershed with Rattlesnake Peak route


Flowers and scorched yucca


Rattlesnake Peak register


Rattlesnake summit


Dropping down to Graveyard Saddle





Approaching Graveyard Saddle with Summit 5346 above it


Viewing Rattlesnake from Summit 5346


Looking back at Rattlesnake


Devil Gulch west fork and Iron Mountain in upper left





Dodder





Trees in sight


Baden-Powell and Ross


Above Devil Gulch north fork




Pigeon Ridge


Nearly at South Mt. Hawkins


View from upper Soldier Creek


Descending to Crystal Lake campground


Tototngna Nature Trail


Camp Williams from Shoemaker Road

You're a beast. What else is there to say?

Good report Sean,
Looks like much of the brush/bushes have been burned away on that section beyond the first bump after Rattlesnake, hopefully its made the going a little easier.
Glad you had the experience to pick a good exit route off of S Hawkins when your water ran out, that would have been a killer hike back to Shoemaker when you were already dehydrated. I was out of town at the weekend, how hot did it get?
Phil

Phil B wrote: ↑I was out of town at the weekend, how hot did it get?

It probably topped out in the high 80s or low 90s on the ridge. I don't carry a thermometer, so I can't be precise. I don't fully understand the heat problem in this area. Of course there's no shade and little wind. But it might also be that the heat rises out of the deep canyons on either side and traps you in a furnace situation up on the ridge.

With an earlier start and faster pace I would have been fine with four liters or less. But I needed daylight for picture-taking. Also, my left heel has been bothering me, so that slowed me down. Then I got attacked by bees and stung once while resting under a tree halfway to South Hawkins from Rattlesnake. Fleeing from those angry bastards was an unpleasant chore, forcing me to run uphill in the sun.

The experience certainly gave me a taste of the Death March. I can see why it has not been done. Just the first 9 miles wiped me out, and that was with the route basically clear of brush.

I forgot to mention the copious plants and weeds with burs and nettles and other needle-like things that buried themselves in my shoes and socks and skin. In addition to sunscreen and more water, gaiters probably would have been an awesome idea.

Boy do you have determination. As an NHPS member, I might go up to Rattlesnake, but the sun would be a good sign to head back down. Actually any excuse is good enough to lose elevation .

I think you made an excellent choice to head down to Crystal Lake and not Pigeon Ridge. I went down the latter one summer day and wished I had gone to the safety of Crystal Lake instead.

Great job Sean, there's less brush than I expected so the fire did get that far up the ridge.

I'll wait for the weather to cool this fall before I head up Rattlesnake but when it does I'm in for a longer shot.

It might be worth doing a run up Hawkins from Crystal Lake and stashing some water in various places, I've done that before and it works good. That way I can be faster and lighter for big outings.

Dropping down to the saddles must mess with your head knowing you have to come back down them if you do the yo-yo hike just to get back over Rattlesnake. There's a good reason that the whole Death March has not been done including the these facts and before the fire that area was a complete wall of vegetation that slowed down movement to a crawl, just ask Rick Kent about his attempt to do that half of the march.

Sorry I couldn't join you but from your report that heat would have put me in a bad place. First time I did Iron I felt that rising heat effect you mentioned, the weather report said it was supposed to be in the high 70's but we recorded tempts in the 90's and only because of snow melt did we make it out without rescue it was that bad and we ran dangerously low on water.

Like everyone else mentioned, you are a beast that was a great outing. Look forward to hooking up and doing part of this or all of it with you when the tempts are more moderate.

Patrick

Great beta, and a rough business on the dark side of Rattlesnake.

Good luck on the death march, if and when. I can't wait to read the story on that one.

lilbitmo wrote: ↑It might be worth doing a run up Hawkins from Crystal Lake and stashing some water in various places...

I was thinking the same thing. There's also Lily Spring 500 feet down the NW gully of Mt. Hawkins. But that's a side-trip I'd rather avoid. Plus I know nothing about when it starts and stops flowing.

lilbitmo wrote: ↑Dropping down to the saddles must mess with your head knowing you have to come back down them if you do the yo-yo hike just to get back over Rattlesnake.

Reclimbing Rattlesnake from Graveyard Saddle could be quite a frustrating affair. Rather than struggle up the slope I slid down, I think I would cross over to the opposite ridge with all the living pine trees and try to pull myself up that way near the rocks. It might be too thick though.

My descent route in red. Proposed ascent route in yellow.

More on the water problem...

It would be cool to do this without stashing at South Hawkins, just to prove it can be done. In addition to Lily Spring, another silly idea I had was to drop into Graveyard Canyon or Devil Gulch for liquid. Anyone have a clue how far down the springs are in these places?

My topo shows the stream starting around 4600' in Graveyard, 5120' in Devil Gulch west fork, and 5920' in north fork. West fork was incinerated and is the lesser drop down, which would potentially make it the most attractive option.

Looking up Devil Gulch west fork on right


Looking down the west fork

Sean, I agree with the descent route (in red), but, personally prefer to stay on top of the ridge and head straight up to the summit on the ascent.
The rocks on that ridge did'nt bother me and staying out of the trees helped to keep me on track especially with the evening drawing in.
Phil

Phil B wrote: ↑The rocks on that ridge did'nt bother me and staying out of the trees helped to keep me on track especially with the evening drawing in.

My main concern is the top quarter or third of the red route, where the slope is approaching extreme. Did you stick to the spine on that or cut over like the red line? If you stuck to the spine was the brush pretty thick?

I stuck as close to the spine as possible, dropping to one side or the other to navigate around the rock outcrops as they occurred, I don't recall anything more than 3rd class rock scrambling and topped out maybe 30/40 feet to the left (northish) of the summit.
Phil