EISPIRATEN

TacoDelRio wrote:I've been to the summit of Iron Mountain 75 times. (True)

I guess we all have our default hikes. Why? What's yours? Groundhog Day, all over again.

My default indoor hike is to the fridge for a beer.

My default outdoor hike is Hastings Peak via Bailey Canyon. Not quite 75 times but I'm not the animal that Taco is

Don't call me anal, but i've been up Josephine Peak 231 times.

Yipes! Josephine 231 times. I've always blown Josephine off; it doesn't look as interesting to me as its neighbor to the east, Strawberry Pk, which has that fun west ridge route. What attracts you to Josephine?

My default is Haines Canyon in Tujunga which is 5 min. from where I live. I've lived up in that area more than 20 years, and I often go up the canyon multiple times per week. I won't even venture a guess as to how many times, but I'm sure it's in the hundreds.

Hikin_Jim wrote: What attracts you to Josephine?

1) It's less than an hour's drive.
2) I often hike alone and there is usually someone else up there either hiking or biking in case of emergency. But there is also solitude if you want that.
3) It gives me an 8 mile hike w/2000'gain.
4) I love the view when there is a marine layer over L.A.
5) I love the view.
6) I like to imagine what it was like when there was a fire lookout up there.

Now, I've also done Strawberry about 30 times; Lukens-35 times from all possible directions; Liebre-27 times; Pacifico-44 times; Lowe, Markem, San Gabriel, Disappointment & Deception about 22 times + many others over 40 years. But, Josephine draws me back like an old friend everytime.

BTW, I stepped on the summit of Iron 75 times form a point very slightly lower. I think I got it on video somewhere. I've only been up there once.

I don't have a default hike. I've gone up Baldy 20 or so times, taking friends, doing various things. I cannot really do any one mountain more than once unless it's by some new and different route. Constantly looking to new things.

If I've done something multiple times, it's probably because I failed the previous outing.

TacoDelRio wrote: I cannot really do any one mountain more than once unless it's by some new and different route. Constantly looking to new things.
If I've done something multiple times, it's probably because I failed the previous outing.

You're still a young guy who has lots of years left to find & explore new & different places. I did that too.
Once you get to 60 and have been doing that for 40 years, you run out of new places closeby to explore. And over the years, I have gotten real tired of long drives with increasing traffic to hike a mountain and then rush back to go to work. To say nothing about the price of gas or contributing to global warming by burning a lot of gas.

Therefore..........default hikes become more attractive.

Terry Morse wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote: What attracts you to Josephine?

1) It's less than an hour's drive.
2) I often hike alone and there is usually someone else up there either hiking or biking in case of emergency. But there is also solitude if you want that.
3) It gives me an 8 mile hike w/2000'gain.
4) I love the view when there is a marine layer over L.A.
5) I love the view.
6) I like to imagine what it was like when there was a fire lookout up there.

Now, I've also done Strawberry about 30 times; Lukens-35 times from all possible directions; Liebre-27 times; Pacifico-44 times; Lowe, Markem, San Gabriel, Disappointment & Deception about 22 times + many others over 40 years. But, Josephine draws me back like an old friend everytime.

Interesting. And do you just go up the fire road from Clear Creek Jct? I guess there's supposed to be some use trail that goes up a ridge or something too?

Terry Morse wrote:

TacoDelRio wrote: I cannot really do any one mountain more than once unless it's by some new and different route. Constantly looking to new things.
If I've done something multiple times, it's probably because I failed the previous outing.

You're still a young guy who has lots of years left to find & explore new & different places. I did that too.
Once you get to 60 and have been doing that for 40 years, you run out of new places closeby to explore. And over the years, I have gotten real tired of long drives with increasing traffic to hike a mountain and then rush back to go to work. To say nothing about the price of gas or contributing to global warming by burning a lot of gas.

Therefore..........default hikes become more attractive.

Definitely!

I just hope to be able to move someday to some place cooler (temp), like Idaho or Alaska. Lotsa more new stuff to see there, fi I can get out of this hellhole some call LA.

Interesting. And do you just go up the fire road from Clear Creek Jct? I guess there's supposed to be some use trail that goes up a ridge or something too?[/quote]

I've done Josephine from the fire road, from up Colby Cyn., from around Strawberry, from the ridge that goes down to Angeles Forest Hwy. and from a combo of fire road and the ridge that goes up from the junction at the top saddle.
I've been up there in every month of the year, and in snow, wind, rain, fog & extreme heat. Fall is actually my favorite season up there, as something about the shadows and sun angle that makes it feel like winter is on it's way.
I also like to go up close to sundown and hike back down with a headlamp.