It took about three hours to get to Ontario with a tag of Sugarloaf and that sucky use trail. I finally made my way through the pesky buck and whitethorn just before the trail to the summit. The weather was perfection high 60s and just a bit of wind. From there I followed the ridge hitting False Ontario and Bighorn. I then headed down the SE ridge that deposits you a hundred yards from the saddle.
From there I started down IHC with relatively few hikers on the trail. I did meet one old timer near the Telegraph Wash that has been hiking and rock climbing for over 45 years. I decided to walk with him and hear his tales of Snow Creek climbs and rock climbing Tahquitz in the 70s and 80s. Another inspiration for me!
Today with cooler weather I hit Rubio Canyon and took the incline trail up to Echo Mountain. The shape of the trail is little changed with the worst section still being the middle contour from the incline to the slopes of Echo. The trail is narrow and eroded in sections especially where you cross the gullies. Echo Mountain was completely deserted which is a first for me as I headed to the Upper Sam Merrill Trail and took it until the intersecting ridge from Inspiration Point comes down. I clambered up that fire break and began the roller coaster action until I reached IP and took my first break about two hours into the hike. From there a quick drop down to the IP pavilion and onwards to Muir.
From Muir I dropped down the steep firebreak. This time I found steep switchbacks on the west side rather then going down the apex of the ridge which made it considerably easier. I finally got to West Fuji is just over three hours. It appears that Sean and some dude named Randall are trying to outdo each other in who can climb the peak the most and in the worse conditions. Sean has been up there 30 times and Randall 27. However Sean hiked in 95 degree weather and drank over two liters of water BUT Randall did the hike in 1:03 and so on and so on. I hope the two never meet on the trail because I fear only one will make it down.
The lower trail seemed to be in better shape then the last time I was there and I made it down in just over 40 minutes. The weather was also spectacular with clouds scudding across the sky and the sun playing peek-a-boo all day. It doesn't get much better then this as far as conditions. I'm already to go out again.
