EISPIRATEN

For a couple years now I've been looking at Dobbs with drool spilling out of my open mouth. It's one of those peaks you look at and say, "You know, that might be a really awesome place to be standing."


(Dobbs seen middle right, during 9 Peaks hike in Sep-2012)

On Friday, my dream was realized as Keith (tekewin) and I took the west ridge route out of Vivian Creek.


(Crossing Vivian Creek below the camp)

We scrambled up the slope a short distance before finding a use trail which took us to the ridgeline.


(Looking across at the San Bernardino/Andersen Peak ridge from the Dobbs ridge)

Dobbs Ridge had a nice use path with cairns sprinkled here and there. It was mostly very easy to follow.





We saw a really cool bird with steel blue and white coloring. The picture doesn't really do it justice.



Of course there were some spectacular views up there.


(Mill Creek below, Baldy in the distance)


(Yucaipa Ridge with Saddleback popping out of the clouds)

After climbing the final, very steep, western slant, we reached the broad summit of Dobbs.



Unfortunately my other dream, of bumping into Mars Bonfire on Dobbs Peak, remains unfulfilled. We missed him by one day.



The remaining portion of our journey included tagging Little Dobbs,



dropping down the south ridge,



and visiting the Penis Tree on 9782.



If you want to know what happened next, you'll have to read Keith's blog.
http://ironhiker.blogspot.com/2014/10/d ... -9782.html

The trees were really interesting on this trip, especially the dead trees. Happy Halloween.


Deadfall starting up the ridge


Sean by a dead giant


Uprooted


Dead conifer?


"Tim Burton" pine


"Poltergeist" tree. I see a face in the trunk, maybe just my imagination.



Curious buck

Well done lads, but I'm a little worried about your visit to the penis tree.

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Well done lads, but I'm a little worried about your visit to the penis tree.

It just looked like a cigar to me.

What IS it with this Mars Bonfire fellow? I was at Dawson Peak today, and the register said this:



Why 25 both times? Why final visit?

dima wrote: ↑What IS it with this Mars Bonfire fellow? I was at Dawson Peak today, and the register said this:



Why 25 both times? Why final visit?

Possible explanations:

1. He's been hiking nonstop now for a hundred years and has finally decided to do something different, like visiting every capitol building 25 times.

2. Steppenwolf is reuniting for a tour of the universe. He won't have anymore time to hike.

3. 25 is the magical number. If he does any peak 26 times the world will end.

It's not your imagination!

cool report! I was just eyeballing Dobbs myself and you guys just confirmed that I should check it out. Thanks!

Also for some reason I peeked at the summit register on SB East (never really look at registers) and one of the few entries I can remember, Mars Bonfire 25x final visit.

Mars is doing the Hundred Peaks Section 25 times, and then finito, retiring to parts mentioned but not widely broadcast. Yessir, 2500 peaks...

As for the bird, when I hear "steel blue, and white " in that neck of the woods (with your photo, lousy on my lanternbox) me thinks of Western Scrub Jay. But I wouldn't have thought of it as a mystery bird, so i wonder if you saw something less often encountered. ?

Great hike and TR, gentlemens.

kind regards,
arocknoid

Here's one, an odd fellow also known as a one-legged MugWump (pardon the etymologo politico humor):

If you could send the original version of the bird pic that would help. My guess would be Clark's Nutcracker (the gray color can sometimes look bluish) or a lost Magpie (just kidding)! Clark's love to perch on conifers on the rocky peaks of our high country.

Met Mars once on my 1 hike to Bare Mt. Hiking machine.