My van was towed/taken by the city, since the engine blew and I couldn't afford to fix it, so I was without a car. Got the opportunity to borrow a car in the afternoon and thus I went up to Ricehouse Canyon. Started hiking at 4:45pm, went at a typical alone pace, and hiked into Sheep Canyon. Scrambled up canyon a bit to the toe of a buttress which provides some fun climbing. I've climbed this ridge a lot of times, so I know where the good rock and better climbing is. Pieced it all together for some fun scrambling to 5.7.
Looking up at some point on the journey
Here's Fir Draw Crag's north face, which I've been staring at and not climbing for like 8 friggin years. Anyone wanna go?
AND NOW IT'S MINE!
Made it to the top at sunset. Nice and quiet. Hung out for 5-10min and enjoyed being there. A commercial huey flew past. Was worried as I heard it approaching me from the west-northwest. Headed down the regular trail as it was getting dark, and I hadn't gone down the Falling Rock Canyon trail in a long time, so I wasn't sure I wanted to deal with that without a map at night alone with very little water left.
Sure beats the views in the city. Nice and cool too. Could see my breath.
Telegraph's south face. Sure is pretty.
Baldy
Got back down to Icehouse Saddle at some time after dark. Some guys were camping there. Nice place to be. Ate and finished the last of my 1.75 liters of water and headed down. Found a huge pine borer beetle on the way, saw more folks camping, and encountered a group of adults and children hiking up to Kelly's Camp that night. Got back to the car at 10 or so. I really enjoyed it. I had run 11 miles the day before, and was a little sore (I don't run much anymore).
I'm looking forward to adventures this winter.
8)
Cheers everyone. Stay healthy and get into the hills so you can be happy, too!