Local Hike 24.5 Miles in the SGM (Preparation for Mt. Whitney)

I planned a hike last Saturday in the San Gabriel’s, but my hip flared up, so I rescheduled to make the hike the following Friday (August 31, 2007). See Pictures.

I left the house at 5:00 and was on the Manzanita trail at 6:10 am and it was warm for early morning, but the whole hike seem to cool off as I went. The first leg up to Vincent Gap was nice and easy. I saw one large buck deer and many squirrels and lizards. I stopped at Vincent Gap to eat a little and started my accent to the top of Baden-Powell. I really did not have a hard time, either because I am in better shape or for this hike I used my trekking poles. I saw the only humans (two) on this trail for the whole day.

Panorama of Baden-PowellClick to enlarge

I eat some more at the top and took the trail to Islip Saddle. This was a nice trail and the scenery was open (it is on the ridge). Couple of miles and came to a sign that mentioned two “right” directions, one to Mt. Troop and the other to Little Jimmy Campground, but there was a fork in the trail it was to Dawson Saddle (as I learned and was not on the sign). This was a great little trail developed and maintained by the Boy Scouts, but the problem was it dumped me out at Dawson Saddle on the closed section of the Angeles Crest Highway. I was not lost, but not wanted to be. The highway is completed resurfaced. I had to walk down ACH for some 5.5 miles. I walked into Islip Saddle and found the trail head back to South Fork (this is the same spot for the PCT). This trail is poorly maintained and is about 5.1 miles long.

As I hiked down this trail I could hear thunder. At about two miles in it started to rain with lightning and thunder. I continued because it was light. As I walked that all changed. It began to rain so hard and was pelting me with pea size hail. Here is the problem, should I continue and risk being exposed to be stuck my lightning or find shelter and risk washed out trails and mud slides? What I decided was I wanted off the mountain, so I continued and monitored the lightning. When I would see a flash I would count seconds (each second is 1,000 ft of sound), I could determine how close the strikes were. When they were less than three thousand feet I either continued if larger trees around the trail or took some shelter. I confess I was not sure of the right answer. I do know that I was soaked and my IPod, phone and camera were at risk. My GPS unit is weather proof (water tight), so stayed out. I also saw two does and a baby (that four deer for the day, never seen any before).

Rainbow before the strom, Click to enlarge

Overall it was twenty four and 1/2 miles (11.5 hours) and I did not die on this hike. I did get some new blisters (common for me), even though I stopped three different times to add mole skin (before I left the house I added duct tape). After the drive home of one hour, I was stiff and will most likely be stiff for a day or so.

See the trip on Motionbased.

Click to expand