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Iron Mountain in the San Gabriels

Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:51 am
by wingding
I did a day hike to Iron Mountain (8007') in the San Gabriels yesterday. It was hot and muggy out there - it was a gruling 9 hour hike due to the heat along the ridge. I won't be putting on my list of favorite hikes, but it was a good workout. The hike is 14 miles round-trip with 7200 feet of elevation gain.

Here are some pictures I took:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/1412532

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 2:21 am
by Snow Nymph
I was in Death Valley this weekend and it was 105 deg at 5000'! :retard: . . . and last weekend it snowed on us at 6400'! :-k

I like the photos of the peaks above the cloud. :nod:

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 7:22 am
by copeg
Nice pictures wingding. I'm curious how you ascended Iron Mountain. Looking on my maps it looks mostly trailless all around, and I know how hiking off trail in the San Gabriels can be: hot, rough, and steep.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 11:39 am
by Shawn
Kathy -

Nice photos of Iron Mountain. I have noticed that you have become quite the iron mountaineer - there's no way I could keep up with you :o

Your new smugmug account looks really nice too.

Shawn

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:33 pm
by ifernau
Very nice set of photo galleries. That hike must have been some work-out.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:36 pm
by ifernau
Snow Nymph wrote:I was in Death Valley this weekend and it was 105 deg at 5000'! :retard: . . . and last weekend it snowed on us at 6400'! :-k

I like the photos of the peaks above the cloud. :nod:
A fellow photographer is planning to visit Death Valley mid May. :eek: :eek:
He was told that it will be hot. 105F at 5000' do I dare asking what it was at Badwater?

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 2:42 pm
by wingding
SN - 105 degrees is just too hot. I hear the road to Onion Valley is clear and the road to Horseshoe Meadows will be clear by this weekend - I think it's time for cooler temperatures of the Sierra. The clouds yesterday were pretty nice and hiking in them early in the morning helped.

Trailblazer - Actually there is a trail all the way to Iron Mountain. You take the Heaton Flat Trail to a saddle at 4,500 feet elevation and then follow a good use trail up the ridge to Iron Mountain. The use trail is in pretty good shape, but very steep in places and it seems to be the hottest sections that are the most difficult.

Shawn - I have gotten stronger, but I'm still not a fast hiker. Last year we did Mount Williamson on July 2nd, so we hauled 40 pound packs up to Shepherd Pass on July 1st in a heavy snow year and then summited Williamson the following day. The trip was extremely tough for me, so I plan on being in much better shape this summer when I attempt Rainier - I want to be able to enjoy it more and struggle less. Rainier is about the same elevation as Williamson and the elevation gain to get to the summit will be about the same. Rainier just has more snow and glaciers.

Inge - Yes, a good workout - my quads hurt more than usual and I even stretched after the hike.