[pct-l] 2nd Chance!! Iron Mtn. hike on Saturday

[vichanson@juno.com (vichanson@juno.com)]

L.A. area Hikers,

For those of you who missed the New Year's Day Iron Mtn. hike (and that
would be all of you except Garrett and I), it was such a great hike we
are going to do it again! You will get the added benefit that I actually
know the correct trail now! We had a great hike, except I guessed wrong
at one fork and we added another 1 1/2 to 2 miles and 45 min. to the
hike. Fortunately it wasn't any more elevation gain, 6000' was enough
already! Actually there must have been at least another 1000' of gain as
we went up and down the ridges! The weather was cloudy and mild when we
started, by afternoon turned nice and sunny, no wind, so was a great day
for hiking. Even on the summit (8007') with 40 degree temp it wasn't bad,
having gotten the body warmed up during the last climb to the summit
(3500' gain in 2 1/2 miles - no mileage adding switchbacks!) and no wind
there either. It took us 8 hr. and 25 min., including the time on the
wrong trail, a nice day's work.

We will be taking the Heaton Flat Trail up Iron Mountain (one peak west
of Mt. Baldy). It is a pretty good trail for the first 3 miles, then
about 2 miles on a fair trail along an undulating ridge (2500' of gain in
these 5 miles) and then about 2 1/2 miles of an un maintained "use trail"
up a ridge to the summit. 
 
This is the perfect hike to help get in shape for the 2002 hiking season!
Robinson (Trails of the Angeles) calls it a "strenuous" hike, we felt
"moderate" would be a better term to use when inviting others to do it,
especially since you are seasoned hikers! Seriously it is one of the
harder hikes in the San Gabriels so will be a great training hike for
whatever adventure you are training for.

We will meet at the Ranger Station just north of Azusa on Hwy. 39 (Azusa
Ave./San Gabriel Canyon Rd.) at 8:30 in the morning. There is free on
street parking just before the station. It is another 20 min. or so to
the trail head at the East Fork Fire Station, Forest Adventure Passes
(available at the ranger station if we need more) are required to park
there.

Please let me know if you plan to join us so we know to look for you. We
plan to start hiking at 9:00.

Vic Hanson
310-787-7245