10,064 feet = 15% less oxygen = a slight bit of mountain sickness = headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, lathargia and soar freakin' feet!!! Sane people just ride the chair lift, but we hikers laugh at chair lifts!!!
Climbing Mt. Baldy (the highest peak in L.A. County) was our last training hike before Yosemite in 2 weeks, so this one was a doozy! When we got to the parking lot at the trailhead in the early morning, we ran into the L.A chapter who was doing their training as well. They informed us that the cables at Half Dome may not be up in time for us to climb the rock, but whatever happens happens and it’s been a fun ride with a great team either way! At times on this hike it felt like we were wildlife videographers trekking through desolate lands in search of elusive animals hunting their prey. It was so desolate and quiet in parts that we were wondering if we were the prey being stalked by cunning mountain cats.
We began the hike at around 6000’ and made it to the peak at 10,064’ where the air is so thin (see above) that you begin to feel sick and your steps become much slower as your breathing becomes more labored. We began the hike on a service road that took us all the way to the top of the chairlifts to the ski lodge, all the way the chairs seemed to be taunting us saying “Ha ha, you could have taken a much easier way up”. When we got to the lodge, it was all I could do to not follow the instructions on the signs and adjust my altitude at the bar inside, but I resisted the urge and trekked on.
After the lodge we hiked up more service road alongside a second set of chairlifts and more of their evil taunting. We then made it to a ridge called Devil’s Backbone where one false step on either side of the trail could have spelled curtains to an unfortunate hiker. When we got through the ‘Backbone’, we began to see more snow cover on the trail that we had to navigate through.
There was so much snow in parts that at one point we saw some back country skiers shoveling a jump down a double black diamond grade slope.
At this point we were within sight of the peak, which was like seeing a mountain on top of a mountain that we still had to climb. The grade of the trail is so steep at the peak that the switchbacks turn every few feet once we hit the final ascent to the top. I was the first one to reach the peak at 10:45 a.m.
Once we got to the top we were greeted by the sight of other groups of hikers resting in the rock wall wind barriers, dogs cooling off in the snow, and a 360 degree view spanning the High Desert, Inland Empire, and many of the other mountains we had climbed throughout our training.
I was in the lead group and we decided to descend the way we came so we could see other hikers from our team on our way down. It was painful seeing the trail frustration on their faces, but we tried to encourage them and boost their spirits as best as we could to help motivate them to the top. I was seriously considering doing a second ascent to be with Stacy from this point forward, but she was in good hands and it could have ended me to try that again in one day.
As it turned out, being in one of the lead groups and deciding to double back was a good decision. When I got towards the bottom of the chairlifts, we ran into a guy sitting on some rocks who looked to be on the verge of heat stroke. We were able to hydrate him and get him to his car so he could turn on his A.C. and cool off. It was a good thing for this guy that we have a nurse on our team! When we got to the cars, we hung out on some rocks and kept a lookout for the rest of our team so we could cheer them in. I would have preferred to have changed into my flip-flops and sit in the car and blast the A.C., but my car key privileges were revoked as a result of a certain someone’s trail frustration. I deserved it, and from this point forward, I can’t wait to hike WITH Stacy in Yosemite!
10,064 feet = 15% less oxygen = a slight bit of mountain sickness = headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, lathargia and soar freakin' feet!!! Sane people just ride the chair lift, but we hikers laugh at chair lifts!!! 
Climbing Mt. Baldy (the highest peak in L.A. County) was our last training hike before Yosemite in 2 weeks, so this one was a doozy! When we got to the parking lot at the trailhead in the early morning, we ran into the L.A chapter who was doing their training as well. They informed us that the cables at Half Dome may not be up in time for us to climb the rock, but whatever happens happens and it’s been a fun ride with a great team either way! At times on this hike it felt like we were wildlife videographers trekking through desolate lands in search of elusive animals hunting their prey. It was so desolate and quiet in parts that we were wondering if we were the prey being stalked by cunning mountain cats. 
We began the hike at around 6000’ and made it to the peak at 10,064’ where the air is so thin (see above) that you begin to feel sick and your steps become much slower as your breathing becomes more labored. We began the hike on a service road that took us all the way to the top of the chairlifts to the ski lodge, all the way the chairs seemed to be taunting us saying “Ha ha, you could have taken a much easier way up”. When we got to the lodge, it was all I could do to not follow the instructions on the signs and adjust my altitude at the bar inside, but I resisted the urge and trekked on. 
After the lodge we hiked up more service road alongside a second set of chairlifts and more of their evil taunting. We then made it to a ridge called Devil’s Backbone where one false step on either side of the trail could have spelled curtains to an unfortunate hiker. When we got through the ‘Backbone’, we began to see more snow cover on the trail that we had to navigate through. 
There was so much snow in parts that at one point we saw some back country skiers shoveling a jump down a double black diamond grade slope. 
At this point we were within sight of the peak, which was like seeing a mountain on top of a mountain that we still had to climb. The grade of the trail is so steep at the peak that the switchbacks turn every few feet once we hit the final ascent to the top. I was the first one to reach the peak at 10:45 a.m. 
Once we got to the top we were greeted by the sight of other groups of hikers resting in the rock wall wind barriers, dogs cooling off in the snow, and a 360 degree view spanning the High Desert, Inland Empire, and many of the other mountains we had climbed throughout our training.
I was in the lead group and we decided to descend the way we came so we could see other hikers from our team on our way down. It was painful seeing the trail frustration on their faces, but we tried to encourage them and boost their spirits as best as we could to help motivate them to the top. I was seriously considering doing a second ascent to be with Stacy from this point forward, but she was in good hands and it could have ended me to try that again in one day. 
As it turned out, being in one of the lead groups and deciding to double back was a good decision. When I got towards the bottom of the chairlifts, we ran into a guy sitting on some rocks who looked to be on the verge of heat stroke. We were able to hydrate him and get him to his car so he could turn on his A.C. and cool off. It was a good thing for this guy that we have a nurse on our team! When we got to the cars, we hung out on some rocks and kept a lookout for the rest of our team so we could cheer them in. I would have preferred to have changed into my flip-flops and sit in the car and blast the A.C., but my car key privileges were revoked as a result of a certain someone’s trail frustration. I deserved it, and from this point forward, I can’t wait to hike WITH Stacy in Yosemite!
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