San Jacinto Mountains ( more local history here)

The mountains were settled by various Amerindians years ago. Though the Serrano and Cahuilla people arrived and built villages near streams and springs. They were hunter-gatherers and they survived on small game and acorn. San Jacinto was the seasonal home to these folks. It’s fabulous hiking here during the winter because you’ll be trotting along snow, but if you look down you’ll be greeted with the view of this golden desert …

San Jacinto peak is close to 11,000 feet above sea levels. Luckily, there is a tram station that takes you far up. I’m kind of wowed how Amerindians made their way up here with moccasins so many years ago. The trails are covered with sharp rock, and from my experience at Ansel Adams Wilderness … I know how much that hurts with thin shoes.

There is a trail called Cactus to Clouds where you climb from the bottom of the mountain to the top. Most people opt to take the tram station to the near the top of the mountain, then proceed to the peak. It would be a whopping twenty-three miles to do Cactus to Clouds. I felt ashamed because as I was descending the peak, I met an old gentleman who was at least sixty and accomplished it. Apparently, he was a marathon runner. W-wow. Heh. I hope when I become an old man I’ll be as ace. Be careful about attempting the full Cactus to Clouds trail in addition to the peak. Some folks have died on that road from dehydration and cockiness.

Baldy Mountain - Bear Canyon Trail (UP) & Main Trail + Devil’s Backbone (BACK)

Some of you know I went to Mount. Baldy last weekend, apart of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County. I had to turn back because I lacked proper equipment and it was storming. The snow had mostly melted at the bottom, but I came back with a vengeance anyways.

I went to the top of the summit with a small group. It was around 10,000 feet above sea level and the view was just amazing. Poor bloke passed out from exhuastion. You could see the Californian islands off the coast - Catalina and San Clemente. From the other side, you could see peaks as far away as San Jancinto, Saddleback Mountain, etc. 

There was one part that was rather dangerous called Devil’s Backbone. The trail is very narrow, and if you slip and fall, you are good as dead because it will be complete free fall until you were smashed open by a rock or tree. What made is really nervous wracking this time was because the ridges were covered in snow and ice, so you would have to climb over it or trek past it. 

To be honest, I was scared out of my mind. Devil’s Backbone (Photo 7 & 8) is notorious for killing hikers during the winter due to high winds and ice. I think a conversation I had with a journalist behind me was, “Oh my God, I am going to die. Oh my god, I am going to die. Wait, wow, that is a nice picture. Hold on one moment. Pause. Oh my god, I just looked down. It is so steep. Oh my god. I am going to die. I am going to die.”

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Warning: As usual, these photos were taken with a broken point-n-shoot camera.

 Mount Baldy, California

It was once the home to the Tonva people. Not sure what happened to them. Here is a reconstruction of a Tongva dwelling. From some billboard I found because information about this area seems very scarce. :(

For thousands of years, the Tongva ventured into this mountain region in search of food and material goods. Leaving their permanent villages in the valleys below, the Yongva set up summer and autumn camps in the cool mountains. Outside the thatched walls of their “kich,” fish and deer meat were hung to dry. Roots, seeds, berries and nuts were gathered and eaten; dried acorns were stored in the willow baskets granaries. Hard world and summer bounty meant survival during the long winter ahead. Permanent villages of the Tonva were located in the valleys. They included ceremonial area, ceremonial house and family dwellings.

Wooeyhoo, what  wild ride. I went to this place on a whim, and ignored reports for violent winds and storm. The first portion of it was hell – the rain was pouring and the gusts were violent enough to blow droplets sideways. About a mile or two in the trail, rain was replaced by snow, and this very moist fog. In fact, the mist was actually clouds! Pretty neat, but rather chilly.You can tell that the storm hit rather suddenly from the plants and flowers neatly encased in ice.

The trail was exceedingly difficult in pour weather because towards the summit, the slopes can have an angle of 45 degrees. Not to mention towards the top, the former ridges of the mountains below no longer protect you, so you are subjected to very harsh winds that can blow to at least 20 MPHs.

I was fearless about climbing it, until I reached towards the top … and looked down. Unfortunately, after hiking many miles, we had to turn back one mile from the summit because the weather has become so awful, and worst, the snow had become nearly ice. Unlike soft snow which you could easily supplant your foot in, ice will slide you down that slope unless you have cramp-ons.

I think the rapid elevation gain adversely affected my thinking abilities because I kept pulling icicles and ate them. Then I took my cane and attacked them while proclaiming, “You will never have the Water Crystal.” I tried to take a picture of the feat, but my equipment was dead. I turned around and said, “My batteries camera died!” Yeah …

Some passerbyers later on asked me if I blaze. Though the answer is no, can’t blame ‘em for assuming.

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