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Hiking personal ad.....
#11542 03/14/11 04:52 PM
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WANTED: challenging hikers!

I have done Whitney in the summer and I have hiked the heck out of Yosemite and my local Santa Monica Mountains. Recently started hiking in the snow (Mt Baldy)and I am hooked but my partner in crime is no longer available. Is there anyone in the LA region that would be interested in adding a hiker on weekends and long trips? I'm in pretty good shape (love uphills and long distances) and want to do Langley and Whitney and everything else. I promise I will not slow you down- even if I am a girl. Challenge me =)

I am in the process of buying winter gear (summer hiking is much more wallet friendly.) Currently I rely on a positive attitude, fitness, and determination to get me through. I respect knowledgeable hikers and I am a good listener and learner.

I am new to this message board so if there is a more appropriate place to post this, please let me know! Cheers!


_m

*just a friendly southern cali girl with a monkey on her back where ever life takes her*
Re: Hiking personal ad.....
monkie onmy back #11545 03/14/11 05:20 PM
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Whitney double with Crazy Charlie?


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Hiking personal ad.....
monkie onmy back #11548 03/14/11 05:37 PM
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Welcome to the forum.

I'm sure you can find some good people on here to challenge you. Some of these guys and gals are animals! I am a very weak hiker compared to allot of them. I like to hike 10 to 15 miles a day so I can enjoy myself. I could never do these 40 mile 13,000 foot altitude gain hikes. Nor would I want to if I could!

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
RoguePhotonic #11549 03/14/11 05:54 PM
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Rogue.......I'll be dragging my butt behind you!

Yea, there should be quite a few people to hike with. You may want to consider a group hike.

Plenty of great mountains around SoCal.....San Jacinto is my favorite. Good luck.


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Re: Hiking personal ad.....
quillansculpture #11559 03/14/11 09:01 PM
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Thank you all for the warm welcome! I don't mind a group to hike with, but I really would like to find a few good crazy hikers to go above and beyond a typical weekend warrior.

Any extra spots in a crew going up Whitney? Any interest in Langley? San Jacinto?

LA Marathon this weekend, but after that....I'll drag anyone uphill as long as someone carries me down! =)

Cheers all!


_m

*just a friendly southern cali girl with a monkey on her back where ever life takes her*
Re: Hiking personal ad.....
monkie onmy back #11573 03/15/11 06:43 AM
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Just wander over to and join SoCal Hikers and Peakbaggers at meetup.com. There are winter outings and some very interesting long day hikes in the summer.

Mt. Baldy is so uninteresting in the winter. You go up a bare slope with 50 of your nearest and dearest friends. However, it can be more than a bit entertaining watching the folks attempt it with Microspikes and trekking poles, then watching them glissade back down can be fun, too.

Last edited by wbtravis; 03/15/11 06:44 AM.
Re: Hiking personal ad.....
monkie onmy back #11676 03/17/11 04:10 PM
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Check out the Old Whitney Portal site. There's a group on that site that hike Mt. Baldy regularly and they love to have new people join them. One of these days I plan on joining up with them. Look for posts by Cindy Abott and a guy named Jeff regarding Mt. Baldy and you'll see pictures of the entire group. Some of those same people post on the Whitney Zone; however I see their Trip Reports and photos on the Whitney Portal site. You are more than welcome to join my friends and me when we hike Mt. Baldy, but we don't have any dates planned as of right now. We like to wait until the snow has melted, we're fair weather hikers, not hard core hikers. We'll do San Gorgonio and San Jacinto in early summer. I'll try to remember to send you a PM when we know our dates for certain peaks. In the meantime, check out the Whitney Portal site.


Lynnaroo
Re: Hiking personal ad.....
lynn-a-roo #11694 03/18/11 07:26 AM
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I don't get it. When did Mt. Baldy become challenging? It's fun in the winter but challenging. I guess if you include dodging the rockfall and the ill-prepared it is challenging.

There are side canyons in Ice House Canyon and Cucamonga Peak, which are a heck of a lot more challenging this time of year. Mt. Badden-Powell is a heck of a lot more fun in the winter than Mt. Baldy but it isn't one of the so-called SoCal glamor peaks.

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11695 03/18/11 07:41 AM
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Originally Posted By: wbtravis
I don't get it. When did Mt. Baldy become challenging? It's fun in the winter but challenging. I guess if you include dodging the rockfall and the ill-prepared it is challenging.


Baldy has taken many lives, the latest just this past winter. You may be blase' about its risks, but trivializing the dangers inherent in a 10K' peak borders on irresponsible.

Sorry to be so blunt, but maybe you'd consider taking your "bah-hug" routine someplace else.

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11696 03/18/11 07:56 AM
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Not sure where I saw someone say Baldy is challenging, but it is a great training hike, especially for people who have never done Whitney and want to see where they are at. But, as someone said once, "I know Mt Whitney..... and Baldy is NO Mt Whitney".

Baldy is a great hike to prepare as long as you are going up from the hut or Bear Canyon. Devil's backbone is just a bit too easy, though there is one spot where it can test a beginners nerves. I do recommend going down the backbone to save your knees a bit.

San Jacinto isn't real challenging either, just fun......and in my opinion, the prettiest hikes in So Cal. Marion Mtn trail will certainly test your ability to go up to elevation and a nice training hike for Whitney. You can summit San Jacinto with a shorter 11 mile on Marion Mtn, or a longer 17 miler from the Slide (as well as several other trails.)

BUT....if you are even considering Whitney, you should consider hiking these two as well as San Gorgornio (as well as the two suggested by wbtravis, Baden Powell and Cucamonga) several times before Whitney.

But, I'm also with Lynn on this.... I'm waiting for the snow to melt. You won't find prettier hikes than San Jacinto when the snow is melting.....waterfalls and water everywhere.

KR is right though. Any hike can be dangerous....though those look to be mostly Winter hikes.

Maybe it's time for us to start a new thread about how YOU train for Whitney, what hikes, where, gym? etc. I still remember + @ti2d telling us how he walks on curbs for balance. Yes, I have tried it too, as well as walking on the top of brick walls.

Last edited by quillansculpture; 03/18/11 08:47 AM.

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Re: Hiking personal ad.....
quillansculpture #11697 03/18/11 09:53 AM
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Baldy has its challenges. It is a steep hike with good elevation gain. It isn't the prettiest mountain around, but it is a good acclimatizer that I use to get my legs ready. I plan on using Baldy this year to help my lungs acclimatize better. I get sick and start seeing double vision at around 12,000 feet. This summer, I plan on sleeping on top of Baldy on the weekends for a couple of weeks before I hike Whitney.

Another advantage of Baldy for the OC crowd, by the way, its easy freeway accesability. It is an hour drive for me to get there and I can always find a place to park.


Brent N

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
KevinR #11698 03/18/11 10:04 AM
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The question should be is why does Mt. Baldy take lives, not that it takes lives. Most of the hikers and mountaineers were doing things they should not have been doing...like not putting crampons on their feet when they should have, or having them like Michelle Yu.

I don't go up that mountain all that much because it is not much of a challenge, it's exercise with 50 of your nearest and dearest friends. It is a fun glissade when conditions are right.

Blase attitude? Maybe. Irresponsible? No, Baldy is a I came, I saw, I conquered kind of mountain in the winter once things consolidate. You start climbing in the bowl, you stop climbing on the summit and you glissade down. Sorry, if I don't find an 1,800' climb all that interesting. The most dangerous thing about is the rockfall and the clueless who climb the bowl in the winter...not saying everyone is clueless just that there is a higher percentage there than I want to deal with on Saturdays. Taking noobs up that mountain in the winter, going up the bowl with trekking poles and Microspikes, going up without a helmet, going up lined up like tin soldiers...that's irresponsible and I don't do any of those things.

Going up Falling Rock Canyon or Lost Creek Canyon in Ice House Canyon are more dangerous and fun, so is Cucamonga Peak.

Could you tell me why I should go somewhere else for stating an opinion based on experience on that particular mountain and most of the mountains in that piece of federally owned real estate?

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11718 03/18/11 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted By: wbtravis
The question should be is why does Mt. Baldy take lives, not that it takes lives. Most of the hikers and mountaineers were doing things they should not have been doing...like not putting crampons on their feet when they should have, or having them like Michelle Yu.

I don't go up that mountain all that much because it is not much of a challenge, it's exercise with 50 of your nearest and dearest friends. It is a fun glissade when conditions are right.

Blase attitude? Maybe. Irresponsible? No, Baldy is a I came, I saw, I conquered kind of mountain in the winter once things consolidate. You start climbing in the bowl, you stop climbing on the summit and you glissade down. Sorry, if I don't find an 1,800' climb all that interesting. The most dangerous thing about is the rockfall and the clueless who climb the bowl in the winter...not saying everyone is clueless just that there is a higher percentage there than I want to deal with on Saturdays. Taking noobs up that mountain in the winter, going up the bowl with trekking poles and Microspikes, going up without a helmet, going up lined up like tin soldiers...that's irresponsible and I don't do any of those things.

Going up Falling Rock Canyon or Lost Creek Canyon in Ice House Canyon are more dangerous and fun, so is Cucamonga Peak.

Could you tell me why I should go somewhere else for stating an opinion based on experience on that particular mountain and most of the mountains in that piece of federally owned real estate?


One way to look at the issue is who has died and been severely injured. Immediately coming to mind are Ali Aminian, former President of California Mountaineering Club. died on Baldy
on a winter climb.

My friend, RJ Secor, famous guidebook author, one of only 4 people to have completed the entire Sierra Peaks Section list, TWICE. Severe head and brain injury on a winter glissade, on Baldy.

My good friend Gary Embrey, mountaineering instructor for decades, who died on a winter climb of Baden-Powell.

I think it is not good to trivialize any mountain that is not a simple clear trail walk-up in low altitude. After all, it is all a matter of perspective.

If you go by skills and accomplishments, my acquaintences Ed Viesturs and David Breashears would consider every thing we amateurs on this board climb to be absurdly trivial.

If they were to post about climbing, say, the east face of Whitney, they'd say, that for themselves, no training, no preparation is needed. No acclimatization, no scouting, no special gear. But of course, they are two of the great mountaineers of history. They are acclimatized at all times, and in marathon shape at all times. They are professionals, and climb for a living. Same for Peter Croft. They are guys that NO AMATEUR on this board could come remotely close to keeping up with. Not anyone.

However, they would not do so. That is because that what is appropriate for them is not right for lesser mortals, particularly the oft-beginning amateurs that may frequent this site, trying to get an idea of difficulty of things. It is HIGHLY MISLEADING to give the impression that a rank amateur should tackle a mountain and route that much more advanced climbers consider relatively simple, perhaps alone, perhaps undergeared.

And that is because such climbers do not have the JUDGEMENT that more experienced people have. Note that, in your post, you talk about people doing something that they shouldn't have. That is a judgement issue, almost always. The three climber accidents I mentioned had done their mountains many dozens of times, each, in at least one case, over a hundred. They did not use poor judgement, they had BAD LUCK, in an environment that is UNFORGIVING.

I also think about the Russian experienced climber, who it's thought went off the north side of Baldy in winter, and whose body has never been found. Experienced on much tougher mountains. It wasn't trivial for him.

So I guess, to me, it is an issue of not misleading people who don't have the experience to draw upon to give themselves the margin of safety they need, and who would not know, by your post, that there are "no fall zones", and places of objective danger that could be fatal encounters...if one is unlucky.

Remember, that for Barefoot Ted, running up Baldy in summer barefoot is a trivial trip. Would it be so for you??

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
Ken #11719 03/18/11 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: Ken
They did not use poor judgement, they had BAD LUCK, in an environment that is UNFORGIVING


I made up my "signature quote" after one such fatality offered up no explaination for its cause; I decided that there needed to be a "Bad Luck" option in some of the accident analysis/reports.


The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.
Re: Hiking personal ad.....
Bee #11720 03/19/11 12:43 AM
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The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day

Bee, your signature quote deserves some support. Here is a mountain literature quote from my "favorites" list. I of course, have more! I emailed them to you.

Harvey

The mountains are a testing ground where he is confronted by challenges which not only demand all in his skill in meeting them but make him face up to his own motivation, perseverance and resilience when danger, hardship and fatigue all conspire to turn him back from his chosen objective.
Joe Tasker, Savage Arena page 13

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11723 03/19/11 03:58 AM
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It's all relative, and depends on your perspective. If Baldy were on the east coast, it would likely be one of the most sought-after mountains in the US, considering the highest peak in our part of the country is less than 7K'.

Baldy may not seem like much in the nearby shadow of the Sierra, but it would be a jewel of a peak if it were magically tramsported to other locations. You folks are fortunate to be able to debate a 10K' peak's worthiness.

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
Ken #11751 03/20/11 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted By: Ken
One way to look at the issue is who has died and been severely injured. Immediately coming to mind are Ali Aminian, former President of California Mountaineering Club. died on Baldy
on a winter climb.

My friend, RJ Secor, famous guidebook author, one of only 4 people to have completed the entire Sierra Peaks Section list, TWICE. Severe head and brain injury on a winter glissade, on Baldy.

My good friend Gary Embrey, mountaineering instructor for decades, who died on a winter climb of Baden-Powell.

I think it is not good to trivialize any mountain that is not a simple clear trail walk-up in low altitude. After all, it is all a matter of perspective.

If you go by skills and accomplishments, my acquaintences Ed Viesturs and David Breashears would consider every thing we amateurs on this board climb to be absurdly trivial.

If they were to post about climbing, say, the east face of Whitney, they'd say, that for themselves, no training, no preparation is needed. No acclimatization, no scouting, no special gear. But of course, they are two of the great mountaineers of history. They are acclimatized at all times, and in marathon shape at all times. They are professionals, and climb for a living. Same for Peter Croft. They are guys that NO AMATEUR on this board could come remotely close to keeping up with. Not anyone.

However, they would not do so. That is because that what is appropriate for them is not right for lesser mortals, particularly the oft-beginning amateurs that may frequent this site, trying to get an idea of difficulty of things. It is HIGHLY MISLEADING to give the impression that a rank amateur should tackle a mountain and route that much more advanced climbers consider relatively simple, perhaps alone, perhaps undergeared.

And that is because such climbers do not have the JUDGEMENT that more experienced people have. Note that, in your post, you talk about people doing something that they shouldn't have. That is a judgement issue, almost always. The three climber accidents I mentioned had done their mountains many dozens of times, each, in at least one case, over a hundred. They did not use poor judgement, they had BAD LUCK, in an environment that is UNFORGIVING.

I also think about the Russian experienced climber, who it's thought went off the north side of Baldy in winter, and whose body has never been found. Experienced on much tougher mountains. It wasn't trivial for him.

So I guess, to me, it is an issue of not misleading people who don't have the experience to draw upon to give themselves the margin of safety they need, and who would not know, by your post, that there are "no fall zones", and places of objective danger that could be fatal encounters...if one is unlucky.

Remember, that for Barefoot Ted, running up Baldy in summer barefoot is a trivial trip. Would it be so for you??


Let me state this succinctly. The original poster was looking for challenging winter trips. I stated I did not find the Bowl particularly challenging...period.

I was taken to task by a KevinR as blase and irresponsible ostensibly for not agreeing with his assessment.

I stated I don't do stupid irresponsible things on this mountain and you decide it time to pile on with a litany of irrelevant facts. The fact is I did not trivialize a trip up the bowl...unless you consider an opinion that is not challenging as trivializing. I don't go up the bowl that much because too many people go up and down it who are ill-prepared.

BTW, what does your last question have to do with the price of eggs?

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11752 03/20/11 01:15 PM
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Bulldog,

On the other hand, if Mt. Baldy was on Yucaipa Ridge or adjacent to Mt. San Gorgonio, it would no more than a handful of people most winter weekends.

I climbed Charlton Peak (10,805') a month ago on a Saturday...total people on the peak that day...3. Most folks in the area that were on Mt. San Gorgonio, SoCal's highest peak.

Location is everything.

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11753 03/20/11 01:52 PM
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wbt, saying a climb is uninteresting is interpreted by some as being too easy to be worth the trouble. ...which might lead some newbies to go and try it out.

While you implied it gave some people trouble, you left out saying that it could be truly dangerous. The others are trying to underscore that part.

Whether it is uninteresting or unchallenging or treacherous or deadly... Everyone please stop inviting each other to an egg fight or to leave. Those are inflammatory statements, and are not welcome. You can state how you feel about the climb without attacks on the other individual. Then the everyone reading all the posts can judge for themselves and see the entire spectrum of opinions and information.

This is a good thread except for the personal stuff.

Re: Hiking personal ad.....
wbtravis #11754 03/20/11 02:29 PM
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A variation of the expression "familiarity breeds contempt" might be applicable here "familiarity breeds complacency". It's been my experience that the more times a peak is climbed the less attuned we become to its objective risks - just human nature. Couple that with bad luck, and people can get injured or killed.

More hikers on a peak do not always make it safer for ourselves or others. This is particularly true of Baldy's bowl. Depending upon conditions, more people on a route can create rockfall and/or avalanches for those below.

It seems that Baldy has always been an oft-climbed peak for many people, probably due in large part to its accessibility and proximity to a large population center. It's not a peak I seek out when I'm looking for solitude. OTH, sometimes for me it's great fun to experience a peak with many others. Just depends upon the day.

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