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Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
#6822 08/23/10 07:07 AM
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During the Candlelight Peak group hike my son Mike secured an invite to do the MR-MT loop from RichardP. Richard emailed me and told me to pretty much pick any date and he would guide us. Mike had already done a MT trip as an overnight and one as a dayhike. We are working on hiking San Jacinto via every trail head possible so I think that got him thinking about trying the MR.

We set the date and as promised Richard met us at the Portal. Mike fished the pond all day Saturday while I hung out near the store. We set a 0400 start time and Mike and I slept in the bed of my truck behind the store.

Right on time we took off up the trail. Richard had Mike led most of the way and for the most part Mike did a decent job with only minor course corrections from Richard. Before the E ledges Richard took the lead, but there wasn't much to see via headlamp.

The rest of the morning was just UPHILL with generous breaks peppered in. The wind blew hard in our faces until the last water stop. Above Iceberg Lake I was feeling sluggish, but Mike and Richard were going strong. Once we got into a shaded section and I could see the Notch I felt better and was able to keep up. Richard gave Mike detailed instructions on the final 400 and led it. Mike did what he was told and I followed. I have a decent fear of heights and it didn't bother me at all. Mike says he was nervous, but didn't show it.

We hit the hut in a little over nine hours and there was some concern about getting burgers from the store. Mike set a quick pace down the MT (left us old folks a couple times) and Richard showed us three alternate routes that got us into the Portal with plenty of time to spare to place our order. We were hiking about 15 hours.

I am thankful for Richard's invite and very proud of my 13 year old boy...................................DUG

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
DUG #6825 08/23/10 07:57 AM
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DUG & Mike.....AWESOME. Thanks for sharing


"Turtles, Frogs & other Environmental Sculpture"

www.quillansculpturegallery.com
twitter: @josephquillan

If less is more, imagine how much more, more is -Frasier
Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
quillansculpture #6826 08/23/10 09:34 AM
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Good going, DUG. That kid is building quite a hiking resume! And good for RP taking you.

Say... did you encounter any mosquitoes, or have they disappeared for this year?

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
Steve C #6827 08/23/10 09:37 AM
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Agreed, great trip! Congrats to you both and to Richard for leading. Sounds like a great day.

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
James #6829 08/23/10 09:54 AM
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Fantastic!!! Good job by all. Great of Richard P to lead you.So if you have a decent fear of heights how could the final 400 not bother you?
I have heard of the short cuts down the MT. I would love to hear about them. I have heard of the one from the back of the water fall near the store to Lone Pine Lake.I have heard of one near the waterfall of Outpost Camp and the one from Trailside Meadows up to Consultation lake but I thought that was a winter short cut only.So I am interested in these secret shortcuts.
Great job BTW for both you DUG and Mike!!!!

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
Steve C #6833 08/23/10 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
Good going, DUG. That kid is building quite a hiking resume! And good for RP taking you.

Say... did you encounter any mosquitoes, or have they disappeared for this year?


No bugs of any kind. Saw a deer early on - Richard said that was a 1st for him on the MR. And of course the summit Marmot....................................DUG

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
Rod #6834 08/23/10 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted By: Rod
Fantastic!!! Good job by all. Great of Richard P to lead you.So if you have a decent fear of heights how could the final 400 not bother you?
I have heard of the short cuts down the MT. I would love to hear about them. I have heard of the one from the back of the water fall near the store to Lone Pine Lake.I have heard of one near the waterfall of Outpost Camp and the one from Trailside Meadows up to Consultation lake but I thought that was a winter short cut only.So I am interested in these secret shortcuts.
Great job BTW for both you DUG and Mike!!!!


The final 400 didn't bother me because it didn't seem IMHO anything to be bothered by. I never felt I was in a situation that if I slipped I was a goner. I spent most of my time right on Mike's heels though, so that could explain it. I was expecting something completely different. I'm not saying there is nothing to worry about, just that it didn't bother me and I was sure it would. Same with the E Ledges. Then again, we went by them via headlamp.

The alt route to Trailside Meadow is pretty straight forward and you know the route on the old trail for the last 1/2 mile. The route that cuts from Bighorn Park to below LPL is a little trickier. There are ledges there that got my attention. PM me if you want more details.......................DUG

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
DUG #6847 08/23/10 04:24 PM
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DUG:

Congratulations to you and Mike! I think that makes three of us father-son tandems who have shared this wonderful experience with our sons in the past couple of weeks. I am sure there were others too, just at least three posting trip reports. There were also likely some mother-daughter teams as well other parent/child combinations.

I know you had a great time watching your little guy accomplish this, (though he is likely not so little any more). Good stuff.

Kent Williams

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
trail runner #6848 08/23/10 04:41 PM
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Here is a link to Richard's pics:

http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Whats-New-...979334794_BxqiG

Mine are still on the camera, which is in the truck, which isn't here..............................DUG

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
DUG #6858 08/23/10 07:40 PM
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DUG,
Congrats to you and Mike! Sounds like you have a real mountain man in the making. Great TR and Mike must be having one of the best summer vacations ever.

Will he be leading quillansculpture and bulldog up the same route next summer? smile

Re: Yet Another Father/Son MR-MT Trip
wazzu #6862 08/23/10 10:11 PM
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I love Richard P's pics looking back down as you crawled up the final 400. You are right from that angle it didn't look like one false step and you would fall to your death.Not so sure about doing the e-ledges by head lamp. Might be better to not see what the potential danger really is.


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