SoCal Trail Running3 Peak Challenge3 Day- 2016

Day 3- San Antonio via Devil's Backbone

6/24/16  14 miles, 4,100' gain
I had only taken the Devil's Backbone route as part of a race before, so it was great to experience it at a more leisurely pace. The ridge trail makes-up for the miles of otherwise mundane fireroad.
Always a nice view for the start of a trip up Baldy. It's the last day of the 3 Day Challenge, and my body is actually feeling better than Day 1. Today should be the easiest day, so I slept in and hit the trail at 10:47am.
1 Always a nice view for the start of a trip up Baldy. It's the last day of the 3 Day Challenge, and my body is actually feeling better than Day 1. Today should be the easiest day, so I slept in and hit the trail at 10:47am.
 Climbing up the fireroad with views down the valley.
2 Climbing up the fireroad with views down the valley.
 The fireroad is a long, rather boring hike that makes up over half the total distance for this route. And it's usually the most crowded route to the top. That's one of the reasons most people prefer the Baldy Bowl (Ski Hut) trail, or Register Ridge for those that know about it. But things get more interesting as you approach Baldy Notch and the ski lodge at the top of the lift.
3 The fireroad is a long, rather boring hike that makes up over half the total distance for this route. And it's usually the most crowded route to the top. That's one of the reasons most people prefer the Baldy Bowl (Ski Hut) trail, or Register Ridge for those that know about it. But things get more interesting as you approach Baldy Notch and the ski lodge at the top of the lift.
 Almost up to the Notch and the lodge.
4 Almost up to the Notch and the lodge.
View of the summit and the ridgeline that the Devil's Backbone trail follows to the top.
5 View of the summit and the ridgeline that the Devil's Backbone trail follows to the top.
 Made it to Baldy Notch at 7,840'. As long as you're not in solitude hiking mode, it's actually a pretty cool spot.
6 Made it to Baldy Notch at 7,840'. As long as you're not in solitude hiking mode, it's actually a pretty cool spot.
 Looking down the chair lift with a couple almost ready to get off. I'm guessing they couldn't have made the hike up here :)
7 Looking down the chair lift with a couple almost ready to get off. I'm guessing they couldn't have made the hike up here :)
 View from the lodge windows.
8 View from the lodge windows.
Ready to continue on now. The "trails" in this area are mostly a combination of fireroad and ski runs.
9 Ready to continue on now. The "trails" in this area are mostly a combination of fireroad and ski runs.
 Not sure of the exact route to take, I headed-up what I thought was a fireroad but was actually a black diamond ski run. Not too fun to hike straight up one of these on a hot day.
10 Not sure of the exact route to take, I headed-up what I thought was a fireroad but was actually a black diamond ski run. Not too fun to hike straight up one of these on a hot day.
 Chair 4 at the top of the ski resort.
11 Chair 4 at the top of the ski resort.
 Finally the end of the ski area and the start of the singletrack!
12 Finally the end of the ski area and the start of the singletrack!
The boring fireroad is more than made-up for by the next couple miles of epic ridge trail on the Devil's Backbone.
13 The boring fireroad is more than made-up for by the next couple miles of epic ridge trail on the Devil's Backbone.
 Looking back down at the Notch as I climb the ridgeline.
14 Looking back down at the Notch as I climb the ridgeline.
 A look down to the valley on the other side. I'm not sure what those large meadow areas are, but they look like they're worth exploring. You can see the air below is still tainted by the wildfires in the area.
15 A look down to the valley on the other side. I'm not sure what those large meadow areas are, but they look like they're worth exploring. You can see the air below is still tainted by the wildfires in the area.
 Looking back down the trail as it becomes clear where the Devil's Backbone trail gets its name. You defintiely don't want to slip here!
16 Looking back down the trail as it becomes clear where the Devil's Backbone trail gets its name. You defintiely don't want to slip here!
Further up the Devil's Backbone. You can see the toughest section of the trail traversing along a ledge across the cliff face on the left.
17 Further up the Devil's Backbone. You can see the toughest section of the trail traversing along a ledge across the cliff face on the left.
 Now up to that traverse spot. There have been lots of deaths here in icy spring conditions, particularly from casual hikers taking the ski lift up and thinking they would go for a quick hike to the top. A slip here would almost certainly mean death even in dry summer conditions.
18 Now up to that traverse spot. There have been lots of deaths here in icy spring conditions, particularly from casual hikers taking the ski lift up and thinking they would go for a quick hike to the top. A slip here would almost certainly mean death even in dry summer conditions.
 Walking across the ledge. It feels even dicier than it looks. I'm usually pretty immune to vertigo issues on the trail, but I have to take this section slow. I didn't remember it being this hairy when I was running up it at full speed in the race. I must have been completely zoned-in.
19 Walking across the ledge. It feels even dicier than it looks. I'm usually pretty immune to vertigo issues on the trail, but I have to take this section slow. I didn't remember it being this hairy when I was running up it at full speed in the race. I must have been completely zoned-in.
 I look down the chute from the ledge. Highly doubt you could recover here in dry conditions let alone icy conditions.
20 I look down the chute from the ledge. Highly doubt you could recover here in dry conditions let alone icy conditions.
Back to more level terrain now with a good view of the trail winding the rest of the way to the summit.
21 Back to more level terrain now with a good view of the trail winding the rest of the way to the summit.
 A look at Baldy Bowl.
22 A look at Baldy Bowl.
 You can see the Baldy Bowl (Ski Hut) trail traversing across the bottom of the bowl.
23 You can see the Baldy Bowl (Ski Hut) trail traversing across the bottom of the bowl.
 Almost to the top.
24 Almost to the top.
Made it! 1:55pm. All three summits complete. No shortage of people up here to help take a picture. I think the only time I've been alone on Baldy is during a snow trek in the middle of winter.
25 Made it! 1:55pm. All three summits complete. No shortage of people up here to help take a picture. I think the only time I've been alone on Baldy is during a snow trek in the middle of winter.
 View of Mt. Baden-Powell from the summit. I was on top of that four days ago. I'm glad I finally checked it off my to-do list.
26 View of Mt. Baden-Powell from the summit. I was on top of that four days ago. I'm glad I finally checked it off my to-do list.
 West Baldy and Iron Mountain.
27 West Baldy and Iron Mountain.
 You can barely see San Gorgonio and San Jacinto in the distance. Hard to believe I was on top of those yesterday and the day before!
28 You can barely see San Gorgonio and San Jacinto in the distance. Hard to believe I was on top of those yesterday and the day before!
As I was hanging-out on the summit, along came 79 year old super-hiker Seuk Kim again sumitting Baldy for the 11th day in a row. He insisted on another summit pic with our "flags". This time he gifted me an apple, some sort of Korean vegetable, and some gummy worms. All I had to gift him back was a raw, organic power bar and some water (he was running low). I hung out for almost an hour and half chatting with him before heading back down.
29 As I was hanging-out on the summit, along came 79 year old super-hiker Seuk Kim again sumitting Baldy for the 11th day in a row. He insisted on another summit pic with our "flags". This time he gifted me an apple, some sort of Korean vegetable, and some gummy worms. All I had to gift him back was a raw, organic power bar and some water (he was running low). I hung out for almost an hour and half chatting with him before heading back down.
 Heading back down the Devil's Backbone. I made it back to the trailhead at 5:42pm for the successful completion of the 3 Day Challenge. Including Mt. Baden-Powell on Monday, I had done 76 miles and 21,500' of elevation gain in 5 days. Not a bad week! A few days later my challenge submission was accepted, making it all official... Adventure16 3 Peak Challenge Finishers .
30 Heading back down the Devil's Backbone. I made it back to the trailhead at 5:42pm for the successful completion of the 3 Day Challenge. Including Mt. Baden-Powell on Monday, I had done 76 miles and 21,500' of elevation gain in 5 days. Not a bad week!

A few days later my challenge submission was accepted, making it all official... Adventure16 3 Peak Challenge Finishers.
   
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