Iron Mountain

2/17/07

Log

12:10pm - Left Heaton Flat parking lot
12:15pm - Reached Heaton Flat trailhead
12:41pm - Reached the ridge
01:46pm - Reached the old trail junction midway up
03:19pm - Reached the summit

Status

Time from parking lot to summit: 3 hrs 9 mins
Time from parking lot to ridge: 31 mins
Time from parking lot to midway junction: 96 mins
Total time (car to car) RT: 5 hrs 28 mins

With a Piotrowski start time (12:10pm) I decided to hit Iron Mountain on Sat (2/17) just as a fun warm up. My last time on Iron Mountain was also a February ascent. This day however would be far easier than last year's double traverse. I figured I would just try to see how quickly I could reach the summit. Last year I reached the top in about 3 and 1/2 hours so this time I set a goal of 3 hours. Afterall, it's only 14 miles and 7200 feet of gain. :) 

The day started out insanely warm (ok, hot). On the drive in I noticed the outside temp had reached 86 degrees just before Pasadena. 86????!!!!! Isn't this supposed to be mid-winter? I hadn't calculated heat into the equation. This was going to be brutal. I contemplated an abort. Fortunately it was slightly cooler (80F) at the trailhead. I decided the single liter of water I was going to bring might not be enough given the heat so I figured I'd grab a 16oz carbonated drink I had chilling in my ice chest. At the last minute I dumped out some water from the 1 liter bottle to save a few ounces of weight (what the hell was I thinking?). I left the Heaton Flat parking lot at 12:10pm and in 5 minutes was at the start of the trail. 

My start time ensured that I would be on the trail during the hottest part of the day. Wonderful. Within 10 minutes on the trail I was feeling the effects of the heat big time. Because I was pushing hard the lower part of the trail felt brutally hot. Since it is mid-winter my body was more tuned for the cold; not heat. There was no breeze and little shade. It was dead calm. After 20 minutes I was seriously considering an abort. I was overheating and needed to cool down. Knowing I had a little less than 1.5 liters of water I poured water onto my head and doused my shirt. 

At about halfway to the summit I stopped to guzzle down my 16oz can of ice-cold Sobe. I had been dreaming about this for the past hour. I was desperately thirsty but had put it off for as long as possible. Now I REALLY needed it. Hmmmm. That's funny, it should be here in the main pocket of my pack. Ok, I must have put it in the other pocket. Aw crap! The truth finally sank in. It was still down chilling in my ice chest! This meant I had started out with less than 1 liter in heat that in the relentless sun felt around 90. And unfortunately I had consumed and poured onto myself most of this liter. I drank a precious few ounces but now had only about 7 or 8 ounces left to last to the summit and back. Ok, whatever. I know I can still get away with it. I'll just continue to push hard. I tried to convince myself that the faster I go the less time I'll be hiking and thus I would consume less water (as if consumption was purely a function of time). 

Further up I was down to only a few ounces. I desperately hoped I could find a few hidden snow patches up there. Though I really needed it I saved the last few ounces on the chance I might be able to mix it with snow from a snow patch although from below it didn't appear any snow was present. I passed someone coming down and asked if there was any snow up top. He said No followed by something else I didn't understand. A few minutes later I began to wonder. Did he say "No, nothing at all" or "No, nothing to worry about"? I sure hoped it was the latter. 

Up, up, up. The second half of the trail is much steeper and strenuous. Fortunately it had begun to get a bit cooler as I got higher. There was also now a light breeze. I was counting on this (ok, praying) and as I neared the summit the temperature suddenly dropped rapidly. It felt incredibly refreshing. I passed by a few small thin patches of dirty snow. I'm saved! No time yet. I must reach the summit! Having already checked the time however I knew I would need a miracle. I topped out and checked the time. I failed. My goal was 3 hours. I didn't make it. 

I was 9 minutes over. Oh well, at least I beat my last time of 3 hours 28 minutes. Passing by the register the first thing I did after taking a photo on the summit was to head for a snow patch on the north side. I stuffed my mouth full of snow. I then filled my water bottle. 

After signing in I left in a hurry. The sooner I could get down the sooner I would be to an ice chest of cold drinks. I also dreamed of jumping into the river. Fortunately the descent was much more pleasant. I still couldn't melt enough snow in my mouth to completely satisfy myself but the cold air on top had re-energized me. I sailed down much of the trail where possible arriving back at the parking lot 5 hrs and 28 mins from when I started. Cold drinks at last ... followed by a refreshing dip in the river!