Decided to get back to working on the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge by summiting Mount Baden-Powell. Since we were under a heat advisory, I knew a very early start was in order. I set the alarm for 3 am, and begged forgiveness from my wife. As I finished getting my gear ready in the morning, I discovered that my water bladder was leaking. Crud! I pivoted to using side bottles instead and tossed in an extra bottle in the pack as well. With that problem solved, I began the two-hour drive to the trailhead. When I pulled into the lot at Vincent Gap, there were just a handful of cars there. Another hiker was also getting ready across the lot. We chatted briefly. It turns out he drove up from Oceanside. He planned to do Big Horn Mine first with a friend, then attempt Baden-Powell. I wished him well and I left him waiting for his friend to arrive.
The trail began its steady climb to the summit. I was mindful of my pace, as I knew I had almost 2,800 feet of gain ahead of me. I kept an eye on the east, as the sun had not cleared the mountains yet, and I was hoping to capture some nice photos.
I would stop every so often and grab some water from my side bottles. While the short break was nice, I am more of a sipping style of hiker. I continued to make my way up the 40 switchbacks. It was not until the last mile or so that I finally encountered some hikers coming down.
I stopped at the Wally Waldon Tree for a short break. This limber pine is believed to be the oldest living thing in the entire San Gabriel Mountains and was named after Michael H. “Wally” Waldron, an L.A. area Boy Scout leader who helped organize a nine-week project to repair the trails and erect the concrete monument and plaque to Lord Baden-Powell.
From there I continued on the last tenth of a mile to the summit. The hikers that passed me were resting on the concrete platform where the monument to Lord Baden-Powell is erected. I headed over to the flag and the sign and took my summit photos. As I stood on the summit once again, I knew I had a better ascent. While I felt the last bit of the climb, I pushed on since the summit was close and I could refuel then. The other two hikers headed back down the trail, so I grabbed their spot and enjoyed my snacks. A couple more hikers joined me on the summit. One was another Six-Pack Challenger, and in fact, this was his final peak! Then I heard my name being called out. The two women I had met on Oakzanita had just summited. I went over and chatted with them for a bit. Meanwhile, the summit I once had to myself was now swarming with people. I figured now would be a good time to head back down, plus it was starting to get warmer.
I set off back down the trail at a quick pace. The trail was certainly more busy than during my ascent. One group of four ladies stopped me to inquire about my Garmin InReach and its use. We chatted a bit about it and how I use it when I am out. One of them has a Whitney permit and wants to have something with her. We parted ways, and I continued motoring down the trail. As I drew closer to the trailhead, I could feel the day becoming very warm. Whenever the trail passed through an exposed section, I could really feel it. My greetings to passing hikers changed from simple encouragement to more cautionary about staying safe. I could not believe hikers were still starting out under the heat for this hard of a hike. When I reached the car, its thermometer was at 88°F! I’m glad I started when I did. With that, my 4th peak on the Six-Pack of Peaks was in the books. I covered the 7.6 miles in 3:51, about 15 minutes faster than last time!
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.