quillansculpture...I'm so sorry I mised you. And thanks for trying to track me down. I could have used a new friend on the trail today. Today goes under the heading 'Just not my day today'.
Got started at 4:30am walking down from ice house canyon to the bear canyon TH, made the TH at 5:10am. Was plodding up the trail, which was kicking my butt, around the 3.5 mile I noticed I had to tighten up the laces on my right boot for the 3rd time. In doing so, the top outside hook broke off. Re-lace the boot and continued up. It just didn't feel good. Stopped to re-lace again. Around the 4 mile mark I rolled my ankle. Tried to re-lace again, and the inside top hook broke. Now the boot is really loose and my foot just does not feel comfortable.
Now I'm wondering, 'is this the day to attempt 20+ miles'? Do I go up to the summit (about 2 more miles) and down the devils backbone like I had planned to my bailout of the ski lodge, take the ski lift down and either walk down /hitch a ride to the car OR do I go down Bear Canyon trail and walk up to the car? I decided to go down the way I came up. I figured I would be back in Baldy village after 4 miles, and if I rolled my ankle again, a little closer to a place to get help. Didn't want to be on the devils backbone and not be able to walk.
By the time I got to the houses, where the dirt trail ends and the pavement begins, my ankle was really starting to throb. I was second guessing my decision to come down, as this was a day to celebrate some really hardy folks who managed to hike 10 peaks in 10 days, and I was bailing over a loose boot and sore ankle, but near the end I could hardly put weight on the right foot. Took some advil and manged to get back to the car a little before noon. For me, I made the right call.
Anyway, based on my slow pace at the time, and no boot failure, I would have hit the summit around 10 to 10:30am, we would have been there about the same time. Sounds like you had a much better pace, and definately a better day. Congrats!!!
I saw a few people wearing orange and asked the same thing, if they knew Moose...I probably got the same looks asking about Moose as you did asking about wazzu.
I explained today was to celebrate the SC and Moose in particular. Everyone thought that was an incredible challenge and really got some positive comments that I was acknowledging the day for people I haven't met. One guy I spoke with that had a orange shirt said it was just a shirt to him, but after hearing the story of Moose and the SC, he was going to think about the story everytime he wore it. He was going to try and find this site and post his pic from the baldy summit.
I had read the baldy village/bear canyon trail was tough and it didn't disappoint. The sun exposure was harsh on the hot day that it was. The breeze felt good, but the next time I attempt this trail will be on a cooler day, say Oct or Nov.
BTW, wazzu is for Washington State Univerity (WSU)
