Mount Baldy

the gap that was in sight through out

Three Weeks ago I was getting ready to climb mount baldy with a group  of hikers, I was so excited as the the reviews promised a strenuous hike, and the peak being 10064 feet off sea level, I have never climbed that far, and that made me really want to do it!, how ever the whole week I was sick, and finally the night before I called it off! But my hopes soon started to piece together during my hike on Mount Wilson. I was almost at the top when I was met with three ladies who were hiking together, and Susan, right after invited me to climb mount baldy with them as they already had plans to climb it, I was overjoyed! And that’s how my story on Mount baldy starts.

The Pros

My sister dropped me early in the morning where 

Susan and her Friend Dayan, picked me up and off we drove up our selves, up to the trailhead which stood itself at 6200feet, it was early in the morning, may be 7am. Susan had extra trekking poles and she offered me to have a go, and I gladly picked it as she told me the other day how it helped her when she almost gave up hiking back in the day, and with that, off we went up to climb Mount Baldy!

Devil's Backbone

On top of Mount Baldy

Susan and Dayan are pro hikers, they hike every week and trust me they are fast! Even back in Sri Lanka I’m not the fastest, so it was quite a challenge to keep up with them J, but I was happy with myself as in the first half I kept up with them with no problem what so ever. The mountains are simply pretty I wish everyone sees them! Just like I do, the trail exposed our self to this gap on our left which gave such a great view right throughout the trail! I simply loved it!

The next half was the real challenge, I was tailgating Dayan who is three times my age believe me when I say even a little more! Hiking here in the USA have thought me that there is no retirement age for a hiker, as the other day I met a couple who are 82 and 85! J . any way so we went may be for the next hour or two with no rests at all, I stopped to remove my jacket and that lapse never allowed me to get as close to Dayan I were before, there were few times when I just couldn’t go any further and I stole 10 second breaks just to catch the breath, I took some of the same old medicine I take whenever I get tired, that Is just look above look around and see the beauty in the air! It helped as the climb was no easy. I recalled the phrase “when the going gets tough the tough gets going”, however I’m no tough guy and my strength is in Christ alone!

Every step was a achievement but I knew the prize awaits me at the top! So I pushed onwards and then!!! I reached the Top!! I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was just gorgeous, a full 360 view and I dint know where to look it was that beautiful, so I took some time looking over. It was a little windy so I put on my jacket and got myself seated on one of those Native American thingies, it was acting as a wind breaker and in it we made our selves home and dived into our lunch  I had a sandwich and a banana, and with that off we went back, this time a different trail, it was called the “devil’s backbone” and indeed it was a devil’s backbone lol, but it was a great experience having to walk right on top of the edge where the drop was not just on one side but on both! It was a fast pace hike down, I was doing my bale as usual trying to stay in one piece, we were back by about 12 30 I think, this was probably the fastest but I simply enjoyed the Mount Baldy hike! Truly amazing!



july 2012 with Susan and Dayan

Top of Mount Baldy