Bobs XJ
02-08-2010, 04:41 PM
2-7-2010
I’ve been waiting and watching and reading any TRs for this trip because quite frankly Saddleback cliffs shake my confidence every time. Thanks Joe for your very recent trip over these peaks, it was a big help.
I had planned another one of my dark starts so that I could make sure that I could get out of the woods in daylight. It was still dark when I arrived at the Garden but by the time I got signed in, read the register, and got organized; it was 6:45 and was close enough to sunrise that I did not need a headlamp. I knew that the day was going to be long and very cold so I packed a little heavy just to make sure that I would have more of everything I might need. The wind was already blowing at the Garden and with the temp around zero I was off with micro spikes on my feet and crampons and snowshoes on my pack.
I arrived at JBL and stopped for some water and a snack. I had planned to switch over to snowshoes but the trail was so well packed down that I continued all the way to Slant Rock before taking off my micro spikes. I figured that while I was in the trees I might be protected from the wind but I seemed to be fighting wind chill all day. As I crossed the stream to start up the Shorey’s Shortcut I said farewell to the well broken trail and began the steep push up and over that shoulder to the Ridge trail. It looked like two sets of snowshoes had been up this section of trail and much of that was blown in with up to a foot or so of snow. At the junction to the Ridge trail I decided to gear up early for the summit of Basin and stowed one of my poles in favor of my ice axe. It seemed a little strange to not have both of my poles in hand but I put the axe to good use several times. I was quickly on top of Basin and except that the summit was totally socked in and the wind was gusting upwards of 30mph, I was very glad to be there once again. As I dropped off Basin I realized that I was now going past the point of no return and was now committed to reaching the Gothics / Saddleback col and my escape route down the Ore Bed Brook Trail.
One of my first nervous moments was just over the top of Basin where the trail drops down a narrow chute along a stone wall and then takes a hard right turn at the top of a sizeable cliff which by itself is scary enough but as you move along the top of the cliff you have nothing to grasp to your right hand if the wind blows you off balance (which it was at about 30mph). As was mentioned in Joe’s TR from this point on to the Saddleback rocks the snow was very deep and even though I could see the path better than expected there were many holes and traps trying to swallow me up. Normally I would be disappointed that I could not see Saddleback from Basin however today it seemed like a blessing not being able to dwell on what lay ahead.
Now any of you who have climbed Saddleback from this direction will probably agree that these rocks can be intimidating and for me it seems that I am just not tall enough to make easy work of these ledges. The icy wind was not going to let me pass without testing my resolve but mercifully was pushing mostly from behind me. Since I was alone I was extra cautious and in a way I am glad I was solo as my climbing style was not going to win any awards. My mind surely made a bigger deal out of this than was necessary and in a very short time I was on top of Saddleback, still clouded in but very satisfied at winter peak number 31.
From the summit it seemed like only minutes to the Gothics col and the Ore Bed Brook trail back to JBL. The trail down looked like a butt sliders dream but I am hiking on a replaced ACL as it is so I took the slower, more cautious, old guy approach. The trail was so well packed and I was just cold enough that I decided not to stop here, leave my crampons on, and change back to my micro spikes when I stopped at Ore Bed lean to. At the lean to I changed some wet layers for dry ones, fresh gloves and hat, I ate and drank, and was now revived and off to see if I could get back to the Jeep before dark. With the sun dropping behind me, a very cold day was starting to get very much colder but the wind was now for the most part in the trees above me. As pretty as the trail from JBL to the Garden is I wish I could enjoy it more on my trips out but with sore feet and a few other parts feeling the weight of my pack, and the day that lay behind me, I was most interested in warm dry clothes and a hot shower at home. I missed the sunset but there was just enough light that I did not need to break out a headlamp. By the time I opened the door to the jeep it was surely dark and exactly eleven hours after I shut it to begin this trip. There was little to take pictures of considering the cold and ever present cloud cover but I did get a few, including a very frosty self portrait.
Happy Trails…
http://picasaweb.google.com/adkbobsxj/BasinSaddleback272010?feat=directlink
I’ve been waiting and watching and reading any TRs for this trip because quite frankly Saddleback cliffs shake my confidence every time. Thanks Joe for your very recent trip over these peaks, it was a big help.
I had planned another one of my dark starts so that I could make sure that I could get out of the woods in daylight. It was still dark when I arrived at the Garden but by the time I got signed in, read the register, and got organized; it was 6:45 and was close enough to sunrise that I did not need a headlamp. I knew that the day was going to be long and very cold so I packed a little heavy just to make sure that I would have more of everything I might need. The wind was already blowing at the Garden and with the temp around zero I was off with micro spikes on my feet and crampons and snowshoes on my pack.
I arrived at JBL and stopped for some water and a snack. I had planned to switch over to snowshoes but the trail was so well packed down that I continued all the way to Slant Rock before taking off my micro spikes. I figured that while I was in the trees I might be protected from the wind but I seemed to be fighting wind chill all day. As I crossed the stream to start up the Shorey’s Shortcut I said farewell to the well broken trail and began the steep push up and over that shoulder to the Ridge trail. It looked like two sets of snowshoes had been up this section of trail and much of that was blown in with up to a foot or so of snow. At the junction to the Ridge trail I decided to gear up early for the summit of Basin and stowed one of my poles in favor of my ice axe. It seemed a little strange to not have both of my poles in hand but I put the axe to good use several times. I was quickly on top of Basin and except that the summit was totally socked in and the wind was gusting upwards of 30mph, I was very glad to be there once again. As I dropped off Basin I realized that I was now going past the point of no return and was now committed to reaching the Gothics / Saddleback col and my escape route down the Ore Bed Brook Trail.
One of my first nervous moments was just over the top of Basin where the trail drops down a narrow chute along a stone wall and then takes a hard right turn at the top of a sizeable cliff which by itself is scary enough but as you move along the top of the cliff you have nothing to grasp to your right hand if the wind blows you off balance (which it was at about 30mph). As was mentioned in Joe’s TR from this point on to the Saddleback rocks the snow was very deep and even though I could see the path better than expected there were many holes and traps trying to swallow me up. Normally I would be disappointed that I could not see Saddleback from Basin however today it seemed like a blessing not being able to dwell on what lay ahead.
Now any of you who have climbed Saddleback from this direction will probably agree that these rocks can be intimidating and for me it seems that I am just not tall enough to make easy work of these ledges. The icy wind was not going to let me pass without testing my resolve but mercifully was pushing mostly from behind me. Since I was alone I was extra cautious and in a way I am glad I was solo as my climbing style was not going to win any awards. My mind surely made a bigger deal out of this than was necessary and in a very short time I was on top of Saddleback, still clouded in but very satisfied at winter peak number 31.
From the summit it seemed like only minutes to the Gothics col and the Ore Bed Brook trail back to JBL. The trail down looked like a butt sliders dream but I am hiking on a replaced ACL as it is so I took the slower, more cautious, old guy approach. The trail was so well packed and I was just cold enough that I decided not to stop here, leave my crampons on, and change back to my micro spikes when I stopped at Ore Bed lean to. At the lean to I changed some wet layers for dry ones, fresh gloves and hat, I ate and drank, and was now revived and off to see if I could get back to the Jeep before dark. With the sun dropping behind me, a very cold day was starting to get very much colder but the wind was now for the most part in the trees above me. As pretty as the trail from JBL to the Garden is I wish I could enjoy it more on my trips out but with sore feet and a few other parts feeling the weight of my pack, and the day that lay behind me, I was most interested in warm dry clothes and a hot shower at home. I missed the sunset but there was just enough light that I did not need to break out a headlamp. By the time I opened the door to the jeep it was surely dark and exactly eleven hours after I shut it to begin this trip. There was little to take pictures of considering the cold and ever present cloud cover but I did get a few, including a very frosty self portrait.
Happy Trails…
http://picasaweb.google.com/adkbobsxj/BasinSaddleback272010?feat=directlink