Trail racing season is approaching and the streets of Los Angeles don't provide much altitude or hill training so I set out to find both about and hour east of the city. I went with my fellow Mountaingoat runners Lorenzo and Lon. Lorenzo hiked it, Lon and I ran up together the first time, then I did it again a second time solo, only with a bit more walking. Mt. Baldy summits at 10,064 feet, but the part I find most impressive is called "Devil's Backbone" which is only about 8,600 feet. Imagine standing on a path about the width of a six pack, then looking at clouds that are 2,000 feet below to your left and right.
The path I chose started at Mankor Flats (elevation about 6,200) then climbed for 4.6 miles to Devil's Backbone. It took Lon and myself about an hour and fourteen minutes to get up and about 45 minutes down.
Lon and I coming down
A quick snack at the car, refill the the bottle, say bye to Lon and then run back up again. The second time also took an hour and fourteen minutes, so apparently power walking DOES take the same amount of time as trotting mini-baby step style up steep hills!
If I look a little dismayed, it's because this is my second trip up
Look really close - you can see me going up between the trees
This is the top of the chairlift, about a quarter mile before Devil's Backbone with the peak of Baldy just beyond the trees.
Yes, that is SNOW to the right side of the lift!
Thanks to Lorenzo for the pictures!
