Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m., 29 people met at the Baldy carpool point to accompany me on one of the big moments of my life - my HPS List Completion.
We took 4-1/2 hours to climb Baldy in 7 miles and 6000' of gain. After lunch on top, we walked down to Mt Harwood and met Dotty and Mike Sandford's group of 40 hikers. They had come up via the ski lift for a later start and a much easier hike. Bill T. Russell also had a group of 10 who had come up to Mt. Harwood via Harwood Ridge.
Bill T organized everyone, including about 10 people who hiked on their own, into those who had already climbed Harwood and those about to do it the first time. Those who had climbed it made a human arch with their arms. I led those who "needed" Harwood through the human tunnel. I then went to the top where I couldn't believe this had really happened to me. I had done the list! Much champagne was uncorked along with gourmet not-alcoholic wine. I brought a large Italian table cloth and spread it out on the ground for the munchies.
After all the food was gone, we all packed up and went down our separate 3 routes, and it was like 90 people had never been on the bald rounded summit of Harwood. Thank you so much to everyone who attended to make this one of the most outstanding days of my life.
Those people who went on my hike were Bob Beach, G. Bennett, Gary Murta, Phil Reher, Helen Thompson, Charlie Knapke, Alan Coles, Jim Fujimoto, Martha Flores, Barry Holchin, Fran Rushie, Jim Adler, Bob Hartunian, Kathy Price, Bill Gray, Maris Tain, Bill Frost, Rocky Morton, Jack Haddad, George Thomas, Theresia Glover, Don Slaven, Eileen Ricks, Gail Brodsky, and Ellen Frost.
