Iron Mountain #1

20 April 1996

By: Wayne Norman

Saturday, April 20, was one of those perfect days to attempt Big Iron. Mark Calkins and I left the parking area with our significant others (Ruth and Annette) at 7:30. The weather was cool and clear. We hiked up the Heaton Flats Trail to the saddle where we took a long break. After stashing a quart of water for the return trip we hiked up the steep ridge towards Iron. We found the trail up Iron to be in better shape than the Heaton Flat trail, with just a few minor exceptions. Someone had recently cut back some yucca's and placed some rocks and logs to mark the trail. There were no ducks and no need for them! We left my wife and Mark's girl friend at noon at the 5500' level, they had had enough. After that Mark and I picked up the pace and gained the summit just before 2 pm. The previous day, April 19, Ron Hudson and John McCully's group had signed in on their way to the top of Baldy!

The trip down was uneventful, we never lost the trail, having marked the one place where we thought on the way up we could get confused. We were back at the saddle by 4pm and then out to the cars. We celebrated by eating Double-Double's and drinking Chocolate Shakes at the IN-N-OUT in Azusa. Thanks to Mark Adrian for the info on getting Forest Service parking permits at the Mobil Station.