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| Hiking | 14.78 Miles |
3,750 AEG |
| | Hiking | 14.78 Miles | 12 Hrs 29 Mns | | 1.26 mph |
| 3,750 ft AEG | 47 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | About two dozen vehicles/campers/squatters on the way to the trailhead. It was a warm 33° driving along the creek, followed by a freezing 37° at the trailhead.
Turned off-trail at 7am. Breezed in-n-out of route-finding nuisance Marion and my confidence was high.
4977 is the white edged butte you ponder for a good half mile after Marion. The difficulty of the hike unfolds as you get closer. Lion is lower.
Three-rock-cairn takes you down a live oak luge around Chalk. Slightly south is a natural. A beautiful view of 4977 with a pinion pine comes quickly. Then a better-than-expected trail hooks right.
After going over white-flush-boulder you round the corner and 4642 comes in view. If contemplating avoiding 4642 on the immediate north, practice belly-flop dives on a few million thumbtacks.
That eagle route isn't loaded with manzanita and catclaw is isolated. Since he despises 4642, I was hoping for a miracle. It was primarily dense live oak, with some mahogany, and sugar sumac. Sliding down/over a 30+ foot stretch turned from fun to visions of a Griswold sleigh ride. Adrenaline handled the lateral.
Once around or down 4642, you realize you have not been looking at Lion. Poachers Peak obstructs. Next work down to Tournament. Lower Sheep or side skirting Poacher is fairly easy travel to Lion. I've wanted to hike Lion for eleven years since Ken's annual Copper Camp Loop, found a good pace with turnaround time approaching.
Wired on Pipeline and easy ascending, I figured it was best to slow down and conserve. I ripped a catclaw bush out of the available option at Fox Nose Ravine. Up a short 2-step narrow, I soon encountered forget-it boulder.
Several direct options loaded on RS. Decided to skip all and go with a higher yield route. The saddle came easy. Years ago, I didn't get this topo centered. Social adventurist will never set foot on this mountain, the balance will figure out the route.
Lunch on the south high point. Marion almost had my number on the return. Satisfied with reason to return a few times. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Light
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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