We started by camping at Manker flat campground for the night. Not alot of people there this time.(Last time it was crowded)Quiet and no wind, made for perfect cooking conditions. We were cleaning up, and a racoon just walked right up to me and the cooler and had this look like,"were's my dinner?" so we made sure to put the cooler inside the car. Went to sleep fast after some beer. I was only awakened once at about 4:30am to the sound of something going through the camp and turning over our folding chairs. I shined some light out there but saw nothing. The next morning we got up and had to pick the place up a little. We loaded up with two Liters each, brought along an apple, orange some bread. we had a great breakfst for my mothers homemade chili. We got to the gate. About 150 yards up the road.(witch was open because there are residents about .9mi upthe road)we walked ap to were the raod turns to dirt, were you will also see a water fall. Lots of water for this time of the year there. We kept walking up the road untill you see this little trail snake down a little scree slope. we passed this to head twards the Devils Backbone. Thats the bottom of Baldy Bowl Trail. We made it to the top of chair #1. Once there we headed left to another little ski lift. The second chair lift has a small use trail meandering it way to the top with good views and valuable shade. Once you reach the top of the ski lift and catch your breath you off to the left through a little section that spits you out onto the Devils Backbone. Awsome views very steep terrian. Theres one section that has a good amount of exposre to a very steep scree slope. Once you pass Harwood you will finally see the final push. While we were there about 4 diffrent helicopters came within a stone's throw away from us,(the last time i was here we didnt see one). Just as we were making the walk over to the last push we encountered 6 big horn sheep eating some kind of alpine plants or bugs. we kindly continued past were we made up about half way up the switchbacks when we saw another helicopter land on the saddle were the sheeep were. The pilot got out and had a gander, then got back in and buzzed right past us. When climbing the switchbacks they seem to go forever, i decided to check the altimeter on my watch. it indicated that we were only at 9340ft. Very aggravating. Then outta nowere we reach the top. My altimeter was off by 860ft!!

Not the way i remember it.....

When we made up I had already had 1 liter and about a quarter of my other and was low. Upon inspection of the summit i noticed that a really nice person left 3 bottles of water and Grandma's oatmeal cookies. We both took one and left the last water for another deserving indavidual. We stared down the baldy bowl trail. I didnt remember it being this steep.(3 years sience my last visit). We passed the old helicopter crash.(off to the right before pointed craigs, and down off trail about 75 yards) there are pieces of the wreckage Fuslage, door among others. We also passed a guy who had to stop and camp because he was feeling dizzy. My legs were feeling the affects of not using my hiking poles by the last saddle before you drop in to the baldy bowl.(i stashed them onto my pack for the last 5.1mi) Abundant water sources along bottom of baldy bowl before you reach the ski hut. once past the hut my legs were running on fumes i was outta gas. Lots of flowers and insects, bring your camera beacse you will take great photos. We reached the dirt road once again and slowly climbed down the last section. There were lots of lose rocks. From there we high tailed it down to the cooler full of cold coors light. Drank like 3 in 20 minutes :) A great hike and am going to go for san Gorgoino for a second time too.

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