A good, basic, all-around backcountry alpine route.

This is a nice and easy alpine route to the summit of Dawson Peak. If you're looking for a non-technical alpine route all to yourself, this might fit the bill. The only catch is the road in, which can be a bit rough. That is, however, just part of the adventure, and makes this a bit more special than a simple drive up to a trailhead.

The route from the end of the road. The Shield is the large snowfield up top.

-=Stats=-

Give a Dog a Bone 690M CL3 AI2

Approach Start 1951m 6400ft
Route Start 2225m 7300ft
Summit 2919m 9575ft
Route 693m 2275ft
Total 967m 3175ft

Getting There (Half the Adventure)

One must exit the 15 freeway onto Sierra, and head North into Lytle Creek. Sierra Avenue becomes Lytle Creek Road. After awhile, the tarmac turns to a dirt road, shortly after passing a shooting range on the right. From here on out, the road is known as 3n06.

Map Overview

3n06 handrails/parallels the right side of the creek/wash for awhile. The road eventually turns left to cross the wash.

*(At the left end of the wash, on the right, is 3n06B, which leads to Upper Lytle Creek Road/Truck Trail on the ridge to the right/North. Once atop the ridge, one can head left and eventually descend down to Lone Pine Canyon Road. Turning right will take you down towards the town of Scotland and Lytle Creek)*

The road continues for around .65 miles after crossing the wash to where 3n33 hits the road on the right side. There is a small sign on a tree at the intersection. Make a right here, and one simply goes as far along this road as one can. Welcome to Dogbone Canyon! Around 2 miles up the road, according to Google Earth, one begins the approach on foot, routefinding their way to the base of the couloir.

Route Description

-Approach

One approaches using dead reckoning, heading towards the major couloir on the right/North side of Dawson's primary East ridge. The snow tongue is your typical avalanche path with debris.

-Main Body and Lower Bowl

The climb heads up the base of the snow tongue, where it veers right into the constricted sections. Route steepens to 40-50 degrees, eventually turning left/South and opening into the Lower Bowl around 2530M/8300ft. Route then turns right and empties onto the Shield.

Route Overview

-The Shield

The Shield is the prominent snowfield one climbs just before the easy summit ridge. The Bowl starts around 2680M/8800ft This section is like a miniature Baldy Bowl, facing Northeast. Steepness of the Shield is around 45 degrees.

Taco moving up the Shield

-Finish

Once one tops out on the Shield, the summit is very closeby, requiring only an easy hike to the west.

Fritz doing a handstand on the summit

-Descent

One can probably ski down the couloir/gully that parallels the North-South ridge of Dawson and Pine, possibly down to the forest floor if conditions approve. I wish I could say more, but I am not a skiier or snowboarder.

Essential Gear

One can complete this route without anything aside from the typical general mountaineering axe, crampons (preferably 12pt), and a helmet. Rockfall here is the primary hazard, this being the San Gabriel Mountains.

As conditions thin, there may be several sections one might wish to rappel down on descent, so a light canyoneering-style kit might be helpful. An assortment of slings, harness, maybe some passive pro.

External Links

San Gabriel Mountains Discussion Forum

Weather from Mt Baldy Notch at 7800'

Wind graph from Baldy Notch

The weather on this route is similar to anything Baldy and Wrightwood recieve, being in the same area.