Heaton Flats to Mt Baldy via Big Iron—took all day. Some slick, slushy snow on the west face of Baldy, but otherwise clear. Looks like a trail is even starting to be established most of the way. 12.5-ish hours, end-to-end.
jsp1001 - Jun 7, 2020 11:02 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2020
Baldy to Iron
10 hrs from Manker Flats to East Fork Trailhead. Clouds kept it cool. I'm a rock climber and I think if you have zero experience with climbing/exposure you should not try it. East to West is definitely less painful (I hate downclimbing crumbling rock). Great fun, except the interminable descent from Iron Mtn. Oh and some patches of thorn bushes--long pants and hightops (not sandals like I did).
Ben FR - Nov 5, 2017 12:50 am Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2017
Brutal route
This traverse never ended. Several moves near Gun Sight Notch with exposure. Took about 9 hours from Heaton Flat to Baldy peak (would have been faster but traverse was physically and mentally challenging).
asmrz - Nov 18, 2014 5:42 pm Date Climbed: Feb 18, 1987
On Skis
Miguel Carmona and I skied the Iron Mountain To Mt. Baldy traverse in February 1987. I remember some great scrambling on the San Antonio ridge between Iron and Baldy carrying our AT skis and then skinning up the immense north bowl of Baldy. A huge but wonderful trip, yet another backcountry ski gem in the not-so-alpine-land of Southern California.
lbaradel - May 16, 2013 4:33 pm Date Climbed: Mar 30, 2013
Long drive back
Nice outing, steep way to Iron and nice traverse mostly 2nd class. Trip report here
At this point I've done all segments of the traverse, but have not succeeded in stringing it all together in one day. In Oct 2011, we successfully traveled from Iron past Gunsight notch and then returned by the same route. In April 2012 we went from Baldy to Gunsight, intending to continue to Heaton Flat, but were unable to scale the dirt gully that I'd used before. The dirt and rocks were very loose that day, and I just couldn't make it up, so we headed back out over Baldy. I'm curious about whether others posting here used the dirt gully as recommended by Brennan or climbed the rocks at Gunsight.
TheNobleSunfish - Nov 14, 2011 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Nov 13, 2011
Awesome
Iron to Baldy traverse, with car shuttle back to Heaton Flats.
GigaMike - Jun 9, 2011 2:15 pm Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2011
Baldy Village to Iron
Hiked from Baldy Village to Iron and back with Rick Kent and Rick Graham. Great day and fun traverse.
Augie Medina - Jan 25, 2007 1:11 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2001
Baldy to Iron Traverse
A challenging outing. Now, I have to do it the Iron to Baldy direction. I don't remember any 4th Class rock though. Only some 3d Class rock nearing Iron.
Yeah, I agree with the 3rd for the most part. We did stick directly on top of all of the rock we could find and encountered some stuff that could arguably be considered 4th class. All of course easily avoided by navigating to one side or the other on some 3rd or even 2nd class.
awagher - Jan 23, 2007 8:06 pm Date Climbed: Jan 21, 2007
kurtkurtkurt - Apr 6, 2022 4:23 pm Date Climbed: Apr 3, 2022
Long dayHeaton Flats to Mt Baldy via Big Iron—took all day. Some slick, slushy snow on the west face of Baldy, but otherwise clear. Looks like a trail is even starting to be established most of the way. 12.5-ish hours, end-to-end.
jsp1001 - Jun 7, 2020 11:02 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2020
Baldy to Iron10 hrs from Manker Flats to East Fork Trailhead. Clouds kept it cool. I'm a rock climber and I think if you have zero experience with climbing/exposure you should not try it. East to West is definitely less painful (I hate downclimbing crumbling rock). Great fun, except the interminable descent from Iron Mtn. Oh and some patches of thorn bushes--long pants and hightops (not sandals like I did).
Ben FR - Nov 5, 2017 12:50 am Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2017
Brutal routeThis traverse never ended. Several moves near Gun Sight Notch with exposure. Took about 9 hours from Heaton Flat to Baldy peak (would have been faster but traverse was physically and mentally challenging).
asmrz - Nov 18, 2014 5:42 pm Date Climbed: Feb 18, 1987
On SkisMiguel Carmona and I skied the Iron Mountain To Mt. Baldy traverse in February 1987. I remember some great scrambling on the San Antonio ridge between Iron and Baldy carrying our AT skis and then skinning up the immense north bowl of Baldy. A huge but wonderful trip, yet another backcountry ski gem in the not-so-alpine-land of Southern California.
lbaradel - May 16, 2013 4:33 pm Date Climbed: Mar 30, 2013
Long drive backNice outing, steep way to Iron and nice traverse mostly 2nd class. Trip report here
bcrowell2 - Apr 30, 2012 7:11 pm Date Climbed: Apr 29, 2012
dirt gully unpredictableAt this point I've done all segments of the traverse, but have not succeeded in stringing it all together in one day. In Oct 2011, we successfully traveled from Iron past Gunsight notch and then returned by the same route. In April 2012 we went from Baldy to Gunsight, intending to continue to Heaton Flat, but were unable to scale the dirt gully that I'd used before. The dirt and rocks were very loose that day, and I just couldn't make it up, so we headed back out over Baldy. I'm curious about whether others posting here used the dirt gully as recommended by Brennan or climbed the rocks at Gunsight.
TheNobleSunfish - Nov 14, 2011 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Nov 13, 2011
AwesomeIron to Baldy traverse, with car shuttle back to Heaton Flats.
GigaMike - Jun 9, 2011 2:15 pm Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2011
Baldy Village to IronHiked from Baldy Village to Iron and back with Rick Kent and Rick Graham. Great day and fun traverse.
Augie Medina - Jan 25, 2007 1:11 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2001
Baldy to Iron TraverseA challenging outing. Now, I have to do it the Iron to Baldy direction. I don't remember any 4th Class rock though. Only some 3d Class rock nearing Iron.
awagher - Jan 25, 2007 4:30 pm
Re: Baldy to Iron TraverseYeah, I agree with the 3rd for the most part. We did stick directly on top of all of the rock we could find and encountered some stuff that could arguably be considered 4th class. All of course easily avoided by navigating to one side or the other on some 3rd or even 2nd class.
awagher - Jan 23, 2007 8:06 pm Date Climbed: Jan 21, 2007
Wind Wind and More WinddWhooo hooooo! Nice one.