Gorgeous Trail, but EXTREMELY exhausting!!! I would have loved, to have loved this trail...Mentally and physically challenging! More mentally...flase summits, grueling 60-70% gradient ascents, and sun exposure through-out the trail. The trail is located in the San Bernardino County. Trail is an out & back, approx 14+ miles, elevation gain of 7000k. You will also require a parking premit, you can use your "America the beautiful" annual pass. Make sure its visable. Must, MUST start early (5:30/6am)! We started later than we wanted to and ended up having to turn back before we reached the summit. Take your time, but also know when to stop and head back. Please do your research before heading out on trail. Believe what you read! Bring lots of water. I brought a total of 4 liters and only had 1/2 liter left when I reached the bottom of the trailhead. I had a water bottle, with "liquid IV" electrolyte mix. I drank that on the way up, which seemed to help on the descent. Trekking poles are highly recommended, if you have micro-spikes bring those too...will help on the descent (save your knees). If you don't have micro-spikes, not to worry, you'll still be alright, just don't lock your knees and take your time. Good luck! read more

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This hike will test your stamina. It is not for beginners and will take you several hours to complete. It took me 10 1/2 hrs. There are many steep parts; however, it was well worth the effort. After reading 2-3 books, each indicated the trail was difficult to locate in areas and advised to go with another person. Thankfully, I found the entire trail easy to navigate. Unless you love hot weather, do this hike on a cool day and bring plenty of water. I drank more water on the descent than on the ascent. Probably the first time that ever happened. I recommend AT LEAST 6 liters for the average hiker. Also, use caution because there are several stabbing yucca plants along the entire way (especially on the descent)! After reading several local hiking books, it is well documented that this is the most difficult hike in the Angeles National Forest! I share their opinion....so far. I will most likely do this hike again as it was very challenging. Good luck, take care, & enjoy life to the fullest! read more

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Iron Mountain (AKA Big Iron) has been touted as the most strenuous one-summit hike in the entire San Gabriel range. It is an out and back hike of about 13.5 miles with 6,600' elevation to the summit and 600' on the return. Is it a tough hike? In one word, yes. However, it was not as tough as I was expecting, especially since I was told that it would be the hardest hike that I have ever done. To me, Cactus to Clouds and Rattlesnake Peak are still more difficult. The ascent is pretty steady, with a few ups and downs along the way. The trail is single file and mostly unshaded. The first 4.5 miles to Allison Saddle are not difficult. At the Saddle, it is recommended to stash some water/fluids if you want to continue on with less weight, as the last 3+ miles are the most difficult. The incline can get quite steep, especially the last mile or so. It reminded me a lot of Mt Baldy's Register Ridge trail. Views at the summit are 360 degrees. What makes this hike so difficult is the descent. As the last 3+ miles were steep going up, inevitably you will have to go down the same way. There are lots of rocks, loose sand, and scree to deal with. Hiking poles are a must. Even for experienced hikers, your quads will not be happy the following day. parking - adventure pass required in the lot tip - the ideal time to hike this trail is during cool weather. I can't even imagine going during the summer. You will require less water as well. read more

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To climb Iron Mountain, the individual must suffer from these three qualities: 1. Amnesia 2. Stockholm Syndrome 3. Masochism I vaguely remember first climbing Iron Mountain as a way to prepare for the Tough Mudder. The hike expert "El Puma" sold it to me like this: "after you do this hike, you'll be able to do anything else". And since I was having frequent panic attacks leading up to the Tough Mudder, i thought, why the hell not. famous last words. first time around--- first sign of concern: start time 7am? carpool area, arrive at 6am. Get up at 4:45 am. what? second time around (climbed this past sunday) start time: 6 am, carpool arrival: 4:45am, Get up: 3:45am so. obviously- first signs of AMNESIA. Depending on where you're coming from, it would be wise to carpool. Because you will be spent after. No. Spent is not the word. Devastated, broken. Yes. The mountain will break your spirit. And you will like it. Masochist. You have to be a masochist. Because though I remembered the hike to be about 8 hours- in reality it takes about 13-15 hours. Most definitely in the double digits unless you're training with mr steroid-- the trek takes a bit. The whole trip is and out and back. And deceptively short - 14 miles. But what happens during those 14 miles is the problem. Climbing up inclines at about 60 degrees, and constant scrambling up loose terrain will wear on you. To make matters worse, one of the steepest is towards the end. You will encounter a false summit and start weeping when you realize just how really much further you are. Not to mention the yuccas, nature's way of saying "Fuck you, you furless, exposed mammals". Take care not to stumble into them, they are Venus human traps, and they yearn for the sacrificial nectar of blood from us. If you're in a jam and just too close to one, carefully take the sharp tip and curl it away-- it's the only way. Bring at least 4 liters of water and 3-4 sandwiches, along with snacks and various other goodies that will get you by. Sunscreen and hats are a must. Dress in layers, since you will be starting out when still dark, and it might be chilly. The mountains are unpredictable. Also, flashlights are necessary, for the trek back in the dark is NOT fun. The terrain is very slippery coming down, so leave your ego at the trail head, you will be crab walking a lot. Plus side- you'll have some new guns to show your significant other. That is -- after you've recovered from the bashing of iron mountain. The first time I climbed it, it took me two full days to walk straight. My knees wouldn't stop buckling under my own weight. So you have been warned. Have at least one day to recover. There will be moments on the way back, where you will curse the Gods and yourself. Why did you do this! Why is this still going on! Is this really the hike that never endsssss it just goes on and on my friendssss. And yes. You will break into song, and there will be random bursts of anger followed by absolute silence. Yet, when you finally get into your vehicle- and you're driving away, you'll feel like you've lost a limb (cuz you probably have). But you realize. Godammit. I miss that mountain and yea. Cursing. There will be much cursing to be had. But the pay off of having accomplished such a feat is extraordinary. It puts life in perspective and after 6 month, amnesia will set in, and you'll be planning another bashing of your physical form again. Make sure at the summit to sign your name on the little book, and maybe, we'll see each other there. Beaten, beleaguered, hallucinating, but happy as hell to be at the top of the world. read more

Iron Mountain Via Heaton Flats - PAIN. - Hiking Near Me - Azusa, California

An alternative perspective. 6 liters of water -- really? I took 3.75 and drank 2 on a cool day in April. 14 miles -- My hiking partner's Ipod which counts her steps, read 19.3 miles. Probably less, but still.... 14? smh (that means I'm shaking my head) Bears and mountain lions? I wouldn't worry too much. But if you're that worried, don't hike alone and make sure you're a burly 200 pound dude trained in Muy Thai and carrying a shotgun. You will be cursing the Gods? Dude, watch it now. You don't want to be struck by lightning when you're on a 8000 foot peak do you? Going down is brutal. Really? I made it down in about 3 hours no problems. Of course, my hiking partner fell 8 times, got stabbed by a yucca, tore her other palm up, and almost stepped on a snake. 12-13 hours? It took us 8 1/2 total hiking time plus a half hour break on top. 3-4 sandwiches? Are you planning on entering an eating contest? I ate half a turkey sandwich, half a cup of pasta, chocolate milk, a pepperoni stick, a Balance Bar and 6 Fig Newtons. This was way less hard than I expected, but I'm a conditioned hiker. And here's the point-- If you're not a conditioned hiker, what the heck are you doing hiking up Iron Mountain? You'll probably freak out, get lost, become dehydrated, hallucinate and then write a hysterical review on Yelp. And then get eaten by a bear. Be warned!! read more

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Iron Mountain or "Big Iron" is one of those hikes most people avoid because they have heard of all the difficult or grueling experiences of others. For me, that was my motivation to go and experience it for myself. The hike is a long a grueling journey along the San Gabriel Mountains in which most of the hike is an uphill battle. I recommend trekking poles to help as they helped me out both on the way up and way down. There are areas in which the incline is nearly 60 to 70 degree grade. I also recommend pants as you will run into many yuccas with sharp sword like leaves along the trail which will make you bleed. Even though the distance is a little under 7 miles to the summit, it really takes a lot of work and time. My time to the summit was 6 hours and nearly 5 hours to get back down. I slipped on the loose rocks three times coming down but fortunately was not injured. Overall I have to say this hike was epic with a beautiful 360 degree view at the summit. I have to say it was tough and I've hiked Mt. Whitney three times. I recommend it to anyone wanting a real challenge. Make sure to sign the notebook at the peak. Enjoy the trek and pain! read more

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John Robinson, author of "Trails of the Angeles", claims this to be the hardest hike in the San Gabriels. 15 miles 7000 ft elevation gain 10/10 I will return with more info if I actually return this weekend from this hike! In the mean time, I leave you with lolcat: http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/funny-pictures-proceed-cat.jpg This was easily the hardest hike I've done, and it lived up to its reputation in local hiking books. Hiking member "Rachelle" and I set out at about 9:20 and walked on fire road for about a half mile until we met up with the Heaton Flat trail. This part of the trail is in very good shape and well used. However, this trail made me realize that yucca plants are the devil as they come close up on the trail at a few occasions. If you do this hike it is important to wear long sleeves to avoid any annoying brush that you may encounter in some spots. The first 4 miles follows this trail up eastward then northeast. You occasionally get views of West Baldy and the destination, Iron Mountain. This trail ends up at a saddle at about 4500 ft (you start at 2000 ft), but there is some roller coaster action so you probably have gotten 3000 ft so far. Now the fun starts. You follow the ridge straight ahead of you, and you will basically take this about 3 miles and 3500 ft of elevation gain. I would equate this to the steepness of hiking from Brand Park in the Verdugos, but just much longer! As you ascend you'll notice the vegetation changes and clears out a bit more. With about a mile left it becomes really steep with no flat portions for breaks. With about a half mile left we found a little bit of snow at 2 or 3 locations on the trail, but they were not a hindrance. We made it to the peak at about 1:10 which was pretty good time. We had very nice views as you could see Rattlesnake Peak, Mt Baden-Powell and Old Baldy (when it wasn't misty). We relaxed up there and ate lunch until about 2. Coming down may be more annoying. Some of the trail along the ridge has loose dirt and rock, so you have to take your time coming down, and it is energetically taxing on the legs, and you've probably already spent a bunch of energy coming up! Hiking poles would be a nice help for this one. We got down at 5, which was pretty good time overall. I was sore the next 2 days in my quadriceps, which never happens. So this is a tough, strenuous hike. If you want a physical challenge for hiking, this is it. Next time we'll ascend Iron Mountain the same way, then take the ridge across to Old Baldy. More on that in the next few months... read more

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Starting point: 34.237040,-117.765370 Just finished "Iron Mountain" last week, so wanted to give you a quick heads-up if you decide to attack this beast. Iron Mountain or "Big Iron" as it's affectionately called, is described as the most strenuous one-summit hike in the entire San Gabriel range. Here are some stats: Elevation gain: 6,900 ft Total distance: 14.4 miles Time: 5 hours for ascent, 3 hours for descent Trail itself is very rough with bushes but easily followed. I recommend to start at the trail very early, around 5am (or even earlier at 4:30am) to beat traffic and heat as the trail is very exposed. Bring 6 liters of water (and stash 2 liters at the Saddle, which is a point on the trail about 4 miles in). That way you have water for your return trip. Bring bug repellent as there are tons of little gnats flying around. The last 3 miles are very steep so just take plenty of small breaks and you'll make it to the summit with no problems. Going down is very tough on your knees because it's so steep with loose gravel on the ground, so take your time to make sure you don't fall and use poles to anchor yourself. All in all, this is a tough hike, but much easier than C2C. Go into your #BeastMode and you've got it. Best of luck! read more

Iron Mountain Via Heaton Flats - Hiking Near Me - Azusa, California

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Want to get away from it all, get out in nature, see the sights, experience a spectacular sunrise, while getting full body workout, w/o the price of a gym membership, all in one day? Or would you simply like to know if you have lost your mind, w/o paying for a therapist? Keep calm and read on: What you will need for this journey: Backpack, lug sole boots, layered clothing, hat, sunglasses, hiking poles, camera, emergency supplies. More importantly: a minimum of 5 liters (in winter) of water, some form of electrolytes, snacks. Most importantly: a smile, a positive, upbeat, can do attitude, at minimum good health, leave your sound mind in a safe place at home there is no place for it on this journey. This hike is not for the faint of heart. Stats: Distance: 13 miles, Total Accumulated Gain: 7200 feet, Time: 9-11 hours, Best Start time: 5 a.m. hour, Parking: San Gabriel River-East Fork (34.236977,-117.765230). Rangers will advise an Adventure Pass, but it is not necessary...http://www.sangabrielmountains.org/forest_service_adventure_pass General Information: Iron Mountain is known in the hiking community as, 'The mother of all hikes in the San Gabriel's'. Iron Mountain stands at 8,007 feet and is considered to be the least accessible mountain in the range. There are no trails to the summit. You can reach the summit from West Baldy via a treacherous hike across San Antonio Ridge or from the East Fork Ranger Station. 3:15 a.m. Saturday morning, day after Valentine's Friday, my alarm goes off, earliest I've ever had to roll out of bed for a hike. As I enjoy my morning shower (MY morning cup of coffee), I contemplate how an addiction to hiking could have gotten me to this point...hiking a trail that I know only the best of the best hikers call this a beast of hike, followed by many four letter words. Getting my gear together, again, I ask myself why? What's the point? You're not a trail hiker, you're not a fan of the San Gab's. Then it hits me, I'm doing this because a friend of mine, who couldn't make this hike, wants to do an even more challenging trail hike, wants me to go with, and this is a great training ground. UGH!!! 4:00 a.m. car is packed with everything listed above and off I go to meet fellow crazy hiker friends. 5:20 a.m. we are in the BTN parking lot at coordinates provided above. We got the last parking spot and don't use a parking pass. Information on this also provided above. 5:32 head off in the direction of BTN. We make a quick pit-stop at the, typically cleaner of the two outhouses at this trail head. Then off we go to the trail on the right, heading toward Allison Mine. We start up the Heaton Flat Trail for the first four miles and 2,500 of gain, layered in clothing, packs filled with food, water, and other essentials, and poles in overdrive. The elevation sudden gain and warm air have many of us shedding layers of clothing within the first 20 minutes. It's going to be a warm day. Quick break at Allison Saddle before continuing onward and upward. What goes up must come down. A section of this hike is like riding a roller coaster... up...down ...up....down. Only here, you're not yelling and screaming WooHoo!! When you muster enough energy to lift your head, you say, 'oh no, another hill to climb, are we there yet?!' The last mile and a half of this trail is on a ridge through a narrow brush lined trail. At the end of the trail we reach a saddle that drops us about 200 feet and brings us up on the other side to the beginning of our climb. From here we will proceed the last 3 1/2 miles up a scratch trail through thick chaparral and forest for the last 3,500 feet of gain to the summit. This portion of the trail is basically 1000 feet of gain per mile. Many areas we are all on hands and feet scrambling up the loose dirt and rock. Talk about a cardio workout, gyms could never prepare you for this. read more

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Holy cow. Lets start by saying this was an amazing amazing hike and was worth every step (and there was a whole lot of them). Now that that's over, let me give a little bit better advice based on our experience... We just hiked it yesterday. "We" is my boyfriend and I. And if you're planning on climbing it with a significant other make sure you're not on the rocks because I could easily see this hike end a relationship. Thankfully, it didn't for us :) But having hiked it yesterday means it was winter. It snowed a lot, was pretty chilly at times, and got dark really early which left our family and friends quite concerned about us at sunset. Tip One. Give friends and family a very conservative estimate of how long it will take you so they don't get worried. If you think it will take you 12 hours tell them 13. You won't have any cell service once you start the drive into the mountain range so its near impossible to let them know you're okay. We're not professional nor expert hikers. We're both in pretty decent fitness shape, but are recreational hikers for sure. I'm climbing Kilimanjaro next month so I wanted a good long trail to kick my butt. We sure found it. All the reviews say its a expert trail, yadda yadda, you don't need to be an expert, just make sure you're athletic, sure footed, and ready for a good challenge. Obviously do take it seriously though, bring enough food/water, and pack the right stuff and you'll be okay. We left the car around 6:30am to start the hike which was most definitely not early enough. The trail took us a little over 12 hours in total so we got back to the trail head around 7pm (it began to get dark around 5pm). In retrospect, it would have been better to do the beginning part of the hike before sun rise in order to gain a little more daylight time on the back side of the hike. Much better to do the first part from the parking lot down to the trail head with a head lamp in order to save some daylight. It took us about an hour for every thousand feet of ascending with a few breaks built into that. So, about 7 hours up and 5 hours out. Aside from the obvious water and food needs, other absolute necessities for the hike were: 1) Trekking poles - non negotiable. I can't imagine doing this hike without these. 2) Headlamps - We obviously had about 2+ hours of decent in the dark... couldn't have done it without a headlamp each. I'd suggest you bring one even if you think you'll make it back during daylight. 3) Music and headphones - yeah, you want to hear the quiet of nature, i get it. but for a 12 hour hike.... you need something to keep you going. 4) Hiking boots - might be obvious, but don't try this hike in sneakers. you'll twist an ankle. 5) Long pants - tons of sharp bushes on the trail, you'll definitely want it to protect you. 5) A positive attitude - this hike is BRUTAL. and if you're planning on getting to the top, its going to hurt like hell. Stay positive. Things we had that really really helped: 1) Altimeter watch - helped you know where you were at all times. It was pretty cloudy so we couldn't see the summit. Knowing where we were in our elevation helped us decide to make the push to summit and also helped us on the way out know how much further we had to descend. 2) Extra Layers of clothing - Helped us be prepared for all the elements (we encountered sun, rain, and snow!) You'll need gloves if you're going to summit in winter. Thick gloves too. Our hands got pretty cold. All in all, a fantastic experience. My thighs are still mad at me (and will likely be for a few days) but it was totally worth it! Good luck! read more

It is doable if you are fit. Last 3 mils reminded me Korea mountains. Korea mountains are usually rocky and steep. (Recently I moved here from Korea) I hiked Los Pinos last Sat by myself and the next day I joined this hiking with my friends. Honestly I need a rest after Los Pinos hiking and I slept only 7 hours for 2 nights. After Los Pinos I felt a little pain in my right knee. On Sat night, I slept over 1 30 am coz I went out to observing Grunion fish to Seal beach. The reason I joined this hiking, I thought it was Islip Mt. not Iron Mt. Anyway we(4 hikers including 1 female) started hiking at 7 30 am and finished it 4 40 pm. During hiking we met only 10 hiker and 5 of them are midnight hikers. I brought one liter of water, 1 sandwich and 2 energy bars coz I thought I would go hiking to Mt. Islip. Weather of yesterday was not hot at all and refresh(not windy), so I can manage with 1 liter water and food. During decending my friend shared a little amount of water and 2 energy bar(but 1 of them is still is my bag) My friends drank around 2 liters each. So winter season is the best season for this one. read more

IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON DOING THIS HIKE FOR THE FIRST TIME, READ THIS! The first most important thing to note is that the Yelp map for this hike will NOT get you to the trailhead. I had read just about everything available online for this hike and did not get accurate information on how to locate the trailhead. The Yelp map will get you to E Fork Road. From there, you will drive to the very end of the road (about six miles), onto a street labeled "not a through street", over a white bridge and then eventually you will end up in the paved parking lot. From there, you will walk past the gates toward the river and you will reach the trailhead for Heaton Flats. Thanks to inadequate information on the Internet, the third (male) hiker in our group never found us, so it was two women doing this on our own (more on this in a moment). There is no cell service up in those mountains so plan for that. Our goal was to start the trail at 6 am yesterday. We were in the general area at 5:50 am and drove around for nearly an hour and a half trying to find the trailhead. The poor guy who was supposed to meet us there (the only thing I did was send him the Yelp map) did the same thing and eventually gave up and drove home. Once we finally found the trailhead, I was excited that the lot was nearly full. However, we eventually found out that everyone there was either panning for gold or bungee jumping. At the self permit stand, we met two guys who were going to the summit but on some other trail I had never heard of. We never saw them. We did encounter three other people but their destination was the saddle, so after the first three or four miles (forgot the distance to the saddle), we were the only ones on the mountain and never encountered another human being after that point. We started at 7:30 am and finished at 6:30 pm. We were excruciatingly slow coming down. I was initially nervous about this hike because of all the information out there about the trail to the summit being very difficult to find, etc. This was not our experience. From the saddle, there was an obvious trail that took us up and over a few mountains and then eventually to the summit. At no point were we wondering if we were going the right way. I'm sure there are other trail options to the summit, but I did not see any options besides the obvious! You will know you have reached the saddle when you come to a clearing point that has a couple of reflectors on some rocks. The first part of the hike to the saddle was easy. Fair incline, tight trail, not a problem. We did expect the second half to be brutal. As you'll read in other reviews, scrambling, scree, etc. Yes, this was our experience. However, with trekking poles, we were never on all fours. Poles are imperative on this hike, regardless of your age, unless you want to be crawling up the steep inclines. The inclines were fine for us. We felt good all the way to the top. We are NOT experienced mountaineers, climbers, etc. We have done a few big hikes and hike occasionally. What made the hike difficult was the FEAR we were experiencing as the only ones up there. We did encounter large feces on the trail. And we did read about mountain lion and bear tracks other people have seen. Totally spooked - do not do this hike solo - go with a big group. The trails are really tight in some areas. I felt claustrophobic as well as easy prey for any hungry animal out there. A gold panner we encountered near the trailhead warned us of "critters" and recommended we do not stop to sit and eat. Great. So we battled fear as well as trying to get down. This hike is a knee buster, big time. Often times coming down the very steep parts, we were sliding in the loose dirt/rubble and falling. This absolutely killed our knees and once we got to the easy part of the hike, even the slight decline in the trail was extremely painful. We hobbled down like two old ladies. The other reviews are accurate on the needed supplies. 4.5 liters of water was adequate for each of us. Had it been hot out, we would have been absolutely miserable. It was a perfect 72 degrees, cloudy and even super cold near the summit. Encountered a small patch of snow near the top. You will know you are approaching the summit when you reach some blue/grey/white granite looking rocks. We were not tracking our miles nor did we have an altimeter. So we had no idea how close or far we were from the summit. If you have done Cactus to Clouds, I would say the second part of this hike is comparable to the C2C climbs. And the entire time I was climbing C2C, I was thinking how happy I was that I wouldn't have to climb down. Well, you have to climb down this one and the elevation gain for the last portion of the hike is comparable to C2C. Bottom line, it's steep. Wear your knee bands, etc., unless you're 20 years old! read more

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Incredible hike. Just don't do it the way I did the first time, feeling under the weather and starting out after 8 AM on a sunny 90+ degree day, then realizing I brought 30% less water than I thought. Start early. If you are not fleet of foot, it may take you longer going down than going up. The first half of the hike is civilized (but the sun can get hot). The second half of the hike is not. Shortly after you pass Allison Saddle, you will be confronted by a climb that is steeper than anything at the Ski Hut Trail, Bear Canyon Trail, and even the last portion of C2C, as I recall. It sets the tone for what the last 3,500 feet of elevation gain will be like - steep, rugged, and often confusing. I ended up turning back not far from the summit my first time, having lost the trail and not wanting to continue given how late in the afternoon it was. When you do reach the summit, you will probably have it all to yourself. I rarely linger at summits for long, but this is one you will want to enjoy. On the way back down, if you are a klutz like me, you may find gloves handy (to protect your hands when sliding down) and prefer to use a single hiking pole with both your hands, for balance. Even then, there were a few times where I found myself in an uncontrolled slide. Basically, whereas Ski Hut/Devil's Backbone/Ski Lift on Mt. Baldy is a well-oiled machine, this is the opposite. It's very long, very strenuous, difficult to follow towards the end and (to my knowledge) not maintained at all beyond the Allison Saddle. But if you like challenges because you know they will make the payoff sweeter, you should give it a shot. read more

5 stars for kicking my ass. By far the hardest hike I've done in the San Gabriels. There are no sources of water during this hike, so bring plenty. I went on a warm, sunny day and ended up drinking all 6 liters by mile 13. I started late, about 10am. I don't recommend this unless you are in great shape and know that you can complete the hike before it gets dark. I'm not in great shape yet, so I had to finish the hike in the dark using a headlamp. Finished at 9pm. Also, if you start late you will be doing the most strenuous part of the hike during the hottest part of the day. I used trekking poles for this hike and found them very helpful during the steep portions of the climb. Saw a couple small rattlesnakes. read more

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Here's our video review: https://youtu.be/hJdfrgUOLR8?list=UUBpZPGIJkwEjGp5kmrJoYNA Welcome to one of the hardest hikes we have ever done! This hike is not for the faint of heart. You will need to prepare for a long day. Though most of us did not get much sleep leading into the hike. We brought lots of water and not that you'll see it on the video but we also stowed some of our water at a saddle to lighten our load as we approached heavier inclines. A long up and down trail we were constantly challenged. The path lucky is fairly clear and easy to follow pretty much the only thing that can be considered easy on this particular hike. Lat/Lon: 34.28840°N / 117.7133°W Distance: 15 miles round trip Elevation gain: 7200 feet Estimated trip time: 14 hours Our difficulty rating: NC-17 Notes: Adventure pass for parking. Have a map to help you find the trail. Bring hiking poles, head lamps and about 20 lbs (300 oz). of water. read more

Not quite as scenic as Cactus to Clouds, but an extra star for proximity to Glendale and extra punishing grades. Fortunately, the NOAA wind predictions didn't hold up because the ambient air temp was cold enough without windchill. We were treated to interesting ice crystal formations on the pine trees and a pocket of blue skies at the summit. On the way down we saw a huge great horned own perched at the top of a dead yucca. Took us 7:20, and like C2C the descent takes longer than you think it should. read more

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One of the most difficult trails in the San Gabriels. Brutal and will definitely work you. I did this hike in May 2011 and started out at about 7:00 a.m. with only slight expectations of what to expect (other than its reputation for difficulty). I wore pants and a short sleeve shirt, had an old walking stick and day pack with three litres of water. All told it took me about nine hours to complete. I have read the other reviews and here are my observations: 1) Bring lotsa water...I ran out on the return right about Heaton Flats and it made the rest of the hike unpleasant. Fortunately for me it was cool most of the day and made me appreciate the water back at my truck. 2) The hike from the peak to Heaton Flats is brush choked and steep. Bring trekking poles...you will be glad you did. 3) I also saw a small rattler. As I only saw one person all day, it made me wonder about the risks of hiking solo (you can forget cell service). 4) The yuccas are indeed brutal. I has several wounds on my arms from them. 5) This hike indeed is not scenic, but that is not why anyone should do this hike. It is physically demanding and I used it as a conditioning hike before an attempted day hike of the North Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon. The only hike, in my opinion, that compares to this (that I have done) is the Mt. Baldy Trail from the ranger station. Both have big elevation increases, which make the return trips taxing. Enjoy! read more

Well, today (2/1/2009) was the Super Bowl. Instead of watching the game, I decided to attempt "The most inaccessible peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, IRON MOUNTAIN", or at least, that is what I had heard. I told my wife that I would be home no later than 9:00PM (wrong). The life insurance is paid up so she didn't have a problem with it I should have started early instead of noon.. I stopped at the Ranger Station on Hwy 39 to get the Wilderness permit for the Sheep Mountain Wilderness. The ranger advised me that the trail is not maintained beyond the Sheep Mountain Wilderness boundary. The official policy is to let it return to it's natural condition. In other words, let the trail get overgrown till it is no longer usable. Sure enough, the trail was moderately overgrown in many places. From the Coldwater Saddle, it was less than 2 miles as the crow flies, to the top. The trail was really steep and, not being a crow, it took longer to get to the top than I estimated. The wind really picked up as I ascended the ridge, but it was fairly calm on the peak. The view was well worth it. I signed the peak register just in time to watch the sunset. I had about 30-45 minutes before it got dark, and there was not much of a moon either. I broke out the headlamp and continued back down the trail. Now I really do not mind hiking in the dark, in fact I rather enjoy it. But, I lost the trail 5 times. The first four were not that bad, I just missed a turn. But the last one had me scratching my head. The trail just vanished and there I was with no idea which way to go. For some reason, my "tracks" on my Garmin were erased from the first couple miles. I knew that my car was just a mile and a half over that direction, I just wasn't sure if I had missed my turn, or just lost the trail. I trusted the map and once I found where I had lost the trail, I continued on my way. I can't imagine being out there without a light. Even with my light I missed my turns. I can't wait to see how many people get lost after the Forest Service lets the trails get more overgrown. Once I crossed out of the Sheep Mountain Wilderness, I figured I was home free.. Wrong. True, the trail was maintained from this point on, and I never lost the trail again, but I was not expecting to be watched. I do not know for sure what it was, I am pretty sure it was feline, and I am positive that it was watching me. At first I noticed 2 small lights up on the hill, but I soon realized that it was the reflection of a pair of eyes from an animal that appeared to be stalking me. I yelled at it several times, and it moved just 5-10 feet away and took up a new position. Most likely, it was a mountain lion just sizing me up, probably not interested in killing me. It was up on the hill just out of range of my rock throwing ability. I don't usually spook easily, but I was pretty uncomfortable. I was alone and had not seen anybody for hours. Also, my cell phone does not work within 10 miles of here. I started to pick up the pace and made a lot of noise. I was in a fast jog, singing "I don't know but I've been told..." After a while, I was pretty sure that I was no longer being watched. It had been a long time since I saw those eyes staring back at me. (note: running away from a mountain lion is not a good idea, it can elicit a chase response) Well, I made it back to the car in one piece. I drank every drop of my 1 gallon of water, and would have drank 1-2 quarts more if I had had it. All in all, it was 15 miles, 11 hours, 6000' elevation gain. I think that this was the steepest mountain that I have ever climbed, the Vivian Creek Trail to Mount San Gorgonio would be a close 2nd. My advice,.. bring a friend, and more water than you think you need. You can stash some at the saddle and pick it up on the way down after you bag the peak. Start Early, and save this one for a cool day, there is not much shade. The view is impressive and worth the hike. read more

As the others have mentioned this is the gold standard for hard hikes in the local area. The actual elevation gain is over 7,000 feet due to the rolling nature of the ridge. The first 3.5 miles miles are nice climbing on trail nothing overly difficult. It's the last 3+ miles on a use trail where you see what you're made of as you gain 3,500 feet from Allison Saddle. The hike itself has minimal shade and you spend most of your time below 7,000 feet so it can be very hot up there even in late spring and early fall. The hike until the summit is really about testing your limits versus any natural beauty. The summit is oddly flat and does have an interesting vantage point of Mt. Baldy and Baden-Powell with the East Fork 6,000 feet below you to the west. The deepest gorge you can find in Southern California. It is imperative unless you've done this before to start early both for coolness and to get back before dark. I took 8 hours to hike it but I think 10 is more of a reasonable goal to aim for. If you do find this easier then expected, you can do the ultimate death march and cross the 3rd class east ridge separating Iron from Baldy which is for experienced moutaineers only with some gnarly exposure. One fellow did this trip and back in one day. read more

Hiked 2011.11.05 This hike was amazing except for all of the Yucca plants that flank the narrow trail and rip holes in your clothes. Make sure to wear some items that you don't mind getting a little beat up...and not your cute lululemon running top like me! Other than that, I can't really complain much. I loved the isolation, there were only a few other hikers on the trail besides the trio I went with, which was expected as it is a brutal 15 mile hike with 7,200 ft of elevation gain. I brought 130 oz. of water which ran out just as we reached the car. We started at around 8am and got back to the car 30 minutes after sunset so we needed our headlamps for just a bit, but I'm glad I had mine with me. The hike took about 9 hours to complete, not including the break at the summit where there is a sign in book which was a nice touch. We made it to the summit in good time but the descent took much longer than anticipated due to the steep and rocky terrain. I was shocked at how packed the parking lot was at our arrival and couldn't imagine that all these people were going to be hiking Iron Mountain. It turns out that this is a popular spot for people to pan for gold - go figure. The last mile before the summit was covered in about 6 inches of snow but the trail was still manageable with a good pair of hiking boots. There were some bear prints in the snow which was a little daunting but thankfully there were no bear sightings. The first few miles of the hike are fairly exposed and all I needed was a long sleeve top at that point. However, the summit was freezing and layers were a necessity in November. There is a 600 ft. descent before the final climb to the summit which can feel quite defeating as it is visually intimidating but you will reach the summit soon enough! The views were absolutely stunning and well worth the lengthy and strenuous trek. I would definitely do this hike again. read more

Easily the toughest day hike I have done so far... I would go as far to say that the day hike I did on Mt. Whitney was easier. This hike is long, tough, and nearly the whole hike your climbing on scree. There is some light scrambling but the real tough test is the angles you will be climbing at, not to mention the sun! Be sure to bring PLENTY of water, I would recommend at least 200 ounces and I would even bring another 36 ounce canteen to be safe. A word of advice if when you reach the saddle and your tired DON'T GO ANY FURTHER, the trail only gets steeper from here and your still a good three hours from the summit if you move at a decent pace. This isn't for people who like to hike "Every now and again" this is for people who are hardcore hikers! A high degree of mental and physical toughness is needed for this hike, and this isn't even the hardest route to the summit from what I hear! This mountain would probably be perfect for those looking to train for climbs such as Aconcagua and Denali as there are good stretches where you are climbing at 50 degree angles. Keep calm and climb! read more

Iron Mountain is not a highly populated trail, probably because it's the Holy Grail of Southern California strenuous hikes, second only to "Cactus to Clouds". The first half of the trail will make a liar out of me, but the second half separates the men from the boys. There are portions of the second half where one finds one's self on all fours scrambling up skree. It's hot during the summer because this trail offers very little canopied areas. And for the same reason (plus an altitude of some 8000+ ft), it is blisteringly cold in the winter. I have read reviews that indicate that the trail is not well-defined, but there is nowhere along the path that one has to guess where the trail is. So, no worries regarding this condition. Also, I was warned about the evil yucca plants that folks had to leap over to avoid; I was told to wear long pants no matter what the weather. But, for the life of me, I have yet to encounter any of these man-eating plants, and I am back to hiking in shorts in rain, snow, or sunshine. Finally, unlike Mt. Baldy, there are no "fall to your death" spots along this trail; it's just steep and nothing more. Iron Mountain is, hands-down, my favorite LA day hike, but I'm an obsessed hiker. So, don't take my word for it. Try it yourself. Take the 210 East, exit at Azuza Avenue, go north towards the mountains, at the fork bear to your left. Stop at the ranger's station for a day pass and directions to "Heaton Flats". Word to the wise: this is no Mt. Wilson or even Baldy. Bring lots of water. read more

years back we had a hiking club call the southern ca the adventures mountain club. we had about 45 members form from inland valey. we climbed all the 100 peaks. mt witney the grand cayion supi village every thing out off 101 malabu. everything in orange county. everything in plalm springs idlywild..up on gargonio..big bear you name an we climbed it..in cluding the Hollywood sign. but the badest hike we ever had was jiron mt from heaton flats. I did it on 3 diferent occasions.an none of them were fun. you know their is no water on iron except at Alison mine. an you cant go their an up iron all in a full day. you put snakes an yacia plants an loose rocks in your pictures..an we had those to deal with.if you try iron you better be in grate shape.an have plenty of water. what you will find is you go up 3or4 hundred yards..and then down 3or4 hundred yards all on lose rocks an with lots of yacia plants.this mountain is no fun an that's why when you look around... only you an your friends are their. you don't run into a lot of other people. I did it three times the last one was dangerous..an no fun. so ill leave iron for younger people. next time your down at the bridge to nowhere look up over your head about a mile up an that's the top of iron. they will always call the hike from heaton flats up iron. the BADEST of them all. an when you get to the top..its just as hard to come back down..an a lot of people run short of water coming down. skip Watson ADVENTURES MONTAIN CLUB. read more

A group of 6 of us did this hike yesterday, 10/25/2012. We were all apprehensive based on reading the many reviews of how difficult this hike was. This hike was indeed challenging due to the steepness, but was not as hard as Mt. Whitney which is both longer & also you have to deal with the altitude. It took us a little under 11 hours, basically 6 hours up & 5 down. We have done the long Southern CA hikes, and I would guess this is the hardest due to the steepness. My recommendations - bring plenty of water (I personally drank almost 6 liters), pay attention not to run into the yuccas, as they hurt! Also, you may want to hike in long pants and wear gloves due to both the yuccas and when you go down you may want to go on your butt in some areas. I wore shorts and did not go down on my butt, but I could see why one would at certain points. Also, I recommend hiking poles. Great hike all around. read more