Lost on Mount Baldy
by Nathaniel Bluedorn, Copyright February 27, 2008, all rights reserved. 503 views
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| From 2005-11-19 Climb Mount Baldy |
Mount Baldy is in-between Los Angeles and Lancaster. It is actually called Mount San Antonio and is 10,064 feet high.
Saturday morning, November 19, 2006, Mario Currado, Toby Darrington, Jonathan M., Hans Bluedorn, and I drove as close as we could to Mount Baldy and stopped at a wide spot in the road. We hiked the ridge up to Pine Mountain and had lunch.
We could see a lot of landscape: desert on the east, LA on the west and mountains all around us. We could vaguely see Mount Whitney and the Sierras in the north. Next, we had to climb Mount Baldy. We should have realized our return hike would be in the dark. But, none of us wanted to seem concerned about this. Mario noticed his compass wasn’t working.
The sun sets early in November. The sun was cold as we climbed, trying to find footholds in the gravel. The wind was strong. At the top, Mario and Toby performed some ceremonies involving pushups and handstands.
As we descended, the sun began to set in the sea. Pine Mountain was dark as we climbed it for the second time. We made some phone calls to let everyone know we would be home late.
Lost is a Feeling
I had trouble keeping a foothold in the steep gravel. The trail wasn’t like this. I noticed headlamps ahead were spreading out. We shouted back and forth in the wind and agreed to look for a shortcut back to the trail. We must have missed it.
I think everyone assumed everyone else knew the way back to the trail. We headed south,as we learned later. It got steeper. The gravel was loose and rocks tumbled downward at every step. I felt disoriented. Where were we going? The distance between us grew. The risk was uncomfortable.
We stopped and held onto a dead tree to keep from falling. We discussed crossing a steeper slope to a place that looked safer. I had a Surefire flashlight that showed us what was ahead. But we noticed one of our guys was gone. He must be scouting. Around this time, we decided to pray. Prayer forced us to get together and be quiet. We started thinking.
The scout reported it was less steep above us. Anything was better than clinging to that tree. We climbed up to the best flat ground in the world.
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| From 2005-11-19 Climb Mount Baldy |
Leadership is a Choice
Getting lost on the mountain was the fault of our group as a whole. We were impatient to get home and so we did not communicate at the important moment when we first got lost. I didn’t speak up when I thought we should stop. Analyzing the situation afterwards, I had the choice to: (1) be silent, (2) speak up in a complaining way, or (3) speak up in a constructive way. I took the first road.
It’s easy to be silent. It’s also easy to complain. However, the best choice is to give a suggestion or say something positive. But it is hard to find this energy. Most of the time, I just complain about the situation and not offer solutions.
Back on the Trail Again
Mario spread his map on the rock and we reevaluated our position. We decided his compass was working. We were headed in the opposite direction we should be going. We looked at the lights from LA and Lancaster laid out below us. The night was crystal clear.
We quickly hiked back to the top of Pine Mountain, found our trail, and climbed down the correct way.
We were hungry when we got home.
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| From 2005-11-19 Climb Mount Baldy |
Comments
1 • Ralph • September 10, 2008 • 10:02 AM
Let’s go!
2 • Mandy M. • September 21, 2008 • 7:50 PM
Kelli, I’m assuming you wrote this? Just wanted you to know, at this point in my life, this is very encouraging to me. Thanks for sharing. It’s amazing how God can worth through a simple blog post.
3 • Johannah Stanford • September 24, 2008 • 3:00 PM
The quality of this video looked good to me, and it didn’t take hardly any time to download on our computer. Did you get more climbing equipment? 
4 • Kristen • October 04, 2008 • 3:39 PM
Sounds like tons of fun. 
Ryan took me rock climbing indoors for the first time a couple weeks ago and I loved it! (I’m his sister.)
Colorado looks and sounds like a very fun place.
5 • Mandy M. • October 04, 2008 • 5:49 PM
Great post Heidi! You sure are brave. I’m glad you had such a great time!
6 • Nate • October 13, 2008 • 5:23 PM
Thats awesome….
Sounds like something I would do. :p
7 • Heidi Reiman • October 20, 2008 • 4:47 PM
Hans, You poor thing. I’m sorry you couldn’t get a wi-fi connection. By the way what is a wi-fi?
Is it like wiffer cookies with fine milk?
8 • Kelli • October 29, 2008 • 8:03 AM
Oh sheesh, Nathaniel, you’re hilerious! That was really roughing it.
9 • Nathan Nasby • November 04, 2008 • 11:28 AM
If you want a really creepy expirience stay at the Imperial Hotel in London! Wow, we had blood on the walls and in the sheets in our room. The Window was broken, and I’m not even going to mention the shared bathrooms!!!!
10 • Anna • November 05, 2008 • 8:01 PM
Haha! Nathan, this is just the beginning… Soon you’ll be cool with using towels unwashed from the last occupant, sleeping on bedbug-ridden mattresses, and, well, haha!
11 • Heidi R. • November 17, 2008 • 10:00 AM
Great story.
12 • A • November 17, 2008 • 7:01 PM
I just watched this a few days ago (was looking up vids of Marrakesh and then followed the rabbit trail) and thought about you guys… Odd, but fitting, to see it here as well!
13 • Kristin C. • November 17, 2008 • 10:13 PM
Haha!!! That is hilarious!!! :-D
14 • Debbie • November 25, 2008 • 10:27 PM
I have a problem with getting cave crickets in my basement and hate them. I don’t think I want to be their friend. But neat story on your adventure. God Bless!
Debbie
15 • Laura • November 29, 2008 • 12:49 AM
Wow! :D
16 • Estin • November 30, 2008 • 8:58 PM
That’s crazy.
17 • Trish • December 04, 2008 • 12:11 PM
Um…Ew. That is SOOO disgusting.
18 • Kristen B. • December 07, 2008 • 6:52 PM
You are a great writer, Kelli.
19 • Heidi R. • December 09, 2008 • 11:45 PM
Thanks, so are you.
20 • Heidi R. • December 09, 2008 • 11:46 PM
Oh, and I love your pics.
21 • Quentin Cooper • December 18, 2008 • 7:58 AM
This seems to have been written by people who have caved only once in their life or read about it in an armchair. What about the main thing warm clothes (be it a wetsuit or neo-fleece). Gloves completely unimportant as I have caved without them for 20 years and never wished I’d brought them. What about a survey of the cave? Going with someone experienced? Leaving a CALL OUT? that not feature in your essentials? Incase people ahave an accident in a cave then nobody knows about it….come on guys….
22 • Blue (Royal) • May 06, 2009 • 11:07 PM
Nice film guys. The water side looked like fun. I love a good natural water slide. Good job with not making it look to rigged.
23 • Royal Magnell • May 06, 2009 • 11:57 PM
That was fun… now we run so the cops don’t catch us!
24 • Rachel • May 19, 2009 • 9:36 PM
Hey! Hoping you get this soon. Just wondered what kind of camera, flash, etc. was used for these pictures. Also how the cameras were kept dry and clay free. Thanks so much!
25 • Beau • August 04, 2009 • 12:16 AM
Enjoyed it. I am curious if this is the Wilder cave in Pelham, AL?
26 • Dannity Kane • February 27, 2010 • 2:06 AM
Give me a little of that and I’d feel like a king.
27 • Stephen Nasby • May 28, 2010 • 9:09 AM
Good job.
28 • Stephen Nasby • September 02, 2010 • 9:58 AM
That looked like quite an adventure, exciting. Swim looked very refreshing. Cool camera, you can even go underwater with it.
29 • Katie Carter • September 18, 2010 • 10:11 PM
It is in Grady County Georgia, between Pelham, and Cairo. It is owned my my aunt. It is very pretty, it is not open to the public because people can’t seem appreciate it without breaking pieces off, and spray painting.