Mount Baldy night run, Saturday 7/27

[Goslow]

Hey everybody. A couple of us are planning to run Old Stage, Gold Camp, FS 379, and mount Baldy tomorrow evening. All are invited. The highlight of the run will be driving up the Mount Baldy Road after dark.
Meet up is at 6:30 PM in the parking lot behind Rudy’s barbecue. The parking lot is the one used to hike up into red rocks open space and is on the other side of 31st St. behind Rudy’s.
At least a couple of us will be hitting Rudy’s at 5:30 to eat some barbecue. Please join us for that or at 6:30 if you can’t make it to Rudy’s. Please reply to the thread if you can make it tomorrow evening.

 

[COS80]

I'll be there. I'm coming for BBQ, too.

 

[Goslow]

If anyone would rather meet up closer to the trail, you can meet up with us at the usual air down spot where old stage Road starts just above the Broadmoor, where the pavement turns to gravel at the switchback.

 

[TK470]

I’m in for the ride and BBQ.

 

[COS80]

This Afternoon
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 3pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 3pm and 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 49. West wind 10 to 15 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

 

[COS80]

This was such a fun outing! The highlight was a bit of stargazing at the top of Mt. Baldy. I was surprised that we could see the Milky Way, even in the light pollution from the city. "Dark enough", I suppose. The darkness added a certain element of caution/risk/wonder to the whole trip.

Goslow has the good pics, but here are what I managed.

 

[Goslow]

In COS80’s second image above, you can see that Bigfoot is alive and well in Colorado.
We arrived at the Baldy trailhead at 9:01, the perfect time to start up the trail in complete darkness.
The first image was taken from the parking area at the junction of old stage and Gold camp Roads. All others were taken on the Baldy trail.
None of us had the ISS tracker app on our phones, but we concluded that the bright object was the ISS because it was about 20 times brighter and larger than any other satellite we saw.

 

[Goslow]

After arriving at the gate, we hiked the several hundred yards to the first ridge where we could mostly escape the ambient light from COS. That’s where we saw Bigfoot.
After coming off Baldy, we drove FS379 to the junction of the Clyde/Seven Lakes Rd., then down to Gold camp Road and out to the Victor end. We arrived home around 2:00 AM.

 

[COS80]

I have a lot to do, after this trip. I found that my accessory belts need to be retightened (huge PITA with the big alternator), and even worse, I have a sheared off knuckle stud.

 

[TK470]

Thanks to Goslow and COS80 for putting this trip together. Another fun wheeling adventure with them! I’ll second COS80’s opinion that I too was surprised by how many stars we could see at almost 12k feet. The trail to the top (379.A) had some pucker factor moments, but nothing too challenging for a stock rig. Also, Bigfoot might have been taking a leak.

 

[TK470]

I have a lot to do, after this trip. I found that my accessory belts need to be retightened (huge PITA with the big alternator), and even worse, I have a sheared off knuckle stud.

If you need a hand, I would love to help.