Mount Baden-Powell via Vincent Gulch – Solo Hike

June 29, 2022

Baden-Powell had been calling out to me for a while so I was excited to finally make the trip there for the first time.  I had camped at the Jackson Flat group campground back in early 2020 for a winter backpacking class (offered as part of a wilderness basics course series).  We had all been captivated by the wintry views of the mountain in the distance and I had wanted to come back and explore the area every since.

2022 was the year!  I enjoyed taking the less traveled road through lone pine canyon – it's a beautifully scenic and quiet drive that rejoins CA-2 at Wrightwood to then take you through a winding road to Vincent Gulch.  The TH sits on the PCT and has a giant parking lot with restrooms and a small picnic area.

The hike was one of the easier ones in the challenge – a series of ~40 switchbacks up the mountain on a well maintained and well marked trail.  My favorite part was the birds!  I had never heard so many all at once.  Their song and chatter filled the entire area and was being amplified by the mountains making it sound like a giant high fidelity natural concert hall.

The top of Baden-Powell offered expansive views towards the back of Baldy – it was nice to see it for the first time from a different vantage point.

I wanted to keep going and will definitely be back. This would make for a good backpacking trip next time to push further along the PCT.  For the time being, it was time to say goodbye for now.  I had plans to hike San Gorgonio the next day and this had offered a perfect conditioning and acclimation hike for it. Time to make my way down Angeles and up San Bernardino to set up camp for the night!