Just got back from climbing Picacho del Diablo. What a spectacular peak! I'll write a trip report later, but for now a few pieces of info:
The road to the park is paved all the way up.
Our hike time in from the Llanitos shack to Campo Noche was 7 hours.
On climb day we made the summit in 4 hours 25 minutes. Descent time back to camp was 3 hours 35 minutes.
Hike out from Campo Noche to the Llanitos shack was just over 6 hours.
The ring-tail cat rumored to exist at Campo Noche does exist.
I haven't even looked at my photos yet, but I'll post a few in the coming days.
This was one of the most demanding mountains I have climbed in terms of physical output. The climb itself is not overly technical (mostly class 2 and
3), but the terrain is extreemly rugged. A very worthy summit and an awesome view from the top of Baja.
(Yes DK, I did take a 360 degree panoramic, but I haven't looked at it yet.)Baja Bernie - 4-30-2007 at 10:02 AM
Looking forward to the hike via your written words and pictures.Vince - 4-30-2007 at 10:26 AM
Congratulations! I felt the same way you did when I climed it in the '50s. That lasts a lifetime.Osprey - 4-30-2007 at 10:27 AM
To paraphrase: "you know why I don't want to climb that mountain? Because it's there."Osprey - 4-30-2007 at 10:28 AM
Just kidding. Good going Andy.DianaT - 4-30-2007 at 10:35 AM
Great---can't wait to hear the full report and see the pictures. Both of my sons are rock climbers and I want to share this with them.
One has climbed some mountains on the mainland, but not in Baja.
Sort, write and post---I will be waiting.
Dianebajalou - 4-30-2007 at 10:38 AM
Great job andy - waiting for the report and picturesDavid K - 4-30-2007 at 11:40 AM
Congratulations Andy!!!!Skipjack Joe - 4-30-2007 at 12:41 PM
Oh, to be young again!bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 01:12 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Oh, to be young again!
Yeah.... that's what we kept saying. Actually, the phrase 'not bad for a man of your age' kept comming up.
cool!
gringorio - 4-30-2007 at 08:03 PM
Ever since flying near Picacho del Diablo via the Colorado River Delta on Screaming Airlines (Captain Mike), my brother and I have wanted to climb it
- can't wait to see your photos!
gringorio
Congrats..BajaAndy
BAJACAT - 4-30-2007 at 08:10 PM
Pleaseeee some pictures...
[Edited on 5-1-2007 by BAJACAT]bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:05 PM
The sign at the turn off from Mex 1
[Edited on 5-1-2007 by bajaandy]
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:07 PM
Me on the summit of Cerro Botella Azul with Picacho in the background.
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:07 PM
Kicking back at Campo Noche
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:08 PM
Matt G on the summit.
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:09 PM
The friction slab out of Slot Wash
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:10 PM
The route follows the trees up the center of Wall Street. A bit of class 3 climbing here!
BAJACAT - 4-30-2007 at 09:12 PM
Thanks for posting the pictures BAndy,you look like a conquistador ...bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:12 PM
Me on the summit of Diablo
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:12 PM
Hero shot for my brother
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:13 PM
Sharing the summit with my long time climbing partner and friend Matt G.
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:15 PM
Even a pair of brand new leather gloves could not last against Picacho del Diablo!
bajaandy - 4-30-2007 at 09:16 PM
Picacho del Diablo from the Blue Bottle saddle.
Natalie Ann - 5-1-2007 at 08:01 AM
Some really incredible photos, thank you! Musta been a great trip.David K - 5-1-2007 at 08:37 AM
WOW!!!fdt - 5-1-2007 at 08:46 AM
Double WOWbajaguy - 5-1-2007 at 09:19 AM
Andy....outstanding photos. Actually feels like I was there with you......in fact, I'm so tired after looking at these photos, think I will kick back
with a few cold Pacificos....bajaandy - 5-1-2007 at 03:50 PM
Thanks guys. These are just a taste. I'll post more later. I'm just getting started on the TR. Will post that as soon as it's done.David K - 5-1-2007 at 04:05 PM
Could you see the observatory clearly? Hope it shows up in one of the photos, as we all have picks of Diablo from the observatory, but not the other
way around!
Like this one from 1978:
[Edited on 5-1-2007 by David K]bajaandy - 5-1-2007 at 05:40 PM
Here's a shot of the observatory from the peak. I had to crop it from one of my 360 panoramic shots, so it's not all that great.
David K - 5-1-2007 at 05:47 PM
That's AWESOME Andy... !!! Thanks!!
I think it is about 5 miles from the observatory to Diablo and it's about 880 feet lower, if memory serves me.
[Edited on 5-2-2007 by David K]Crusoe - 5-1-2007 at 05:49 PM
Congradulations Andy........So glad you had a safe climb. Thanks for sharing all the great photos. Fred Becky will be very proud of you. That peak is
next on my list also. Maybe next October. Good luck!!leadmoto - 5-2-2007 at 10:15 AM
It's a good feeling of accomplishment when you get back to your starting point, but then reality sets in when you realize it back to the daily grind.
Good to hear you had a successful trip.Bob H - 5-2-2007 at 11:13 AM
Outstanding... simply outstanding.... the shot of your new gloves tells a lot about your climb. Great photos of the summit! Congrats on your
accomplishment.
Looking forward to seeing more.
Bob Hbajaandy - 5-2-2007 at 11:25 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H
.... the shot of your new gloves tells a lot about your climb.
Bob,
Actually, those were Matt's gloves. Mine only wore through on two fingers. I had been using hiking poles on the hike in, so I assume that's why I
had less wear and tear. But you're right... the rock up there is very coarse.Vince - 5-3-2007 at 02:40 PM
Andy-The last time I was on Blue Bottle Ridge, we all wrote our names on a paper and put it into some sort of metal recepticle along with many others
who had preceeded us. This was in the late '50s. My understanding was that it got the name "Blue Bottle" from the recepticle that was originally
used but eventually was broken. Is that still being done?bajaandy - 5-3-2007 at 08:36 PM
Vince,
There was an old jar up there on Blue Bottle. It was more like a mason jar with a bunch of papers to sign in on, but nothing blue about it. Now the
summit has some old radio relay junk up there as well.Vince - 5-4-2007 at 01:28 PM
Andy- Thanks for allowing us to relive the trips we took there. Your photos are excellent. Wish I could get Bud Bernhard to see these, he'd love
them. I climed it from the desert side once with him, he was a master!ursidae69 - 5-5-2007 at 11:07 PM
Awesome photos. I hope to climb that peak someday, maybe next year. I
saw the peak from the observatory in March 2004 and have wanted to climb it since.
Awesome
allanbartlett - 2-24-2008 at 11:57 PM
Hey Andy,
Any chance I can convince you to go again this year? I'm a Diablo virgin. It would be nice to go with someone who knows the route.Mexitron - 2-25-2008 at 07:06 AM
Nice pics--good climbing, congrats!capt. mike - 2-25-2008 at 07:31 AM
wow you guys are tough. i could never do that.
i have to take the easy way over it.
the elevation on my CH22 chart is about 10,162 ft i think from memory.
going north from Cabo and loreto last october for baja 1000 pre run mission we went right past it about 4 miles away east side going towards tecate at
10,500 ft missing clouds. its one difficult looking peak.
FEAR OF HEIGHTS!!
Ken Cooke - 7-11-2009 at 03:19 PM
Andy, your photos activated my vertigo -- I appreciate your pictures because I could never do what you did.David K - 8-23-2009 at 06:22 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajaandy
Here's a shot of the observatory from the peak. I had to crop it from one of my 360 panoramic shots, so it's not all that great.
Andy, are the panorama photos in another post or can you put them here?bajaandy - 8-23-2009 at 09:56 AM
I hope to climb that peak someday, maybe next year. I
saw the peak from the observatory in March 2004 and have wanted to climb it since.