This was our second time hiking up Mount Baden-Powell from Vincent Gap.  It’s a challenging 7.08 mile roundtrip hike with an elevation +/- of 2,907’ according to my GPS.  I was really excited to try this one again.  The first time we did it in July it seemed a lot harder and longer.  I also wasn’t used to being up on high mountains with precipitous drop offs.  I remember the first time I looked over the side of this one I nearly had a heart attack.  Now that we’ve gained more experience, the hike to the summit was easier, went faster (41 switchbacks and yes… I was counting them as we hiked) and I’m now able to enjoy myself at 9,406’!  I felt very accomplished!  I was able to go right up to the Wally Waldron tree, the 1,000+ year old limber pine that clings to the side of the slope, without my stomach doing flip flops.  

Aside from the steep ascent and the hard work you need to do on this trail, the journey to the peak is quite enjoyable and scenic.  There are great views the entire way and it doesn’t have many rocky or sketchy sections.  

The summit of Mount Baden-Powell can also be approached from Islip Saddle and Dawson Saddle.  It’s a much longer hike, although not as steep as the more traditional ascent from Vincent Gap.  I think I’d like to try the longer approach sometime.  

On the way down we past a couple of thru-hikers who had already come 18 miles and were just reaching the 1 mile marker up to the summit of Baden-Powell.  Both of them were carrying 45 pound packs and were on their way to Little Jimmy Camp.  We stopped and chatted with them for a while.  It’s people like that who make you humble and also inspire you.  They said they’d only been hiking now for 3 years, so maybe someday we’ll be able to do the same.  

After we got back down the mountain, it was still pretty early so we decided to hike the Mine Gulch trail to check out Vincent’s Cabin.  The cabin once belonged to Charles “Tom” Vincent who also discovered the Big Horn Mine that I described in our hike from last Sunday.  He built the cabin himself and lived in it for many years.  Some of his pots and pans and things are still there.  It’s definitely worth the quick 1.36 mile side trip to view the cabin if you have enough steam left after Baden-Powell.