EISPIRATEN

Rime ice is all gone from trees so you don't have that worry.
Rocks whizzing down always a threat with freeze/thaw cycles.

Helmet a good idea

This morning I went from Manker up as far as the Ski Hut. Left at 7:20, returned at 10:20 this morning. (Got a late start). The most dangerous part was the water ice on the road. Snow was nice and firm going up and starting to soften when I came down. I used crampons for the last gully up to the hut...

I'm likely to bail on this. I would really prefer to summit and definitely don't have time Saturday, so I am trying to schedule it for Friday instead.

My reason for going to ski hut will be mostly limited time- I need to be back in Long Beach by noon at the latest. For gear I was going to play around with my runners, NEOS Overshoes, and BD Contact Strap crampons. I got the long flex bars to see how they would work with the soft runners and NEOS. I...

I might be able to join you at least as far as the Ski Hut. My available time Saturday will be limited as my son's 8th birthday party is that afternoon. I climbed Baldy 4? times last year so I'm far from an expert on the mountain- nor am I a physical powerhouse. I generally do 4 hours up, 2 hours ba...

My kids grow so fast that I'm always having trouble comprehending where they are- size wise, physical ability, maturity. Which brings up the possibility that if it's steep enough to need traction aid, it's too steep for an 8 year old. Unfortunately near the trailheads dead flat may require traction ...

Thanks Dave

I wasn't sure how much size flexibility those had.

Still, they're more expensive. Maybe Microspikes for the wife, screws for the kids, and I'll just go bare or use crampons when needed.

Finally got out on the trail for the first time this winter. Carrying snowshoes is good exercise but as you all know the need for snowshoes near trailheads is pretty rare. I went 1-1/2 mile up Icehouse Cyn with wife and 2 kids on Monday. The trail was icy; wife and both kids fell down at least once ...

In keeping with the "conditions tomorrow?" thread... I'm hoping to take my wife and kids snowshoeing up Icehouse Cyn for a couple miles. Since getting the family rolling early is a challenge, I was figuring on hitting the exit from 210 shortly before 8:00. Is that too late to park at Iceho...

EManBevHills wrote:...I think some Aetherians were sleeping on the summit when we arrived at 4:30. ...

Only if Atherians make a habit of schlepping 12-packs, home brew, and snow boards up the mountain.

James, Thanks for the company (and postholing... and driving...) yesterday. Here are the photos I shot, including a glissade video: http://picasaweb.google.com/JimQPublic/ ... o20100507# After never hiking in the local mountains until this year, that makes two of the three San's. Still to go is Jaci...

Any postholio report? Thoughts on snow conditions this Friday 5/7?

Thanks

Jim

is it an invasive species? if so where'd it come from? Yes, Dodder is invasive. It came from someone's shoes, or vehicle, or maybe a bird. The seeds can be in animal feed such as hay and pass right through a horse. Obviously it's tough because it's often in the desert in small patches near roads. h...

James, Is that weight with pack? You seemed much thinner than me... For So-Cal I think 25" is probably plenty. For the Sierra it depends on the types of trips. After 8 feet of fresh dump even 36" shoes had me sinking knee deep. Sierra "Cement" usually sets up within a few days of...

Kathy, thanks for the photos. Hope you can do a full writeup. By your photo timestamps I see about 6 hours from the first shot at South Fork Meadows to summit. How long from car to summit? (PS your camera's clock is 12 hours off.) It looks like my plan to do a climb on Wednesday needs revision. I do...

Bummer. Sorry to hear about your toe. Hope it fixes ok. Also sorry I didn't read about the cancellation. I just promised my wife that I'd spend the day gardening in exchange for her watching the kids while I go up Baldy tomorrow evening. If anybody else is still on please post. Otherwise I'll plan o...

Last Friday 3/19 I think that I left a Thermos outside the Ski Hut. It was a short, wide mouth model designed for about 16 oz of soup. Stainless sides with black plastic lid. Wrapped in a white tube sock. Please PM to tell me how to stop losing things, or better yet if you have my Thermos. Actually ...

My gut feeling is that the downhill effort level is higher. Once you pass about 10% downgrade I feel like downhill starts to use more energy than flat. Maybe I'm confusing the jarring to muscles and joints with energy expenditure.

Sorry, I should have specified that I'm hoping to find used gear for less money than new.

If nothing used comes up I'll go with Elevation in Lone Pine. Prices much better than the big guys.

I'm looking for a shorter ice axe (mine is about 80) and crampons with more points and security (I have 10). Ideal axe is the BD Raven or similar general mountaineering axe, 70 cm. 65 would be ok too. Ideal crampons are 12 point with strap front, heel clamp rear (I have rigid sole boots with heel we...

tinaballina wrote:If i am reading this right there has never been a woman to summit MCKINLEY in the winter? wow...

And only 14 men have summited and lived to tell about it. 6 died trying. Not good odds for man nor woman.

Great trip report and congratulations on your first Baldy climb. I did my first a couple weeks ago. Every day as I look at the mountains from Long Beach I can't believe I climbed to the top. It looks so huge and impressive from 50 miles away.

Kathy, Thanks for your posts. It sounds like Gorgonio is probably just within my limit for a one-day hike. Definitely worth a go. I was a bit confused by your discussion of crampons. Are you suggesting that it won't be freezing overnight? I was hoping it would get nice and firm for the morning uphil...

My arms are scrawny without much muscle. Even so, with heavy trekking poles (20oz pair), they don't get very tired. What usually limits me in the mountains is the whole energy/oxygen delivery system- heart, lungs, digestion. Poles let me hike faster for a while but then I bonk. I only use them when ...

Sorry I didn't indicate the routes I was trying to compare: My one trip up Baldy was from Manker Flat via ski hut and Baldy Bowl. It's about 7 miles round trip and 4000' climbing. San Gorgonio from South Fork trailhead to summit of San Gorgonio is about 13-14 miles round trip and 4600' climbing. Of ...

Looks like I have something lined up for this Friday up Ice House.

I posted this question on the end of GigaMike's trip report from Saturday but I'll add it as a stand alone to get more responses- How much effort is a spring climb of San Gorgonio compared to Baldy? Presuming Manker/Ski Hut/Bowl to summit for Baldy and South Fork to summit on San Gorgonio using Giga...

Congratulations to Ingrid on her first ascent. I did my first two weeks ago and I can't wait to repeat it.

Jim

Mike, Great photos and great climb. I'm hoping to climb Gorgonio in a few weeks and am trying to figure out if I'm in shape. Before reading your last post I figured your times from the photos- It looks like you took 4:40 from parking lot to Jepson; then :45 to San Gorgonio; then about 2:50 back to t...

Meh.

I'll sleep in and drink lattes tomorrow.

Maybe next week. My official excuse is that my old boots are all soft or leaky and the UPS man is bringing new ones tomorrow.