another Baldy hike

KathyW · Post by **KathyW** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 7:59 pm

I went up Register Ridge and down the Devil's Backbone today. The trail is pretty much clear - just a few patches of soft snow and they were avoidable.

The sky was really pretty today, so I took some pictures:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/67 ... 5695_dptdg

He219 · Post by **He219** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:50 am

Nice pix Kathy!

Beatiful clear day yesterday ..

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:26 pm

Man, yesterday was the day to be up there. Today it was a bit . . . moist.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:34 pm

Great pictures Kathy!

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:41 pm

Great Pictures - wish I had gotten out but have been sick for a full week plus.

Everyone keeps saying Register Ridge - can someone difine where that begins and ends?

I've gone up Bear Canyon, Ski Hut, The Face of the bowl in the center and the east side, Harwood, Devil's Backbone, The notch, the road up to the Ski Lift (both ways many times), the three T's but did not know there was another ridge.

Thanks

lilbitmo

KathyW · Post by **KathyW** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:55 pm

Just around the corner from the sign-in register on the Ski Hut Trail you will see a use trail heading off up the hill to the right. That's the trail that you will follow up Register Ridge to where it hooks into the Devil's Backbone Trail under Mount Harwood. The trail is easy to find on the way up, but not so easy to find on the way down; so mark where you hook into the Devil's Backbone Trail on the way up if you plan on going down the same way.

Here's a map with the track of my route - the register ridge trail on it:

and here's the HPS description of the route - it's Route 4:

http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/guides/16e.htm

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:55 pm

lilbitmo wrote:Everyone keeps saying Register Ridge - can someone difine where that begins and ends?

I'm sure others will correct me if I'm off at any point, but basically the Register Ridge route starts at "A" on the map, which is in the vicinity of an old trail sign in register on the Ski Hut Trail. However, instead of following the Ski Hut Trail (aka Baldy Bowl Trail), the register ridge route heads straight up the ridge to "B" and then continues on to meet the Devil's Backbone Trail at "C." The Register Ridge route basically ends at the DBB trail; thereafter, one simply follows the DBB trail to the summit ("D").

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:03 pm

Thanks Kathy and HJ

I see from the map that there's two trails that feed up to the DBB one comes out just before and below Mt. Harwood and the other looks to me like it comes out at the section where the DBB cuts hard around the corner (the most dangerous section in winter) and where the drop off is to the canyon below - just west of the Baldy (Ski Lift) Notch.

I've looked on many occasions for both these trails on the way across DBB and I've seen the start of the trail leading away from the main trial just past the Trial Register on the Ski Hut Trial but have not gone up or down them.

Looks like it's time to go this weekend and explore.

Thanks again.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:09 pm

The bottom end of the Register Ridge use trail is hard to miss these days. After you pass the register, it's around the next real turn in the trail.

The trail is less visible from the DBB trail. It is easy to follow going up but a bit trickier to find going down.

Rumpled · Post by **Rumpled** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:31 pm

KathyW wrote:

Kathy (or anyone else)

Can you explain the "shortcut" you used back to the notch. I've only done Baldy once and I took the ski lift up and down and did DBB. On the way up, I avoided the large fire road switchback shown on your topo and stayed to the right on the reaaly steep stretch. On the way down, I used the switchback and it seemed pretty long (well, I was tired)

Did you essentially follow the ski run all the way down? It looks from here like the best way down.

The Sierra Club link you provided mentions the ski run is illegal. I wonder if that's really the case. Ski resorts seem to always be pretty protective of their special permitted lands.

PS I hope I'm not the only one that wishes the Sierra Club would put names to the trails/routes. Not just Option 4

Funyan005 · Post by **Funyan005** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:13 pm

First time I did Baldy I took the ski lifts too and also took the ski runs(baaad), ultimately they're prolly quicker since you dont switchback which takes a while. But, its easier going and less steep which ultimately just makes life easier.
I take the switchbacks down anytime now, my feet thank me when I get home.

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:50 pm

The pix were lovely. Looks like you caught another wonderful day on Baldy!

Just curious, Kathy, were you sporting a new camera? The fotos all appeared to be titled "Olympus Digital Camera.

KathyW · Post by **KathyW** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:28 am

Rumpled - I did follow a ski run part of the way to the notch - shame on me.

EMan - Its a kinda new camera. I picked it up last August used on ebay with the lens for not a ton of money, but when it came it was just like new because it had been a demo and not used very much. It's an Olympus E-410 with a 14-42mm lens - a pretty basic entry level DSLR (http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_secti ... oduct=1294), but it's fairly light - the body is about 13 ounces. I've been playing around with a circular polarizer on it and like some of the results I'm getting. They have a newer model out now - the 420 and you can get that one as a kit with a pancake lens, which would make it really lightweight. I've scratched up my LCD screen on it by carrying it around my neck without a case, but it's still usable and now I'm trying to protect it better. I may replace this one if they come out with a 430 model next year that looks like it will be better.

I have a compact Sony point and shoot digital I use sometimes too, but I can see the difference in the pictures when I use it. Most of the time when I do Baldy anymore I just throw the compact camera in the pack and don't take pictures unless it's a scenic day - it's a better workout when I don't stop to take pictures and I've done Baldy so many times. On Saturday, I was glad I decided to carry the extra weight of the bigger camera because it was really pretty out there.

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:45 pm

Aha!!

Polarizer Madness strikes even the most unsuspecting nature lover....

KathyW · Post by **KathyW** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:37 pm

Yup - circular polarizer madness - first it was a UV filter and then came the circular polarizer. I saw someone post some nice pictures and they said they used a circular polarizer, so I had to have one of those - now I just have to figure out when and how to use it correctly.

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:24 pm

They do make for dramatic skies -- and reflection free H2O -- when used properly under the right lighting conditions.

You'll enjoy experimenting with it, Kathy. Looking forward to viewing some new, circularly polarized, adventure pics!

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:50 am

Polarizers do interesting things with the colors, too. This was one of the first photos I took in the mountains with a polarizer:

I wouldn't get that same look with a daylight filter.

Sadly, I have grown tired of carrying my DSLR around, and recently picked up a P&S to use on hikes, and there's no way to attach a filter.