Mt. Baldy 12/20/2009

Winston · Post by **Winston** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:39 pm

After doing a test run on the 17th where I stopped at the Ski Hut, I decided to try for the summit today. Took my dog, Bandit, and he was a trooper. It was the first time I've summited a mountain in the snow. I took the Ski Hut Trail and did not attempt the Bowl since I'm very new at climbing in the snow. About 8.5 miles and 4000' gain. Took 5 hrs 30 minutes. A lot of the snow had melted; I think the snow level was about 7500'. Forgot to bring my digital camera, so I had to take pics using phone.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20856672@N ... 915303375/

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:45 pm

That is so friggin cool. Dogs have built in 4-point crampons...no need for an ice axe! Way to go Bandit...and your human!

Winston · Post by **Winston** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:10 pm

Yeah, that's exactly what I was telling people. His claws are like little crampons, and since his center of gravity is naturally low, he generally doesn't have a problem scampering up the slopes. Going down can be a problem though, since he's over enthusiastic at times and just charges down. He's still a puppy, so I'm keeping him on a leash until he mellows out.

GigaMike · Post by **GigaMike** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:03 pm

Very cool! Your phone takes great photos.

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:13 am

Congrats on making it !

Last Thursday was my first extreme snow travel adventure...

Hopefully I'll win a $600 million lottery jackpot soon! Then I can get out more often...

I like this photo of your huge dog... 8) It certainly has grown since last Thursday

Yeah I know.... Without any scale it looks like a gigantic dog dwarfing the trees on the mountain..Or at least it does to me....

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:20 am

This could be trouble; Dogzilla vs....

Post by **HikeUp** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:12 am

Tacozilla to the rescue...

Winston · Post by **Winston** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:18 am

Lol. He does look huge in that picture. And expecially after you add in Godzilla and Taco.

EnFuego · Post by **EnFuego** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:45 am

HikeUp wrote:Tacozilla to the rescue...

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:55 am

nice! so does Bandit like hiking? are you training him (her?) to do some hardcore hikes?

Winston · Post by **Winston** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:22 pm

Yeah, he loves hiking and I think his training is complete. He's already a stronger hiker than me.

Post by **Taco** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:49 pm

Some nice artwork in this thread...

mve · Post by **mve** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 4:26 pm

HikeUp wrote:Tacozilla to the rescue...

Hilarious!

Sam Page · Post by **Sam Page** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:27 pm

Wow, the conditions on Baldy look . . . unusual. Those are some serious objective hazards.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:40 pm

This thread is awesome! Only on SGMDF....

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:20 am

Tim wrote:This thread is awesome! Only on SGMDF....

This board covers the conditions that others dare not touch! 8)

tinaballina · Post by **tinaballina** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:10 am

Winston-Bandit is so adorable....can't wait to hike with him.

Post by **HikeUp** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:38 pm

TacoDelRio wrote:Some nice artwork in this thread...

Yeah, whoever photoshopped the dog into the picture really did a good job, especially with the shadow effect.

mve · Post by **mve** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:18 pm

HikeUp wrote:
TacoDelRio wrote:Some nice artwork in this thread...
Yeah, whoever photoshopped the dog into the picture really did a good job, especially with the shadow effect.

you guys really know how to crack a joke

hilarious!

Post by **Taco** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:49 pm

outwhere · Post by **outwhere** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:53 pm

Looks like a shirtless TacoDelErkle

Yup, that is a nice photoshop shadow job - do we get the instructions, or is it an ancient Chinese secret ? Oh it's Baldy, make that an 'ancient Korean' secret - ok, I'll go get my parka.......

Post by **Taco** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:47 am

Erkle?

Points off.

outwhere · Post by **outwhere** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 8:31 am

TacoDelRio wrote:Erkle?

Points off.

Points off - but wait, didn't you see my

- let me add one more

for good measure. + Erkle, that aint a bad thing - Erkle even likes fast cars on mountain roads, that is a fact.

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:08 pm

Post by **Taco** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:15 pm

This is getting complicated.