The approaching cold front made for interesting clouds.
Anybody on Baldy today (Saturday 11/6)?
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mcphersonm80
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:46 am
I was up there with a couple friends... What an experience. Hit the trail just after 9:00am and right off the bat were greeted with a gigantic lenticular hanging over the summit:
At that point, I knew this would be an adventure
I've never seen clouds floating by at such high speeds. This was taken, I think, heading up the bowl after the ski hut out towards Ontario:
It didn't get any warmer as we approached the summit... Temperatures had to be in the low 30s if not high 20s, and I don't know if I even want to know what the wind chill was. Needless to say, we had the summit to ourselves (for the whole 60 seconds we could bear it):
The original plan was to descend the Backbone, but after about 100 yards heading down to the Baldy/Harwood saddle we quickly realized it would have been nearly impossible. The winds were out of control and would have blown us right off of the side, so we headed back up (double traverse!
) and took advantage of the relative protection of the Ski Hut trail.
In what seemed like near white-out conditions at times, it was one of the most jaw-dropping descents I've had the pleasure of making:
Awesome day! 8)
At that point, I knew this would be an adventure
I've never seen clouds floating by at such high speeds. This was taken, I think, heading up the bowl after the ski hut out towards Ontario:
It didn't get any warmer as we approached the summit... Temperatures had to be in the low 30s if not high 20s, and I don't know if I even want to know what the wind chill was. Needless to say, we had the summit to ourselves (for the whole 60 seconds we could bear it):
The original plan was to descend the Backbone, but after about 100 yards heading down to the Baldy/Harwood saddle we quickly realized it would have been nearly impossible. The winds were out of control and would have blown us right off of the side, so we headed back up (double traverse!
) and took advantage of the relative protection of the Ski Hut trail.In what seemed like near white-out conditions at times, it was one of the most jaw-dropping descents I've had the pleasure of making:
Awesome day! 8)