Started to write a TR but four Pints and 8% APV proved too much to stay focused, so here it goes:
Saturday, headed to the Ski Hut at 20:30 for a night mission in balmy warm but perfect moonlight conditions. No headlamp required.
I was running late and didn't know if the Host had my spot saved with a group of 19 from SC Outfitters staying at the hut. The lights in the hut went out at 21:30 so I though my luck ran short. Brought my stove, tent and pad as backup but wouldn't need it. I got the best bunk in the hut with a window view of the moonlit Baldy Bowl! Chatted with the crew until midnight and hit the sack.
At dawn I could see all sorts of fresh movement due to the warm weather..
A few days earlier an old mate from college contacted me after seeing pix from last weekend. He made his first trip up Baldy proper and met me at the hut on Sunday morning. The pine cones I set out pointing up the path helped him find the way from falls road. Luckily he spotted them before Norma kicked them off the road a short time later ;]
I hadn't seen Ian for 15 years to the point he walked into the hut. I was just making cinnamon rolls (from Phil's playbook) when Dave G, Norma and Phil walk in.
We fuel up and hit the bowl. Since it was Ian's first time on Baldy proper I figured the south rim route would be the best introduction to the overall terrain.
Ian making water, it was pretty warm ..
Downtown Los Angeles ..
I saw Whitney for the first time from Baldy. Fantastic clarity.
Ian's first trip to the summit, he's hooked for life
No video or photos going down, I learned my lesson the hard way. We passed a fresh wet slide near the south rim.
Back at the hut we found Pavel with his signature hot tea and booze. Pavel and the Lodge crew sprinted up to the Hut and cooked up a heck of a brunch; bacon, sausages and pan fried potatoes. Made the whole Bowl hungry!
Passed SoBayMark on the way down as he was going up for a bivy on top. All in all a perfect day and perfect springtime bowl conditions.
