20110410 Baldy North Face

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:31 pm

Taco and I set out rather early to attempt the seldom touched North Face of Baldy. We were on the trail at 3:25 AM and realized rather quickly that it was going to be one hell of a long slug with all the fresh snow, added to that Taco was feeling just a bit under the weather so we decided to just do the bowl to the summit instead. The skies were crystal clear with the bluest blues, the temperature at the hut at 4:45 AM was 21 degrees, the sun came out as we approached the upper section of "Three Pin Alley", (but the temperature was in the teens at this point and we were looking forward to some radial heat

) not much wind just a slight breeze and we had the summit all to ourselves

at 7:20 when we topped out.

We downclimbed the way we went up with just a bit of glissading, the snow was a mixed bag of corn, baby powder, styrofoam and ice going up and coming down. By the time we reached the bottom of the bowl on the decent it was starting the usual "baldy melt" and getting real soft.

As we got closer to the creek crossing by the hut we heard "Shin" yelling out our names and we were pleasantly surprised to find Tracie, Frank, Skin, Mark and one of Mark's good friends James (nice to meet you James) gearing up to go up the bowl. They were heading up pretty much the same track we set down on our way down. Mark busted out his famous cookies and that made the decent all that more fun for us. Thanks Mark, those cookies rock

.

The conga line had not started as of yet but there were quite a few people heading up the trail as we headed down to the car.

Great day, great fun, great to see everyone.

Here's a picture from last Saturday 04-02-2011

Here's a picture from just this past Wednesday 04-06-2011.

And here's a picture from today 04-10-2011 just a weeks worth of changes

Rest of My Pictures Here

everyday · Post by **everyday** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:36 pm

Great pics. really pretty

norma r · Post by **norma r** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 10:59 pm

nice pics! love catching a sunrise on Baldy. Patrick, how deep is that new snow? trace, inches, feet?

asbufra · Post by **asbufra** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:40 am

An early start and the Mountain was almost deserted for us. It was a good day, very pretty up high, and always a pleasure to see Ryan and Patrick. There was enough snow to posthole once or twice on the way up and glissade down, it will melt fast.

Five going up and two going down.

Working our way up the bowl.

The trees near the summit were beautiful.

Early in the morning the trees at the Ski Hut were beautiful as well, Ryan and Patrick approach the hut.

norma r · Post by **norma r** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:48 pm

How beautiful Frank! The rimed trees looked like the ones i saw in November. Very cool for you all to catch a vision like that in April.

snmtbaldy · Post by **snmtbaldy** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:46 pm

Nice to see two experienced climbers made a sound decision and turned around. It must be a hard decision for them but good mountaineers always make RIGHT decision,I think. Last Sunday was very strange weather and snow condition.
It was very cold at Manker and the summit. The show was very powdery and not consolidate,yet. Some section of east Bowl was covered with fresh snow on top of rock or scree or old frozen snow underneath. I was using a microspike at the beginning of climb but I took it off because the balling. I just used hiking shoes only rest of the climb up and down. The snow was very strange condition. The west Bowl was perfect for glissading. We witnessed a few huge boulders were rolling down the long gully left of the San Antonio fall. The mountain was very unstable last Sunday.

See you on next hike.

Burchey · Post by **Burchey** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:03 pm

I'd like to hit up the North face of Baldy - I was going to try the MR Easter weekend (got good friday off), but I don't know that I'm up to it. Would you boys fancy a NF attempt with a good ole San Diego boy? I'm game for the early start.

So.BayMark · Post by **So.BayMark** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:45 pm

patrick and taco nice to see you guys...Great hiking weather with good friends and it reminded me of christmas time up there in the trees..

mark

Post by **Taco** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:21 am

Burchey wrote: I'd like to hit up the North face of Baldy - I was going to try the MR Easter weekend (got good friday off), but I don't know that I'm up to it. Would you boys fancy a NF attempt with a good ole San Diego boy? I'm game for the early start.

Sure. I'm down for sometime this week, maybe thurs-fri? (one day not two obviously)

I was sick because of a medication I started. I had to keep the vomit down on the way up and a bit on the way down. Shouldn't be a problem next time with proper planning.

Burchey · Post by **Burchey** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:29 am

Taco wrote:
Burchey wrote: I'd like to hit up the North face of Baldy - I was going to try the MR Easter weekend (got good friday off), but I don't know that I'm up to it. Would you boys fancy a NF attempt with a good ole San Diego boy? I'm game for the early start.
Sure. I'm down for sometime this week, maybe thurs-fri? (one day not two obviously)

I was sick because of a medication I started. I had to keep the vomit down on the way up and a bit on the way down. Shouldn't be a problem next time with proper planning.

If you puke I'll puke with you - gotta support each other.

I was actually talking one day during Easter weekend. You think that's too far out - will the snow be dead? I've got a 9-5 during the week, and I missed yesterday unplanned, so I'm already in hot water.

Post by **Taco** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:11 am

Not sure. The NF should be "in" for a while so it's not a problem, so long as we go on a halfway cold day.

Burchey · Post by **Burchey** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:18 am

Taco wrote: Not sure. The NF should be "in" for a while so it's not a problem, so long as we go on a halfway cold day.

Got it. We'll keep an eye on the weather.