Vincent Gap Trail (Mt. Baden-Powell)
Was up there yesterday. From 8000' there is solid snow cover, but you can manage without crampons. There is a good boot track and even if you fall you won't slide into the abyss. I also tagged Ross Mountain which is a very nice sidetrip since it does not get visited very often.
- tpfishnfool
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:50 am
Was up there yesterday and snow from 8600 to summit. Did not have crampons and wanted them coming down fron summit to 8600. A bit scetchy coming down that part of the mountain. You lose the the trail and its a scramble the last 1/2 mile.
Great trip with great friends to tag BP and Burnham today. We broke trail in 6"-12" of rather gooey snow from Vincent Gap to BP and onward to Burnham. Winds were terrific from the NW at a sustained 35mph with gusts that just about knocked me over. Spindrift was tasty as well. Still a beautiful day! We could see downtown LA, Catalina, Channel Is, and San Clemente. Even the ships in Long Beach Harbor. Very cool!
Going was relatively slow (RT 8 hours) due to inconsistencies in snowpack and wind. Frozen slab under 6" of wet snow. Wind scoured icy sections. Cornices. Thigh deep plunging into powder. All in all, I thought the snow conditions were wonderfully setting up for some ski descents.![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Crampons absolutely necessary. Snowshoes never left our packs.
BTW, the summit register box of BP is broken and filled with snow. Book is wet. damn
Burnham was an anti-climatic summit but at least that's one more peak tagged for us.
Have fun out there!
Going was relatively slow (RT 8 hours) due to inconsistencies in snowpack and wind. Frozen slab under 6" of wet snow. Wind scoured icy sections. Cornices. Thigh deep plunging into powder. All in all, I thought the snow conditions were wonderfully setting up for some ski descents.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Crampons absolutely necessary. Snowshoes never left our packs.
BTW, the summit register box of BP is broken and filled with snow. Book is wet. damn
Burnham was an anti-climatic summit but at least that's one more peak tagged for us.
Have fun out there!
I hiked up last weekend, 5/5. The trail is clear to about mile 3. There are patches of snow/ice in the shady spots after that. It's necessary to go off trail for about .75 mile on and off to get around the ice and snow. I hit the trail about 9 AM. I recommend microspikes or old crampons due to mixed conditions and poles. I made it without the spikes, but is slowed me down. Clear the last .25 mile or so from Wally to the summit. Softened by the time I headed down mid day. Have fun!
Thanks so much Karen, your post was helpful !
I hiked up today, 5/12. Trail conditions have not changed much from your description. I hit the trail at 11:00 a.m. The trail was clear until mile 3 and then there were patches of slushy snow. Needed to go off the trail to get around some of it, but it's easy to follow. I went with just my trail runners and no poles, and I was just fine. My first time to Baden Powell , it was beautiful!!
I hiked up today, 5/12. Trail conditions have not changed much from your description. I hit the trail at 11:00 a.m. The trail was clear until mile 3 and then there were patches of slushy snow. Needed to go off the trail to get around some of it, but it's easy to follow. I went with just my trail runners and no poles, and I was just fine. My first time to Baden Powell , it was beautiful!!
Here's a link to CalTrans which updates the 2.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/display.php?page=sr2
Remember though that it looks like Mountain High opened this weekend so you can expect a ton of traffic coming up from Wrightwood.
Last year it seemed there were only a handful of days the 2 was closed between Islip and Big Pines. I was always curious about why they closed the road when snow plows were available so I asked a driver and he said it had more to do with falling rock than snow.
- Uncle Rico
- Posts: 1402
- Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:48 pm
Anybody been up Baden Powell from Vincent Gap lately that can comment on current trail conditions? If so, what does the ridgeline down to Ross look like? Snow/ice-free?
Thx.
Thx.
I went up Friday. It was clear the first mile, patchy the second mile and 100% coverage the rest of the way. It was knee deep and higher in a lot of areas to. The southern exposed ridges and faces are pretty clear. I made the mistake of leaving my snowshoes in the trunk. Blazed up the first two miles and postholed my way through the rest of the way. It was brutal but a great workout. Followed previous snowshoes tracks up. Because of the warm weather everything was really soft and deep.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/gallery.myff.org/gallery/1525251/883247_10200290137723841_242832229_o.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/gallery.myff.org/gallery/1525260/537490_10200290149044124_1131277514_n.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/gallery.myff.org/gallery/1525251/883247_10200290137723841_242832229_o.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/gallery.myff.org/gallery/1525260/537490_10200290149044124_1131277514_n.jpg)
hey guys one more question, is route 2 angeles crest highway closed or open? i used to ride motorcycles up there and remberer it was closed a long time ago, then it reopened and you could go thru to wrightwood, and then it closed again (due to another landslide?) did it ever re-open?
Per the caltrans website: http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi
SR 2
[IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
IS CLOSED FROM ISLIP SADDLE TO 5 MI WEST OF BIG PINES (LOS ANGELES CO)
- FOR THE WINTER - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
ALL TRACTOR-SEMI TRAILER COMBINATIONS WITH 3 AXLES OR GREATER ARE
PROHIBITED FROM THE JCT OF I 210 /IN LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE/ TO THE
ANGELES FOREST HIGHWAY (LOS ANGELES CO) - ALTERNATE ROUTES ARE AVAILABLE
SR 2
[IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
IS CLOSED FROM ISLIP SADDLE TO 5 MI WEST OF BIG PINES (LOS ANGELES CO)
- FOR THE WINTER - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
ALL TRACTOR-SEMI TRAILER COMBINATIONS WITH 3 AXLES OR GREATER ARE
PROHIBITED FROM THE JCT OF I 210 /IN LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE/ TO THE
ANGELES FOREST HIGHWAY (LOS ANGELES CO) - ALTERNATE ROUTES ARE AVAILABLE
I haven't been up there recently. But the CalTrans website says the road is still closed between Islip Saddle and 5 miles west of Big Pines. That sounds like you might be able to reach Vincent Gap coming from Wrightwood, but don't sue me if I'm wrong.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi
http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi
The Wrightwood forum may have the very latest or someone who could give first hand knowledge...
This is where the "Road Condition" topic is located...
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/in ... d,3.0.html
This is where the "Road Condition" topic is located...
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/in ... d,3.0.html