Baldy via Ski Hut Trail

[Uncle Rico]

Hola chicos y chicas. It's been quite a while since I've posted a trip report. It's also been a long time since I went up the Ski Hut trail. So this report remedies both of those deficiencies.

Nothing new here. Y'all have been up the ski hut trail a zillion times so I'm in no way breaking trail here. Last week, I stepped away from the salt mine and decided to ascent Baldy. Going up on a weekday is a nice alternative to the zoo the place is on a weekend. I had no problem finding a spot at Manker and saw few folks on the trail. No on was at the ski hut when I arrived there. In fact, I didn't encounter another soul going up until just below the rock garden. Nice.

The trail is in decent shape up to the ski hut, although the "filthy casuals" (to use David's terminology) has cut switch-backs in a number of locations leaving the trail susceptible to erosion. That problem is exacerbated after your cross the bottom of the bowl and begin your ascent to the south ridge. That area has always been kind of a cluster in terms of braiding and it still is. Speaking of the bowl, for the first time I saw spray paint there on a big granite boulder trailside. Thanks Instagram.

I always hated the rock garden because you never be certain exactly where you were supposed to be. But this time, the route was surprisingly clear and I had not problem selecting the correct path to follow all the way to the summit.

Up top there were maybe 5-6 other folks loitering in the rock shelters. The day was clear with a slight breeze, so I snapped some pics, refueled, and started back down. I'd forgotten how continuously steep the ski hut trail was. But the time I reached the fire road, my dogs were barking. I felt it for two days afterwards.

That's all I got for you. Here's some pics from my outing.

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[HikeUp]

Mt. Baldy is still there? Huh. Who knew?

[Sean]

Casuals bo basuals me my mo fasuals. Casuals!

Thanks for the report and pics. I actually miss Baldy. Might have to go up there and just look at it from a distance, and live the dream vicariously through the filthy casuals.

[Uncle Rico]

Is the Buckhorn Lodge still open? Didn't look like it when I drove past. Maybe it was just Monday afternoon.

[GoalHiking]

Graffiti is bad enough, but one time I saw two parties carting off wood (not as hiking sticks, but like they were at Pier 1). I asked them not to do it but I don't have police powers. That, however, is beat out by the lady who was carting a big rock back to her car on Mt Sherman in CO. Maybe for her garden.