EISPIRATEN

There's no challenge in that. It's empty.

Bump! Anyone know how fast snow is melting? How's the ski hut trail

Took a little hike up the ski hut trail. Trail is snow free up to the hut.
I stopped at the hut and went down. From the hut though, you cansee some patches in the shaded area that lead up to the ridge.

From the freeway, you can see afaint thin white snow line at the summit.
I am just guessing that the summit trail is all open, I mean snowfree.

I went to the top yesterday. Marginal snow coverage and fairly icy, but manageable going up to the ridge through the trees past ski hut. Quite a bit of people descending the bowl with no snow. No snow up top either.

IS the trail covered with snow, above the hut?
I know 3 weeks ago, I was able to reach the ridgeabove the hut with relative ease --- even though the shady area above the granite field was covered in snow....

Anyone been there lately?

thanks,

Last Sunday we got up Skihut and down to the Notch and there was maybe a 10 minute patch of snow above the bowl. After this weeks sprinkling there might be a dusting up there but I doubt it was much. Maybe somebody else has been up there after the rain.

I'm heading up tomorrow morning, Register Ridge to Harwood, Baldy, and West, then descending the Ski Hut. I'll post conditions when I get back. Hopefully the system that rolled through earlier this week left some slippery stuff.

Patchy snow, windy, spikes useful on the shaded switchback section on the Ski Hut Trail but not necessary.

Pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wattifoto/ ... 146811222/

If anyone climbs baldy this week, will you please report back on conditions in the bowl.

On Sunday I passed two mountaineers on the San Antonio Falls Rd that, by the looks of their gear, where headed to the summit. They asked if that is where we came from. We were only out snowshoeing the lower parts. I would also love to hear some reports from higher up the mountain. Not sure if our trip report will help, https://eispiraten.com/s ... .php#40286

Any info on the skihut trail? Wouldn't mind running up there tomorrow morning but no idea what to expect.

luciano136 wrote: ↑Any info on the skihut trail? Wouldn't mind running up there tomorrow morning but no idea what to expect.

I hiked up Baldy via the Ski Hut today (Friday, March 23). There is a fair amount of snow left from last weekend's storm. The snow on the trail starts about 1000' below the Hut. Above the Hut, there is plenty of snow. It was pretty soft, which is no surprise given the mild temperatures lately. It won't be there for long unless the next storm, due on Sunday, pans out.

Here are some pictures.

The temps have been warm again so the snow is melting fast.

We did Manker Canyon from the ski lift road to the where it intersects Devil's Backbone, then made our way under Harwood, thru the saddle and up to the top of Baldy. The south end of the bowl has snow in it and that is not too bad, the main bowl is melting fast. After 9 or 10 in the morning it's pure slush on the trail going up to the ski hut, so go early, go to the south end and enjoy.

I just got back from another engagement or I would have posted this earlier, sorry. I'll put up pictures tomorrow, I have some work to do to make up for being gone today.

There's about 12 -16 inches on the South end of the bowl and in piles/drifts here and there but like I said above it's going fast.

Good stuff up Bear Canyon yesterday.

Add up to 20" from today and this week might be the time to climb Baldy from the village between now and December or so....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wattifoto/ ... 668613783/

This might be a day or two late, i'm sure conditions have changed drastically - but a quick report from Saturday am.

Left car about 630am - couple guys out on the trail - briefly spoke with a fellow that has spent the night on the summit, he was nice enough to give me the scoop on conditions. I hustled by the hut and put on crampons at the base of the main chute - following a climber already working his way up. I believe we exited the Zeke chute, but not sure - it was pretty wide and had a bit of exposed rock, but nothing too hectic.

After heading to the summit with the other climber (Joe), we headed down different routes around 930am - he descended the chute, and i walked over to the westside. There were a lot of people heading up, as always some were on point (Hello Frank), others ill-equipped but determined.

Well, I'm looking for some info for the bowl, specifically any slides, depth, anyone made any turns etc. Probably the best thing for me to do is to just go up and spend the night and assess for myself! I plan on heading out this Sat, Mar 31 and spending the night. But...if anyone has any info from the past 48 hrs, that would be helpful. If not, then I will post what I see when I return. NOAA site forecasts high winds out of the west.

Looking to leave Manker and hit the summit on Monday.

How is the trail going up? I was hoping to just do it with trail runners, but can be talked into waiting a little longer for more snow to melt.

Thanks for any help!

Shane

Did anyone hike Baldy Hut trail this weekend? Is the trail passable to the summit? Or is it still covered in snow?

Chicken Legs wrote: ↑Did anyone hike Baldy Hut trail this weekend? Is the trail passable to the summit? Or is it still covered in snow?

Yes, yes, and yes.

Actually, the snow part is only partly true. There was plenty of snow in a few places but you could walk right through any of it.

Thanks for the reply I plan to go up on Sat.

Thanks for the reply I plan to go up on Sat.

It may snow tonight. Even if it does snow tonight it will probably melt by tomorrow afternoon.


These photos were from last Saturday.

If you hike up ski hut trail there is snow on the ridge just past the bowl, it was easily walkable:

DSCN9474 by asbufra, on Flickr

A view of the Bear Canyon Trail before it reaches West Baldy:


Bear Canyon Trail View by asbufra, on Flickr

And the bowl has almost no snow at all:



The Bowl by asbufra, on Flickr

4/30 Went late (8:30 am). Light clouds, but mostly sunny with some wind. No snow on the trail. Some patches around and beside the trail. Summit pleasant and breezy.

The Baldy Bowl has 100% coverage at the south end, 75% at the north. Conditions were icy at the south end, fairly well consolidated at the north. Near the summit, in the morning, it was effortless to walk around in crampons, almost no postholing. Unfortunately we have a week of sun and high temperatures forecast, so this weekend may be the last big chance to have fun with ice ax and crampons in the Baldy area.

Thanks for reporting!
How did the 3T's look?
Were chains required?

zorobabel wrote: ↑ How did the 3T's look? Were chains required?

I didn't look carefully at 3 T's. The ski resort is claiming a foot of snow at the notch, but I'm skeptical. I didn't need chains to get to Manker.

Thanks!

Anybody go up Baldy recently? Looking to practice some ice axe & crampon skills this upcoming weekend and am wondering if there's enough snow to make a trip worthwhile.

There should be. REI ran a snow travel class there this past saturday. They said there's plenty of snow and still expect conditions to be good for this Saturday's class (although it's full).

I have crampons, but no axe. If I did a climb up the Ski Hut trail this weekend...is ice axe really a must...or an option?