EISPIRATEN

It could be tough. Like Jim said, the native peoples couldn't do it; and they didn't have rules, bears, or dope growers to contend with.

There are a lot of grouping and therefore a lot of laws. You are asking grouping to supply you do something that is not common and will apt be illicit.

Abbeyclark wrote: ↑There are a lot of grouping and therefore a lot of laws. You are asking grouping to supply you do something that is not common and will apt be illicit.

Now who can argue with that?

Best spam free spammer ever if ya ask me. It almost made sense. Apt be illicit FTW.

The Mt. Baldy experience was not complete unless you bought a jar of honey from the Hansens. They had the house at the entrance to the Icehouse Canyon parking lot. Mr. Hansen kept the bees and made the honey himself. After he passed away, his wife continued making the honey. We stopped by a few weeks ago to restock. Mrs. Hansen said that, at age 94, she was no longer going to continue the business. The bees were being given to another beekeeper. While driving by yesterday, we saw the "For Sale" sign out front. Icehouse Canyon will not be the same.

I remember that sign (for honey). Alas, I never went over and purchased some. I should have.

HJ

A colleague who teaches geology takes his classes to a slot canyon near Barrett-Stoddard Rd, below Baldy Village. He says the east side of the canyon is granitic rock, and he sees people climbing there. Anyone have any further info, such as routes and ratings, quality of rock?

The only other concrete info I've seen on trad climbing in this area is about something called Buttcrack 5.6:
http://www.summitpost.org/buttcrack-5-6/430611
https://eispiraten.com/v ... 21&start=0
I've been there and looked at it, but haven't climbed it. Apparently there used to be a topo online, but it's disappeared.

That area near Barrett-Stoddard is sport, warm ups are 5.11.

Fritz and I did Buttcrack a long time ago. I have done a ton of new routes in Icehouse Canyon, but the data is no longer online for a variety of reasons. I made the topo, but it's not really required. The route goes up the gully and is very easy and crappy.

Most routes are 5.7-5.8 on rock that's pretty bad. I could give you more info if you're interested, but since none is online at the moment it'll take a while.

Cheers

Thanks, Taco -- that's very helpful! Unfortunately 5.11 is way beyond my capabilities at this point.

Taco wrote: ↑ Most routes are 5.7-5.8 on rock that's pretty bad. I could give you more info if you're interested, but since none is online at the moment it'll take a while.

It's probably not worth going to all the trouble if it's just for me, but maybe if it was online, other people could benefit from it.

Is the rock on Buttcrack 5.6 the same "pretty bad" quality you're describing? I was thinking of trying it as a trad lead, but I'm a beginner at lead climbing, and I only want to attempt it if it's easy to protect. Maybe top-rope it, or mock lead-climb it with a top-rope backup.

Yes, the rock is about the same everywhere in Icehouse. Crystal Lake Crag has some better rock. For a first trad lead, I think Conveniently Sexy is a good deal. As with anywhere in the San Gabes, there is always loose rock... hike to the tree anchor up atop Conveniently Sexy and clear away any rocks that might be pulled down by your anchor or rope before you lead or TR it. That way, you or your belayer don't get bombed on... Amanda got hit in the face by a rock there once.

http://mountainproject.com/v/convenient ... /107313355

I lost my other website so I can't really host any data, but I could put it on here in a post. The climbs aren't really worth it for most folks. If I have some spare time (believe it or not I work A LOT here and don't climb enough) I will post some stuff up. Sorry I'm no bueno at the moment.

Living here in Yosemite, I've seen what normal protection is like. I would thus not say the majority of the stuff I've done in the SG's is easy to protect, since there's so much loose rock. That said, I'm grateful I learned to lead in the SG's, because I make better anchors as a result, and I know how to make a bomber anchor out of a pile of crap. Keep this in mind and let it guide you so that you may grow.

Have a good one!

Awesome, thanks, Taco!

kool info....I've heard the stories, never been. Being an ex airplane nut, always ready to "hanger fly". I'll have to find, if poss, the pic's I took of this lil encounter

Back in 80's I was puttin around after leaving Brackett, breaking in a O/H engine in Cessna 150. Had to be up for a couple of hours, so being snow was still on the peaks, think it was early spring, I decided to cruise the mtns and take some pics. So I put the screws to her and got her up to about 12,500. Kept wanting to drift back down, but dammit if she was gonna fail, it better now! lol

Anywho I'm listin to chatter on radio and I caught something and thought Huh?. Someone was reporting a aircraft down at Baldy, right above the notch to the n/w as the terrain rises up. Pretty detailed if u ask me, so i turn it up and they aren't REPORTING the plane down, they ARE the plane down.

It was a Cessna 170. he was buzzing the lifts and hung his gear up in the snow on uphill side, so perfectly and slow that he did the perfect upside down belly flop he could of, plane was right there upside down, him standing next to it...red faced I'm sure,

Watched as the then brand new SBSO Hughs 500 heliwhopper made his way up in the thin air, picked him up and off they went...reams of paperwork awaitng.lol

Never did find out how they got her down...........

anyone ?

ur2slo wrote: ↑I'll have to find, if poss, the pic's I took of this lil encounter....

I decided to cruise the mtns and take some pics.

----

It was a Cessna 170. he was buzzing the lifts

Very cool story/info, ur2!! Yes, be really great if ya' find & post those pics - would love to see some aerials...

Buzzing the lifts, yikes... back then, do you think they did any [legal $$$] to the pilot --- and what would happen to ya if you tried that 'stunt' today

outwhere wrote: ↑

ur2slo wrote: ↑I'll have to find, if poss, the pic's I took of this lil encounter....

I decided to cruise the mtns and take some pics.

----

It was a Cessna 170. he was buzzing the lifts

Very cool story/info, ur2!! Yes, be really great if ya' find & post those pics - would love to see some aerials...

Buzzing the lifts, yikes... back then, do you think they did any [legal $$$] to the pilot --- and what would happen to ya if you tried that 'stunt' today

What would happen these days?

First, I wouldn't hit the mountain, I spent 15 yrs in Utah, the cargo airline I was with hauled the US Mail all thru out the northwest. Dc-3, twin bitches and more....

Second, he'd prolly do a half gainer.

Pretty easy to spot. I see the remains every time I climb Baldy via the Ski Hut, and have hiked down to the debris field several times. It's above the Ski Hut.....can't recall exactly how far....but you'll be looking down into a ravine to your left (above the ski hut). The wreckage is maybe 100 yards or so off the path, down into the ravine.

Kool Bob...thx. I've always wondered.

Toodles.....

Was going through some net photos and ran across this one... Not sure, but maybe it came from this board to begin with...

Anyways, thought some of the board's Baldy and aerial folk might wanna check it too..

Cool.

Are we facing Southwest, Making the upper desert at the bottom, and L.A, county on the top of the pic?

Here's what I put together, just "shooting from the hip".



HJ

Looks right to me, HJ.

Fantastic day to be out there. But at 1:00, it had to be 10-15 degrees and 30+ mph wind on top. Planned on having a beer and soup up there....NO WAY! Brutal. Cheesed it to the notch.

I think a friend and I are going to try to hit Baldy from the Village this Sunday 12-15-13. If anyone is interested let me know. I'll be bringing an ice axe, crampons, and sense of adventure. I'm not too sure what conditions will be but expect cold and windy with some slick sections. I'm not very fast but don't stop for many breaks (Iron Mtn. car-to-car ~8.5hrs). I consider any (but especially a winter) trip exploratory so early turn around for safety or timing are possible. Meet time will probably be around 7am @ Bear Canyon parking.

Temps\Weather look good so far:
http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/ ... casts/1500
http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/ ... casts/3068

If anyone is interested and wants to carpool from the SF Valley, I'll have room available for at least one passenger.

-Alan

I'll be base camping on the west side of baldy bowl from 12/12-12/16 and hiking Baldy, Harwood, Dawson, etc.

If you see a guy in a bright green jacket, say hi, it's probably me!

I'll try to shoot out a conditions report tomorrow or Friday with the Ski Hut wifi.

Ski hut has wifi? Public?

JeffH wrote: ↑Ski hut has wifi? Public?

Of course. That's why all the big horns hang out there.

WiFi must be broken. Still waiting for that report on how all the snow has melted.

Can confirm, nearly all the snow on the bowl has melted. However, the forested east facing slope did have a good 4-8 inches of snow from the boulder field up. Freeze-thaw conditions have been leaving the trail very icy in the morning. I would suggest microspikes/crampons, because freeze-thaw will only worsen with rising daytime temps.

Have fun guys!

IN the website lagoldmines.com it talks about two mines going up mt baldy between the two tunnels across the river. I have been to the lower mine. It says there is another 3/4 of a mile above that one and is best reached taking the stoddard road. Has any one been to this upper mine and how did u get there.