Big Horn / Ontario Peak

[spotfin]

Is it possible to hike these peaks without crampons at this time?
Thank you, any info is much appreciated.

[Taco]

I would have to say no. The summit ridge might be passable sans-crampons (though I'd not try it), but you will encounter snow on the way up from Icehouse, and ice is very likely on the trail due to compaction via hikers.

[Dave G]

What Taco said. More important than crampons though, is an ice axe and the knowledge of how to use it. There are a few spots along the way where an unarrested fall could ruin your day.

[michaelmagno]

More important than crampons though, is an ice axe and the knowledge of how to use it.

I'm in full agreement. Seems to me that owning an ice axe should almost be a prerequisite for purchasing crampons. In an icy desert island situation, if I only had one, I'd find an axe more useful.

[lilbitmo]

We did it today and it took all the Ice Axe and Crampon skills needed to do any "Highly Iced Up Ridgelines" and "Summits". One person made a mistake without an Ice Axe and did a face first glisade (more like a Luge) for 100+ feet in less than 3 seconds. Though he only got a few scrapes on his hands, it was the end of his day, he waited near the sign above Kelly's Camp at the first ridgeline while the rest of us went over to Ontario. The four false summits leading over to Ontario were Iced over completely, the top layer of snow is "Windswept" and each day the sun is melting a little bit of the top layer only to freeze again in the night.

I'm not absolutely sure but there was tracks (I think left by Dave G and Phil) from last weekend that we could faintly make out but now there's at least two sets from our group and another one that came up as we were going down.

You should be able to follow those tracks most of the time, there are spots where the ice was so thick that even "Toe Pointing" was difficult and did not leave much of a trace.

Be safe

[Zach]

save yourself the headache... don't do it

[Taco]

save yourself the headache... don't do it

Best advice ever.

There's a 'tip' in a book on driving I'm reading right now. "If you can't afford the right safety equipment, you can't afford to race". Same goes with this. (not that you don't have the gear. Please understand that many folks ask about climbing Baldy Bowl without any gear, in winter)

[Zach]

There's a 'tip' in a book on driving I'm reading right now. "If you can't afford the right safety equipment, you can't afford to race". Same goes with this.

...and I'll take it a step further and say with all the best equipment you STILL need to know how to self-arrest. Reading it in a book doesn't cut it. When you take that fall you have zero time to react and arresting needs to be instinct... not an abstract idea. Even then, it might not work.

[Taco]

Yep. That's where the training comes in. 8)

[mve]

Yep. That's where the training comes in. 8)

ditto ...


- Use of Mountaineering Ice Axe in self belay and self-arrest
- Foot work for ascending and descending:
- French Technique (Flat-Footing)
- German Technique (Front Pointing)
- Americal Technique (combo of the two with 3-o'clock position)

And watch out for the rock fall in the late afternoon - get in and out early!

I took my family to Baldy this past Saturday -- it was hot and we were hanging out at the Ski Hut pretty late (around 1pm I think ...) then I heard this thundering rumble, looked up at the Bowl and saw a huge mass of rock tumbling right smack in the middle where most of the climbers normally traverse before heading up the Bowl. One of the rocks was the size of a refrigerator and the rest were the size of a football -- it would have wiped out the whole climbing party -- there seemed to be no way of escaping it -- it was moving fast and was over in few seconds.

Thankfully there was no one in it's path. But just 45 minutes earlier two climbers past right there

[spotfin]

Thanks for the info.
All I wanted to know is what thecurrent conditions are and the first reply gave me that info. I have no intentions of going up there without the right equipment putting myself and others in peril.

[Taco]

It's all good. We know perhaps some others who aren't in your state of mind are reading this. 8)