Well this storm has turned out to be everything it was forecasted to be and more than I had ever hoped. I was eager to experience the storm and get out there while it was still fresh. This is probably the 4th or 5th major winter storm I have weathered on Baldy and this one takes the cake for ferocity, longevity, and ties for most snowfall.
My friend Jake and I began our hike around 2 PM Thursday in full blizzard conditions. Our plan was to camp somewhere between 6,500 and 8,000 feet depending on the conditions and the strength of the storm. Like I said this trip was more about the experience of the storm than reaching a particular destination and with the perilous conditions I wanted to be close enough to the car in case conditions became too much (which later turned out to be a good decision). It was snowing ferociously since we left the car but we made it 1.5 miles in zero viability before setting up camp. We dug a platform for the tent behind a downed tree just after 3:30 PM. After we were in the tent warm and cozy, we simply sat back and enjoyed the show. And I don't think it stopped snowing for more than 20 minutes during the 10 hours we were there. However just after dark a series of thunderstorms moved in bringing with it heavy hail and close lighting strikes. While we were relatively low on the mountain and 25 feet from any trees but we felt very vulnerable and and after some tense moments and no sign of the lighting subsiding we decided to tare down camp at 10PM.
Hiking out there was no sign of our tracks, the trail register was almost completely buried and Falls Road was indistinguishable. There was little more than a bump in the snow indicating that we were on the road at all and in numerous places slough avalanches had completely buried it. Visibility was down to less than 10 feet at times but aside from the lightning we were having the time of our lives. There was probably 4 feet of snow at the gate and I can hardly imagine how much there is higher on the mountain! Standing beside the porta-potties the roof came up to my elbow...
Once back at the car and we cleared all the snow off the hood, an inch of ice from the windshield, and unfroze the door locks with hot chocolate ant then attempted to free ourselves from the 20 feet of unplowed snow in front of us and the 2.5 foot berm build by the plow. Thank goodness for my brother's awesome Bronco with 33 inch mud tires and 4X4.
The first set of pictures in the album are from a trip before Christmas up the Register Ridge. Thursday's pictures should be easy to disseminate (blizzard).
http://www.facebook.com/album.php...&id ... 3522692a9f
Register Ridge 1/21
Did you also use the chains or M+S tires + 4WD is enough?glamisking wrote:Thank goodness for 33 inch mud tires and 4X4.
Cool TR -- jumping to pics -- man this is awesome!!!!
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glamisking
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:04 pm
I fully planned on either putting on chains either by choice or by force but surprisingly there was no chain enforcement going in or out. I was once forced by a CHP officer to put on chains in the Village with only light snow falling and totally plowed roads. Stupid 
So this was the worst I have seen these roads but 4x4 gave me perfect traction. I used 4x4 low on the way down to keep my speeds between 5-10 for the nasty stuff. But roads change every minute and I know they closed the road all together earlier today.
So this was the worst I have seen these roads but 4x4 gave me perfect traction. I used 4x4 low on the way down to keep my speeds between 5-10 for the nasty stuff. But roads change every minute and I know they closed the road all together earlier today.Thanks for the tips man! Hopefully I can plod right through with my BFG AT's although your Muds are much better in the snow ... we'll see ... I also ordered chains from amazon just in case there's a mandatory enforcement but they are not here yet ...
