EISPIRATEN

I am thinking of climbing one or more of the side canyons up in Icehouse Canyon soon. I'm new at hiking in slow/ice. Used to hiking only non-winter, but mountains are calling. Does anybody have recommendations on gear I will need? Campons, ice axe, ropes? Also, are there any places to rent the gear I would need? I hate to invest in gear until I know what I need/want.. Thanks

Well, depending on what you want to do, you might only need crampons and an ice axe. SummitPost has route descriptions for Sugarloaf Ridge and Falling Fir Ridge on Ontario Peak. They are both nice routes.

I think that REI rents crampons, ice axes, etc.

For Fir Draw, just an axe and crampons. I'd carry a helmet for any of the other ones, and two tools and lots of experience in mixed climbing for Sheep Canyon (don't go there, basically ).

To the best of my knowledge no one rents ice axe, crampons (or any avy gear) due to liability reasons. Not anywhere in SoCal at least. I know this because most of my friends are poor college students... and it kinda sucks being the only one of my friends to own gear!

edit: according to REI's website the Santa Ana and Huntington Beach stores do rent mountaineering gear, but I would call first, cause I'm not sure that's accurate.

Thanks for the info! I will have to do some scouting around up in Icehouse the next couple weekends then.

Remember - just renting the gear isn't enough.....

You need to know how and when to use it too!

Good option = go with someone experienced that could let you borrow some gear.

People with all of the right gear have run into serious problems in the local mountains because they didn't know how to use it.

That is good advice! Thanks for that. Well, I really don't personally know anybody who has much climbing experience. I have a friend who is interested too, and we are just novice hiker/mountain bikers. So if there is anybody out there who would be willing to let a couple of FNG's tag along on a trip up Icehouse or Baldy please let me know. Thanks

I might head up there soon to do some scouting/climbing. What gear do you have at the moment?

I only have basic hiking and backpacking gear. Nothing for climbing. REI in Santa Ana does rent climbing gear, about $30/day for crampons, ice axe and helmet in case anyone was wondering.

What would be my best bet to getting out there with crampons for the first time. Any Baldy or Icehouse route that is good for first-timers??

Just crampons, no axe? I'd just go to Icehouse Saddle. Might be too deep/soft for crampons, at the moment.

Can you tell that I'm new at this? I mean crampons AND axe..

Hehe, no worries.

Kinda anything, as long as you feel it's within your means. Baldy isn't too bad, on a nice clear day. Ontario via Icehouse is easy.

I'd say a good beginner climb would be to go up to Telegraph from Manker Flats. Take San Antonio Falls Road up to the ski lodge at the notch, then go to Thunder. From Thunder, you can ascend the west ridge (easy, postholing at the moment), or the face to the right of it. Easy, short trip with variable conditions to get you used to working with axe and crampons. That face to the right of the ridge is a nice place to practice self arrest, though the snow might be too deep at the moment.

Great, thank you! I will post a trip report once I get back. Hopefully I will get up there in the next few weekends.

Mt. Baldy via the Ski Hut route (the summer trail) would be a good early outing with ice axe and crampons. The Ski Hut would be a good place to don the gear. You could also try ascending Register Ridge and descending the Ski Hut route.