EISPIRATEN

Per Jeff S, the air temp was 9 degrees near the summit of Baldy on Sunday but with the "added pleasure" of 40-45mph winds, the wind chill dropped it to -15. Now i know why my hands were so dang cold!

Despite the frigid temps it was a beautiful day for a hike up RR with Phil (lik2hik), Lori W, GigaM, Wes and Tom. We layered up, we layered down, we layered up again, we donned 'pons, hiked bent over in the worst of the gusts and had a great time running into so many familiar faces on the mountain. A couple guys had ascended successfully via the west bowl and a few of us decided to descend via the west bowl. Not bad when you think it was still only November and this hasn't been a great snow year yet. One guy had the nerve to glissade but i want my pants to last the season and chose not to risk them on the still exposed rocks.

Here's to hoping another storm comes soon so the snow that was there Sunday can turn into a base and not melt away.

Ascending under a canopy of rime


One good reason to have crampons and axe


Unknown hiker reaching the summit swallowed up in spindrift


Below the summit and out of the wind = Warmer happy mountaineers!


Rest of my pix are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ryan.norma81/MtBaldy112810#

Did you go up the face of the bowl?

Is that a "Giga Mike Sighting"?

Nice pictures norma, the cloud just adds character to the shots - and gives you copy rights

norma r wrote: ↑ One good reason to have crampons and axe

Have have a feeling that if you slipped on that stuff, no ice axe would help you.

Depends. I've arrested on 80 degree snice before.

simonov wrote: ↑ Have have a feeling that if you slipped on that stuff, no ice axe would help you.

actually, it wasn't boiler plate, so you could have arrested. but it is much more fun to walk on ice with spikes on your feet than have to cut each step with an axe, that's for sure. but then again, sometimes you need to cut steps even with 'pons on. hence never have 'pons sans axe. also, with the winds on Sunday, having the purchase of crampons and axe kept us all from blowing off the hill.

Cool (or shall I say cold) pics, Norma. They keep getting better!
You sure do manage to get out a lot.

& yeah, it's been a bit windy up on old Baldy of late. The seasons they are a changing!