EISPIRATEN

Spent yesterday with an old friend getting our butts to the top of Baldy. It had been a while since being up there with that much snow. Lots of peole were going straight up the bowl. but we sort of followed the summer trail up the West side. Plenty of people boarding and skiing their way off the summit, but we slogged our way back down the way we went up. With the exception of some strong winds at times, the day was perfect, and I have the sun burnt face to prove it. The friend I was with, Chuck, brought a kite along and flew it on the summit. With the winds like they were, it didn't take any work to get it up and going. Another great day on Baldy.

What was the snow like? What time did you start?

I've been wanting to hit Baldy again this month, but I thought maybe the snow was getting too slushy and slippery. I was up on Saddleback (Santiago) yesterday, a summit with spectacular views in all directions, and was amazed how high the snow level has climbed on Baldy.

I am now considering doing Baldy again on the 15th ("Beware the Ides of March!"), but it looks like there might be precipitation next weekend.

San Gorgonio still seems to have plenty of snow, from what I could see from Saddleback.

We got started around 7 am. The snow on the way up was just right for us, as we were the only ones on the mountain it seemed, that did not bring crampons. By being cardful, they weren't needed, but would have made things easiar, faster , and safer if they had been brought along and used. We took our time going up, on top, and coming back down. Things were starting to get firmer and a little slippery for us, but we never felt bothered by not having crampons. If I were to go back tomorrow, I would take them for sure though. All in all, the day went great.

Thanks for the update on Baldy - I haven't been up there this winter either.

Great idea about flying a kite on the summit! I have to try that sometime.

I was also up on Baldy this past weekend. I climbed the center of the Bowl and descended the Devils Backbone. It was a beautiful climb and the snow was just right, with just some ice near the top. There's still plenty of snow to climb the Bowl but who knows how long it will last. I only saw one other person on the summit without crampons and an ice axe. Everyone else had both.

I ran into a small problem on the descent. I don't know if anyone has reported this but part of the Devils Backbone trail appears to be washed out and the only bypass is up the ridge. This section is at the end of the knife-edge ridge portion of the backbone after you leave the top of the ski run (if you were going up the backbone). I was going down so I traversed into a snow patch near the trouble spot and decided the scree beyond that point looked way too unstable and unsafe. If it gave way, I'd fall all the way down that chute. So I decided to go up and then down the ridge. It wasn't that icy but I was really glad I had my crampons and ice axe. The wind was blowing like crazy on that ridge. I was sweating bullets going down that thing.

Here's a picture of the spot: http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj26 ... db_new.jpg

And a picture of the same spot from last year: http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj26 ... t_year.jpg

Yeah, that spot can be a challenge.

If you're careful, you can take that gully down to the road. That gully is the terminus of Manker Canyon. It hits the road down a fair distance.

have you taken the gully taco???? I always think about it but have never done it.

I have not yet, but I spoke with a guy who did. If I had to take DBB again for whatever reason, I think I'd go up that way to see how smart it is.

Nice report Pilot.
Got a picture of what conditions of the bowl looks like right now?

He219 wrote:Nice report Pilot.
Got a picture of what conditions of the bowl looks like right now?

Sure, here are a few:

Here's that gully on the topo. Looks like a 2000' descent to the ski resort service road. I've walked up that road before and I remember thinking these canyons are really steep. It's hard to picture someone going down it but I guess if you've got the guts and the skills....

pilot wrote: ... but I guess if you've got the guts and the skills...

And the quads!

pilot wrote:

He219 wrote:Nice report Pilot.
Got a picture of what conditions of the bowl looks like right now?

Sure, here are a few:

Thanks pilot, the snow is better than I would have expected after all these warm days ...

I went down that gully once instead of continuing out along the sketchy section of the the devils backbone - I didn't enjoy it. The snow was partially melted out, so it was a mix of snow, mud, and loose rocks. A couple of the areas with good snow coverage were fine but the rest was a mess - I was covered with mud when I got back down to the road. Maybe with better snow coverage it wouldn't have been so bad.