San Antonio Falls Snowshoe - 3/18/12 [Photos]
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:00 am
San Antonio Falls - Sunday March 18th 2012
With a decent snow storm in circulation, it was time to escape the clutches of office life. Hwy patrol was at the bottom on the mtn stopping all cars to make sure they had chains before continuing, leaving a slurry of people playing dangerously close to the road just below this stop. Just below Icehouse Canyon turn off was the actual point where Hwy patrol made people put their cables/chains on. Alas, nothing proved terribly difficult from that point on for driving, mostly this kept more people that weren't prepared out. Enough about that boring stuff... some photos.
We set out past the locked gate a bit after 11am and it never stopped snowing. Nothing overwhelming, but consistent till be got back to the car at 2:30pm. Along the wide trail we saw more people than I had expected, another boyfriend/girlfriend duo like us, first time to the falls, and in such odd conditions. Made me chuckle a bit & wonder if this was her first time on snowshoes like it was my girlfriends. Both handling it like champions.
After such wonderful scenery we made it to the switch back where hikers can see the falls to the left. Stunningly dusted with snow and iced over in many portions. The fun began with the more narrow spur trail off to the falls.
After some time shooting photos and wandering around the base of the falls a collection of other hikers had moved in. Still feeling warm, dry & full of energy we almost opted to stop and boil a hot lunch, but preferred a 100% successful trip over pushing our luck & just causing small troubles for ourselves. Another father son team were tackling the chore off by the creek.
The trail back revealed that previous tracks were not hidden, but mostly covered over in just the couple hours we had been out hiking on Mt Baldy.
On our way back down, we past two fairly serious (in looks) mountaineers asking if we had summited, now feeling a bit low for only making to the falls told them no, they pressed on in what could have only been a great adventure in the snow. None the less, an all around great time out in what feels like a different world only a mile or so away from your car.
With a decent snow storm in circulation, it was time to escape the clutches of office life. Hwy patrol was at the bottom on the mtn stopping all cars to make sure they had chains before continuing, leaving a slurry of people playing dangerously close to the road just below this stop. Just below Icehouse Canyon turn off was the actual point where Hwy patrol made people put their cables/chains on. Alas, nothing proved terribly difficult from that point on for driving, mostly this kept more people that weren't prepared out. Enough about that boring stuff... some photos.
We set out past the locked gate a bit after 11am and it never stopped snowing. Nothing overwhelming, but consistent till be got back to the car at 2:30pm. Along the wide trail we saw more people than I had expected, another boyfriend/girlfriend duo like us, first time to the falls, and in such odd conditions. Made me chuckle a bit & wonder if this was her first time on snowshoes like it was my girlfriends. Both handling it like champions.
After such wonderful scenery we made it to the switch back where hikers can see the falls to the left. Stunningly dusted with snow and iced over in many portions. The fun began with the more narrow spur trail off to the falls.
After some time shooting photos and wandering around the base of the falls a collection of other hikers had moved in. Still feeling warm, dry & full of energy we almost opted to stop and boil a hot lunch, but preferred a 100% successful trip over pushing our luck & just causing small troubles for ourselves. Another father son team were tackling the chore off by the creek.
The trail back revealed that previous tracks were not hidden, but mostly covered over in just the couple hours we had been out hiking on Mt Baldy.
On our way back down, we past two fairly serious (in looks) mountaineers asking if we had summited, now feeling a bit low for only making to the falls told them no, they pressed on in what could have only been a great adventure in the snow. None the less, an all around great time out in what feels like a different world only a mile or so away from your car.