EISPIRATEN

I hiked up the Ski Hut trail as far as I could and still make it back to the car by noon. Made it to about 9000' where the ferocious sustained winds made it miserable. Started at Manker Flats about 6:50a and made it back to car about 11:35a. The trail from the bowl up to the ridge was still icy that early in the morning so it took some off trail meandering through soft snow (4 to 6 inches maybe?) to make it up to the ridge. On the way down I could tell the icy parts were already melting.

I was passed by 2 hikers (one Rick Graham, the other I dunno) on the way up and on the way down. I can't figure out how they move so damn fast. I must have passed Simonov on my way down as I think I saw his car at Manker when I got back down. Also, just below the falls on the road back to Manker, Taco came running up the road with full pack on. I didn't know it was him until he was just about to pass me (I had to take my sunglasses off to get a good look), and he didn't hear me call out "TACO!" (must of had is Ipud turned up). At least I think it was him. There were a million other hikers so I assume some of them read this board.

I'll post photos later.

edit: add pics

Windy at about 9000' on ridge (another hiker heading to the peak)...


Icy trail...


The bowl...

I am blown away at how dry the bowl is! I was up there wed-thur and it was getting soft below the bowl but I would have thought some of it would have stuck around above 8,000ft. There was about 6" at 8,000 ft, 1' at 9,000 and 16-24" towards the summit. Melting snow always makes me sad.
This is my brother thursday morning after camping on the ridge at 8,800 ft. It continued to snow heavily that day after the picture...
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3 ... d=68602558

That was me. I have gotten enough wierd looks, so I saw you do that but I ignored ya, sorry bout that!

My iPod is loud, and I'm about half deaf (honestly), so yeah. Shit!

I said Hi to Simonov through a piece of TP.

I only made it a bit past the register. Running wore me out, and I have zero motivation to go up Ski Hut Trail again.

This board is being overrun by weak sucks!

I made it to the top, just in front of a couple who were wearing sneakers. I will confess, however, to stopping 450 feet below the summit to put on my crampons. They weren't strictly necessary as no one else I saw near the top was wearing them, but they gave me confidence and made climbing easier. I also broke out the ice axe to use as a cane just above the boulder field in the Bowl (where the ice really started; I suggested to the couple in sneakers, who were slipping and sliding on the ice, that they walk to the side of the trail to avoid the ice; that worked for them).



I believe I spent a few minutes speaking with Rick Graham and his partner at the Ski Hut on my way down. I thought he looked familiar.

Full trip report a little later in the day after all my pics load up to Flickr.

Taco: nice to see ya!

Simonov: Looks like I was about 5 minutes behind you going across the bowl and heading up to the ridge. Rick Graham passed me as I was just getting to the icy section after the bowl. The 2 people in sneakers were ahead of me and you must have been ahead of them. I assume Rick passed you on the ridge going up and then on the way down - he passed me on the way down just below the ski hut at about 10:30.

Here's Rick (he was solo) about to pass me after crossing the bowl at about 8:39...

simonov wrote: They weren't strictly necessary as no one else I saw near the top was wearing them, but they gave me confidence and made climbing easier.

plus they make you look bad ass.

thanks for the photos hikeup. that bowl looks mighty dry.

simonov wrote: I will confess, however, to stopping 450 feet below the summit to put on my crampons. They weren't strictly necessary as no one else I saw near the top was wearing them, but they gave me confidence and made climbing easier. I suggested to the couple in sneakers, who were slipping and sliding on the ice, that they walk to the side of the trail to avoid the ice; that worked for them).

IMO, crampons are necessary if you think they're necessary, regardless of what others are doing. The fact they "made climbing easier" settles the question right there. Many times I've seen people making their way up the ridge along the ski hut trail trying to negotiate icy patches in sneakers. I rescued one hiker who fell off the trail luckily being stopped by slamming into a large bush. I had just advised him to turn around because he wasn't wearing crampons and he replied he thought he was ok. Just then, he fell.

HikeUp wrote:The 2 people in sneakers were ahead of me and you must have been ahead of them. I assume Rick passed you on the ridge going up and then on the way down - he passed me on the way down just below the ski hut at about 10:30.

Well, then the guy I spoke with at the Ski Hut probably wasn't Rick, since I had my conversation at about 12:30 or so. But I thought I recognized his face from some photos posted here.

I first met the couple in the sneakers at the Ski Hut after I spent a few minutes inside with Pavel eating a snack. They started up ahead of me and I overtook them in the woods above the boulder field, as they were sliding all over the place on the icy trail. I suggested they stay to the sides of the trail to avoid the ice and then continued on. By the time I was near the summit, they had caught up with me (I was moving pretty slow by that point). They summited a few minutes after I did and took that summit portrait for me.

It was the girl's first time on Baldy. She kicked ass.