Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Conditions On Baldy

Agreed, Dave G, Sam P, AKA Taco (Ryan D) and myself did both the North Face of Harwood and the Northeast Face of Baldy in a two week period two years ago following this route - it's quite a scramble to get back to the base of the climbs but well worth it - great photo, brings back memories

based on this fellow's report and photos:

mcpherson's report and photos

i hiked that trail and took some photos too. north backbone trail

i don't think you'd fall so much as slide all the way down. footing was loose. but with proper ice defeating equipment you should have a great time - esp over two days.

I appreciate everybody's information about Baldy's north approach. I'm looking forward to trying it out soon. I'm not going to try this weekend due to incoming storm. Common sense prevails.

Hopefully Baldy will get some more snow so we can start practicing our snow travel in the bowl.

Had a great time today with the gang, 14 of us..Went up Register Ridge and down reg. trail to ski hut..Ice on R/R had to put on mirco(not plural) 3/4 the ways up R/R and the rest of the way to ski hut. mircos is all that was needed today..23deg. at summit

Good to see everyone...

mark

Baldy 1-22-2012

For some reason, I only had 1 micro-spike last Friday also. If I don't find the other one, maybe we can flip a coin to see who gets to make up a new pair...

Big group! Cool.

Talus has built in microspikes



Conditions on Register Ridge / Devils Backbone very icy.

Any Body on Baldy since the latest storms.. Planning
on going up Sat. Morn. What are the latest trail
condidtions.?

All information greatly appreciated.

Rick

Hey everyone keep your fingers crossed; there is a chance of snow this coming week (Tuesday-Wednesday)!!

The Whitney Portal group went up Baldy today. We ran into some icy sections on the ridge past the ski hut (after the rock garden). Micro spikes or basic crampons would be useful. You can make it up the ice sections without any traction aids (not gracefully) but descending safely would be difficult. This was the only section requiring traction aids.

It was 27 degrees when we summited (about 10:30 AM).

We talked about my lack of interest in driving around to Manker this year and how much I like Blue Ridge, so we may do a group climb from that side.

Someone what to plan it? It'd be fairly tame right now, but will get tough after any significant snow...

Climbing Baldy from the north approach looks like fun. At least it did yesterday as we looked down from the summit. Count me in for a Blue Ridge outing.

I would love to organize the group climb but I am starting a new job on Monday. I don't when and where I'll be traveling. Let me propose Saturday, February 25th.

I will start a new thread for planning the outing if others express an interest in joining in.

TR for Baldy on Sat. 2/11/2012
about 35 at Manker 7:15.... just missed Shin and Randy.. they
were ahead of me all the way.. Met about 10 min below the summit as they were coming down... Still snow/ice in the trees along the west ridge. Tried out some Yax Trax... seemed to work well.
Be careful stretching them on your boot... if you let go they sling shot away. Wind was tolerable. Clouds started coming up the valley below the Hut around 9:45. by 2pm it was socked in and lightly pelleting... not snow flakes... white pellets. All in all a good day finally back on the mountain... last there in Nov. Ran into Sam halfway below the ski hut at 2:30... said he has going for the top.. Hope he had a good hike..
Lets all find the snow gods and do a snow dance or something to get some white stuff on the mountain.
Happy Hiking
Rick

Hi Rick nice to have met you yesterday as Shin and I were coming down. It was cold and windy at the peak yesterday. Shin pushed me to the top in record time, so I want to thank him his encouragement and help. Just before we got to the parking lot we got a combination of snow/light hail. It must have been snowy up in the fog coming down from the peak. We had a great time as Shin met many of his friends on our way down from the peak. Nice to have met you all. See you all again.

Hi That would save us eastsiders some time. I looked for a road/trail access but didn't see a winter road close? In the old days (70's ) seemed like we went up Baden Powell some where in that area .HWY 2 ? could that work I would be up for the hike Thanks for the offer to kick it off . Feb 24 I am in Lancaster and could do the 138 over .Thanks Doug

I summited via the Manker Flats Ski Hut trail on Friday the 10th--gorgeous day on the trail, by the way. The water flow at the spring crossing next to the hut seemed a little lighter than normal to me, although I have never been there in February. I was there in November, though and it seemed as though the flow was stronger then. Both times, I was there during the day time in relatively warm weather. Is it just my imagination? Does anyone else think that the flow seemed a little less than normal?

Brent N

Hi Brent,

I summited on Monday 2/6. You're right, the flow was fairly light last week but I have seen a lot of variation there (but never so low that I couldn't fill a bottle). The stream responds pretty fast to local conditions. I bet if you went up now, after last week's precip, there would be more flow. I don't think it's anything unusual.

Anyway you cut it, a great hike.
Burt

Doug,
I'm not sure but I think the Blue Ridge Rd which takes you to the trailhead for the north backbone trail is closed. It was a few weeks ago. You can start in Wrightwood which adds a few miles to the route. I've never done that so I can't tell you just where you pick up the trail in Wrightwood.

You are right that the north route up Baden Powell starts up from Hwy 2 at Vincent Gulch which is just a little west of the turnoff for the Blue Ridge Rd.
Burt

http://www.wrightwoodca.com/wrightwood-hiking/hiking-trail.php?view&trail=9

Last time I parked at Guffy, I believe that this was the trail that was intersecting the PCT from Wrightwood. If memory serves me, after it intersects, you proceed East for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile and look for the obvious razor ridge directly north of the road.

Acorn Trail is correct for this time of year. My guess is that the road you can drive in "summer" Is closed as soon as Mountain High starts blowing snow.

Thanks, Burt. I thought about snow possibly affecting the flow, but I think that water is entirely spring fed and in the summer months when any memory of snow is long gone, the flow seems stronger. Just curious.

Brent